Shakespeare basics

Shakespeare Basics

Shakespeare wrote three kinds of plays (genres) Histories, Comedies and Tragedies

Remember his works are plays so think about how they would be performed.

In Shakespeare’s time all parts would be performed by men and boys as women were not allowed to act.

Shakespeare uses a five act structure for all his plays

First we have the exposition (beginning) where the setting of the play is revealed.

Tension rises until we have a crisis

At the end all is resolved (the dénouement) this is a French word for unknotting

Usually higher status characters speak in Blank verse (iambic pentameter) this is a line of ten beats. Lower classes characters speak in prose (ordinary language)

When a character speaks alone on stage this is called a soliloquy – they are letting the audience in on their feelings or motives.

Shakespeare often uses dramatic irony – this is where the audience knows something that the characters do not – it helps the audience to become more involved.

For example – in Twelfth Night the audience know that Viola is dressed as a boy.

The main character is called the protagonist – this is usually someone of high status

Many of Shakespeare’s plays are based on the idea of opposites (antithesis)

For example, order and disorder, winning and losing, life and death, good and bad.

In Shakespeare’s time people had a classical education including Shakespeare himself this is why there are frequent references to the Bible and to Greek mythology.

Shakespeare created lots of new words (neologisms) we use alot of them today without realising Shakespeare created them!

examples include: countless, excellent, fragrant, lonely, radiance.

Shakespeare uses rhetorical language. This includes:

Metaphors and similes – comparing one thing with another

Ophelia says of Hamlet’ he is as pale as his shirt’ and Gertrude says ‘he is as mad as the sea’

Romeo says of Juliet ‘she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

Personification – giving an object human qualities.

Iago makes jealousy into a monster’ O beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-ey'd monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on’

Oxymoron – two opposites together-  Romeo says ‘loving hate’