Shakespeare employs many language techniques during his collected works. These techniques are ways of creating an effect within the writing to manipulate the reader into reacting in a certain way or feeling a certain thing. Some techniques are distinctly related to characters but others are more general. The play we are studying is As You Like It which is filled with many of these language features.
Verse is commonly employed within As You Like It. When a character speaks in poetry it is refereed to as verse. Many techniques are used in conjunction with verse but it can be used un-accompanied. It is generally used to determine formal speech, points that Shakespeare wanted to get across, and moments elevated thought or emotional reflection. A famous example of this is Jaques' speech starting "All the world's a stage..." The speech is written in verse to provide a clear structure to the thought process of the character. Where a line ends is where an actor should take a breath or continue with a new thought. The use of verse also sets it apart from the rest of the play, making the point sound more eloquent and well thought out. Because Jaques is speaking in verse here and is given a long monologue to discuss his point, the audience is made aware of the importance of the point. The character of Jaques is also developed during the speech, the verse shows us that the point he's making is important to him and that this is something he truly believes in. The speech is written in iambic pentameter, this means that each line has ten syllables with the stress put on alternating syllables, this is often describes as 'Dum Dee Dum Dee Dum'. The reason for this is that the rhythm that ten syllables creates is natural to English speech. It is iconic of Shakespeare's writing and also much poetry of the time because it creates a clear rhythm definite rhythm that makes the verse pleasing to listen to. By making the speech sound good, it makes it more memorable, without iambic pentameter it is questionable if it would have stood against time this long.
Some of the lines in the speech employ the technique of enjambment, which means that the line of verse ends without punctuation such as in "Creeping like snail/ Unwilling to school". This effectively links the two lines and speeds up the pace of the speech. Caesura is used closely with enjambment, where enjambment is the continuation of pace past a line in verse, caesura is the continuation of a thought past a full stop. There is no literary indication of this, instead it is a standard practice for reading Shakespeare and to be added at the discretion of the reader or the actor. A thought is continued past the full stop effectively meaning that thoughts are dictated by lines instead of punctuation. It is a technique to make the script sound more like human speech because as people we don't talk conforming to standard punctuation rules, running on past full stops and ignoring the pauses where a comma should be. The use of caesura in this speech makes Jaques sound more passionate about what he's talking about. Where he runs over his sentences will be because he has this desire to get his point across and affect others, including the audience, with his insight.
A half line opens the speech, the Duke says "Wherein we play in." and Jaques picks up the same line and starts his monologue with "All the world's a stage". The effect of this is that the monologue starts with a fast pace, by cutting into another line it speeds the pace of speech up. It also, again, speaks to the passion that Jaques holds on the subject that he is so eager to say it as to interject on another character's line. It can be used to show two characters in conflict, arguing fervently, cutting into one another's speech but still continuing the discourse with pace and rhythm. The other way it is used is to show two characters agreeing firmly on something to the point where they seem to share the same thought.
Rhyme is commonly used in conjunction with verse. Although it can appear outside of verse it is much more prominent within it. Rhymes are commonly where a word at the end of a line has the same end syllable as another line near it. Rhymes in both Shakespeare and generally are used to provide a pace, rhythm and tone. The positioning of a rhyme will help you discern how to read something. Rhymes can also be used to link two words together, juxtapose them to make the reader see something different. In this play, however, Shakespeare employs half rhymes, two words that end in a way that sounds similar, and internal rhymes, where two words in the same line rhyme, as well the more traditional way. An example of an internal is Jaques' line "Go thou with me and let me counsel thee." it appears as a solitary line of verse, surrounded by prose. The effect it creates is that it is a conclusion to that section in the play, the sound of the rhyme giving the audience a sense of satisfaction and an almost audible catharsis. The technique of ending a scene, or section, with a rhyme is common in Shakespeare's works. It is more commonly accomplished with a rhyming couplet: two lines one after the other with a rhyming word at the end of both. One example of a rhyming couplet is at the end of Act 1, Celia says "After my flight. Now go in we content/ To liberty, and not to banishment." They are often used to sum up the feeling of the scene, the action that the characters will next be taking and/or any important plot points. They serve mostly as a little summary that is nice to hear and clearly marks an end.
Prose is the other way Shakespeare formatted his texts. It's the the way most contemporary plays set out their text, margin to margin. Shakespeare's prose still contains a rhythm but it's not as easily accessed. Verse has rules and formatting that helps you read it how it way meant to be read but prose contains no such rules. Prose is said to be less naturalistic than verse and used more for the practicality of the play. Prose more often contains the humour, the jokes, the wordplay, matters that are more down to earth than the elevated form that verse takes. This format is also more closely linked to casual speech between characters. However, even though prose is more down to earth, it still contains language techniques, if not to a greater extent than verse does.
