2011-2012 An introduction to R& J: The Style of Shakespeare
Slide 2 First, in your journals: - What I know about Shakespeare
and his works, what I like and dislike about him and his works, and
general reactions. Slide 3 Fun Fact: He was the master of Your
mommas so ______ insults Slide 4 If you dont like him, he might
say: "You should be women and yet your beards forbid me to
interpret that you are so. - Macbeth "Methinks thou art a general
offence, and every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created
for men to breathe themselves upon you. - Alls Well that Ends Well
Slide 5 "I must tell you friendly in your ear, sell when you can,
you are not for all markets." - As You Like It "Thou art a base,
proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy
worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver'd, action-taking, whoreson,
glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting
slave; one that wouldst be a bawd in way - King Lear Slide 6 "I'll
beat thee, but I should infect my hands. - Timon of Athens "Thou
art a boil, a plague sore, an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted
blood. - King Lear Foot-Licker - The Tempest (If time allows):
(will provide copies)
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/shake_rule.html
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/shake_rule.html Slide 7 If
Shakespeare were alive today: Slide 8 Fun Fact: He didnt bother
trying to find a word by right clicking while typing: rather, he
would just make up words and phrases for what he meant to say Slide
9 The man made up hundreds of words: Advertising (n)luggage (n)
Circumstantial (adj)misquote (v) Cold-blooded (adj)numb (adj) Drug
(v)outbreak (n) Embrace (n)partner (n) Employer (n)premeditation
(adj) Epileptic (adj)retirement (n) Fashionable (adj)rival (adj)
Glow (v)traditional (adj) Gossip (v)zany (adj) Slide 10 Phrases
Shakespeare is credited with creating: (These are just a select
few) an eye-soreay, theres the rub For goodness sake green-eyed
monster I have not slept a winkwell-behaved Good Riddanceshooting
star Into thin airpuppy dog Love is blindIt was Greek to me Slide
11 But, why does he sound so weird? Many words have shifted meaning
since Shakespeares day, or have fallen out of use Slide 12 What
helps me is to consider slang over the last 30 years: Skinney,
Bogue, Bootin, Lay a Gasser, Phony, The Man, You Know, bunny, The
Flip-side, backatcha, bad, bogard, Bogus, Dude, Whatever, Gnarly,
Hot, Bodacious, Rad, Excellent, Party-on, Ace, Amped, B.F.F., Barf
me out, Bomb, Book, Boss, Buggin, CD, Diesel, Face, Grindage,
Juiced, Legit, Mega, Narc, Noid, Sick, Spanger, Waver Sup, bama,
beans, brutal, bunk, buzz, chillin, crib, crunk, Fats, Home
Skillet, Jack you up, Larey, Morph, Nce1, Not!, OMG, Phat, Dude,
Buzz, Bull, Boo, Shotgun, Yo, Jump the Shark, Nuke the Fridge Slide
13 Letters, syllables, or whole words were sometimes omitted.
Examples: 'tis: it iso'er: overne'er: never e'er / ere: everoft:
oftene'en: even Word order was more flexible. Example: I ate the
sandwich.I the sandwich ate. Ate the sandwich I. Ate I the
sandwich.The sandwich I ate. The sandwich ate I. Slide 14
Shakespeare wrote dramatic poetry most of the time, but sometimes
included prose Poetry was mostly in blank verse (unrhymed lines of
iambic pentametre) Poetry was sometimes in rhyming couplets, sonnet
form, etc. Poetry usually used for passages of high feeling and
increased intensity Prose often used for wit and play, or
lower-status characters Slide 15 Some Quick Comprehension Tips:
Thou vs. You Thou = an informal address to one's friends or social
inferiors You = a formal address to strangers and social superiors
Forsooth = No kidding Marry!, By my faith = Wow Alack, Alackaday,
Alas, Fie, Out upon it! = Darn it! God's wounds, S'wounds, Zounds =
swearing Prating = Babbling, talking too much Perchance = Maybe
Forswear = To lie or cheat Betimes = Very early in the morning
Slide 16 Fun Fact: Shakespeare never intended for his works to be
studiedbut rather, experienced and viewed in the theater (Think of
him as the Michael Bay of his time, and that his plays are the
Transformers of the time) Slide 17 Fun Fact: Shakespeare is still
read and studied and beloved by just about everyone in the theater
world because his work is timeless. In 400 years, what, if any of
the popular works of today will still be studied (Hint: Gremlins