Repetition is simply a word that appears a number of times. One example of repetition is with Rosalind where she says "So was I when your highness took his dukedom,/ So was I when your highness banished him." Repetition is used to draw attention to a specific word, phrase, or even concept. In this quote it is used to show a sense of nothing changing, Rosalind is trying to say to the Duke 'nothing has changed here'. The phrase "your highness" is also repeated, this portrays a sense of reverence and almost fear as if she is trying to appease him and keep him happy. This also highlights her weakened position next to him and makes her out to be a victim or someone to be pitied. In the same section a sort of extension to repetition can be found. A lexis is a repetition of a group of words that evoke the same image, they're usually synonyms or they link into the same subject. In this section a lexis of status is used. Rosalind refers to the Duke as "your highness", "my lord", and as "my liege". These all work towards the same effect as the repetition of "your highness", they put Rosalind in a position of weakness whilst portraying the Duke as this symbol of fear and reverence.
Shakespeare likes roundabout ways of saying simple things and simple ways of saying complex things. One way in which he accomplishes this is through the use of paradoxes, antitheses, and oxymorons. A paradox is something that, even though it may seem simple, contains some form of circular logic that makes it impossible. An example of a paradox is where Rosalind says "I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I'll be married tomorrow". It seems to simply be saying that she'll be marrying them tomorrow but because she is truly a woman she can't marry a woman and as such could not marry her. The point of these is to add a layer of comedy to the audience. In this case it also serves to tell the audience one thing while telling another character another thing. However paradoxes are often used to show the conflict that complex emotions create. Antithesis are used often to show conflict in ideas, in this play there is an overarching antithesis of nature and society. The play utilities a 'Green World' technique, where the characters leave the confines of society and thus lose its restricting rules, in order to explore the genre of the pastoral comedy. This play is Shakespeare's way of satirising the popular opinion of the time that 'everything is better in the countryside' that arose from the popularity of the pastoral comedies. Individual antitheses can be used comically or dramatically but almost always are used to show an internal conflict of opinion in a character. Finally oxymorons are two words that are put together but mean mutually exclusive things. An example of an oxymoron is Jaques' line "A material fool". He is listening to Touchstone trying to woo Audrey and finding himself agreeing with some of Touchstone's words but wishes to maintain his sense of superiority. The internal conflict of pride and acknowledgement creates the oxymoron here. Oxymorons are often a double sided comment, they serve to demonstrate a complex nature to something.
The sound of words are very important. The effect of how a word sounds can very subtly affect how something is read or where the focus or strength in a point is found. Alliteration highlights a string of words by them all starting with the same letter sound. Depending on the sound of the letters used it can have different meanings, sibilance, for example, the repetition of the 'S' sound at the start of a word can have a variety of different effects including creating suspicion, a sense of evil, or even calm and serenity. The use of words accompanying the sound is heavily influential but a strong list of plosive words with letters like 'B' or 'P' will have more impact and strength. Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound, it works much in the way of alliteration practically. An example of assonance is Audrey's line "I am not fair, and therefore..." the 'air' in 'fair' and 'ere' in 'there' sounds long and pronounced. This creates the effect of extending the time it takes to complete the line and can have an effect. In this case it can be seen as to make Audrey seem less intelligent. Assonance is more an aid to the actors and readers to discern how a character is than for an audience to appreciate. Finally dissonance is the opposite of these two techniques, it is when words sound out of place and the sounds contrast with each other. The effect of it is to make the reader uncomfortable with what is being said. The contrast also highlights both words creating a divide between them.
Shakespeare's language is infinitely complex. People have dedicated their lives to uncovering every little trick that he employed. Many of his techniques are to help the actor, these language features are an actor's friend and if he can spot them then he is well on his way to being able to successfully perform Shakespeare.
Verse is commonly employed within As You Like It. When a character speaks in poetry it is refereed to as verse. Many techniques are used in conjunction with verse but it can be used un-accompanied. It is generally used to determine formal speech, points that Shakespeare wanted to get across, and moments elevated thought or emotional reflection. A famous example of this is Jaques' speech starting "All the world's a stage..." The speech is written in verse to provide a clear structure to the thought process of the character. Where a line ends is where an actor should take a breath or continue with a new thought. The use of verse also sets it apart from the rest of the play, making the point sound more eloquent and well thought out. Because Jaques is speaking in verse here and is given a long monologue to discuss his point, the audience is made aware of the importance of the point. The character of Jaques is also developed during the speech, the verse shows us that the point he's making is important to him and that this is something he truly believes in. The speech is written in iambic pentameter, this means that each line has ten syllables with the stress put on alternating syllables, this is often describes as 'Dum Dee Dum Dee Dum'. The reason for this is that the rhythm that ten syllables creates is natural to English speech. It is iconic of Shakespeare's writing and also much poetry of the time because it creates a clear rhythm definite rhythm that makes the verse pleasing to listen to. By making the speech sound good, it makes it more memorable, without iambic pentameter it is questionable if it would have stood against time this long.