will, but Im not sure about anything else) Slide 18 Its why they
keep producing his works: Slide 19 Best Modern Interpretation Ever?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9Ismh1elM Slide 20 Fun fact: the
director of the new Avengers movie, Joss Whedon, the creator of
Buffy the Vampire Hunter, is putting the final touches on his next
film: a modernized version of Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing
Slide 21 A quick R & J refresher: For those of you who missed
the play, fell asleep during it or have just completely forgotten
it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpP6osQNMh0 Slide 22 Well, to
understand Shakespeare (or, any play), you must understand a couple
of key terms/concept Slide 23 The Elements of (Shakespearean) Drama
2011-2012 Terminology Guide Slide 24 Dialogue Definition: A
conversation between two or more people. Examples in R&J: See
almost any scene Slide 25 Monologue Definition: A long speech made
by one person. Examples in R&J: (See the Princes speech in the
first scene) Slide 26 Soliloquy Definition: a speech in which a
character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her
thoughts without addressing a listener. Example: The Friar as he
works in his garden. Slide 27 Aside Definition: A piece of dialogue
intended for the audience (or one other character in the form of a
whisper and supposedly not heard by the other actors on stage)
Example: Sampson and Gregory in the opening scene both have asides
Slide 28 Subtext Definition: a message which is not stated directly
but can be inferred Example: Juliet not wanting to get married
Slide 29 Pun (so important, it appears twice on the guide)
Definition: A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the
same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different
words Examples: a) My attempt at starting a street market turned
out to be fruitile. b) "..You have dancing shoes With nimble soles.
I have a soul of lead" (I.iv.15-16) Slide 30 Alliteration
Definition: The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds
of sounds at the beginning of words Example: Peter, Peter,Pumpkin
Eater, had a wife Slide 31 Oxymoron Definition: figure of speech in
which contradictory or opposite words or concepts are combined for
effect Example: Jumbo Shrimp; Only Choice; Freezer Burn; In class
homework; Unbiased Opinion Slide 32 Paradox (Wait, is this term
also so important that it merits two spots on the guide?)
Definition: A seemingly contradictory statement that may
nonetheless be true Example: Act 2, Scene 3, Line 198. "Yet I shall
kill thee with much cherishing. Goodnight, goodnight. Parting is
such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow."
Slide 33 Allusion Definition: a passing reference Example: Queen
Mab in R&J Slide 34 Comic Relief Definition: A humorous
interlude in a serious literary work or drama, especially a
tragedy, intended to relieve the dramatic tension or heighten the
emotional impact by means of contrast Example: See Mercutio Slide
35 Malapropism Definition: the unintentional misuse of a word by
confusion with one that sounds similar Examples Dad says the
monster is just a pigment of my imagination. Good punctuation means
not to be late. Slide 36 Foil Definition: A foil is a character who
serves as a contrast to another perhaps more primary character, so
as to point out specific traits of the primary character. Examples:
Wellwhat do you think? Slide 37 Tragedy Definition: Simply put, it
is a drama with an unhappy endingof course, that minimizes what it
actually is Slide 38 Hubris Tragic fault/flaw of pride Catharsis
Emotional release after a tragic event. Slide 39 Slide 40
Bibliography Best, Michael. Shakespeare's Life and Times. Internet
Shakespeare Editions, University of Victoria: Victoria, BC,
2001-2005.. Dunton-Downer, Leslie, and Alan Riding. Essential
Shakespeare Handbook. New York, NY: DK Pub., 2004. Print. Hill,
Wayne F., and Cynthia J. Ottchen. Shakespeare's Insults: Educating
Your Wit. New York: Three Rivers, 1991. Print Kamen, Vittoria.
"Need A Good Insult? Ask The Bard." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 17 July 2011. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.. "The
Language of Shakespeare." Shakespeare Resource Center -. Web. 29
Apr. 2012.. http://abbynet.sd34.bc.ca/FOV2-
0007DD63/RJ_DOC/REGULAR10/RJ_Shakespearen%20Language%20with%20worksheet.pdf?FCItemID=S0
72C9956 Images and Youtube Clips to be added soon!