Some of the lines in the speech employ the technique of enjambment, which means that the line of verse ends without punctuation such as in "Creeping like snail/ Unwilling to school". This effectively links the two lines and speeds up the pace of the speech. Caesura is used closely with enjambment, where enjambment is the continuation of pace past a line in verse, caesura is the continuation of a thought past a full stop. There is no literary indication of this, instead it is a standard practice for reading Shakespeare and to be added at the discretion of the reader or the actor. A thought is continued past the full stop effectively meaning that thoughts are dictated by lines instead of punctuation. It is a technique to make the script sound more like human speech because as people we don't talk conforming to standard punctuation rules, running on past full stops and ignoring the pauses where a comma should be. The use of caesura in this speech makes Jaques sound more passionate about what he's talking about. Where he runs over his sentences will be because he has this desire to get his point across and affect others, including the audience, with his insight.
A half line opens the speech, the Duke says "Wherein we play in." and Jaques picks up the same line and starts his monologue with "All the world's a stage". The effect of this is that the monologue starts with a fast pace, by cutting into another line it speeds the pace of speech up. It also, again, speaks to the passion that Jaques holds on the subject that he is so eager to say it as to interject on another character's line. It can be used to show two characters in conflict, arguing fervently, cutting into one another's speech but still continuing the discourse with pace and rhythm. The other way it is used is to show two characters agreeing firmly on something to the point where they seem to share the same thought.
Rhyme is commonly used in conjunction with verse. Although it can appear outside of verse it is much more prominent within it. Rhymes are commonly where a word at the end of a line has the same end syllable as another line near it. Rhymes in both Shakespeare and generally are used to provide a pace, rhythm and tone. The positioning of a rhyme will help you discern how to read something. Rhymes can also be used to link two words together, juxtapose them to make the reader see something different. In this play, however, Shakespeare employs half rhymes, two words that end in a way that sounds similar, and internal rhymes, where two words in the same line rhyme, as well the more traditional way. An example of an internal is Jaques' line "Go thou with me and let me counsel thee." it appears as a solitary line of verse, surrounded by prose. The effect it creates is that it is a conclusion to that section in the play, the sound of the rhyme giving the audience a sense of satisfaction and an almost audible catharsis. The technique of ending a scene, or section, with a rhyme is common in Shakespeare's works. It is more commonly accomplished with a rhyming couplet: two lines one after the other with a rhyming word at the end of both. One example of a rhyming couplet is at the end of Act 1, Celia says "After my flight. Now go in we content/ To liberty, and not to banishment." They are often used to sum up the feeling of the scene, the action that the characters will next be taking and/or any important plot points. They serve mostly as a little summary that is nice to hear and clearly marks an end.
Prose is the other way Shakespeare formatted his texts. It's the the way most contemporary plays set out their text, margin to margin. Shakespeare's prose still contains a rhythm but it's not as easily accessed. Verse has rules and formatting that helps you read it how it way meant to be read but prose contains no such rules. Prose is said to be less naturalistic than verse and used more for the practicality of the play. Prose more often contains the humour, the jokes, the wordplay, matters that are more down to earth than the elevated form that verse takes. This format is also more closely linked to casual speech between characters. However, even though prose is more down to earth, it still contains language techniques, if not to a greater extent than verse does.
Repetition is simply a word that appears a number of times. One example of repetition is with Rosalind where she says "So was I when your highness took his dukedom,/ So was I when your highness banished him." Repetition is used to draw attention to a specific word, phrase, or even concept. In this quote it is used to show a sense of nothing changing, Rosalind is trying to say to the Duke 'nothing has changed here'. The phrase "your highness" is also repeated, this portrays a sense of reverence and almost fear as if she is trying to appease him and keep him happy. This also highlights her weakened position next to him and makes her out to be a victim or someone to be pitied. In the same section a sort of extension to repetition can be found. A lexis is a repetition of a group of words that evoke the same image, they're usually synonyms or they link into the same subject. In this section a lexis of status is used. Rosalind refers to the Duke as "your highness", "my lord", and as "my liege". These all work towards the same effect as the repetition of "your highness", they put Rosalind in a position of weakness whilst portraying the Duke as this symbol of fear and reverence.
Shakespeare likes roundabout ways of saying simple things and simple ways of saying complex things. One way in which he accomplishes this is through the use of paradoxes, antitheses, and oxymorons. A paradox is something that, even though it may seem simple, contains some form of circular logic that makes it impossible. An example of a paradox is where Rosalind says "I will marry you, if ever I marry woman, and I'll be married tomorrow". It seems to simply be saying that she'll be marrying them tomorrow but because she is truly a woman she can't marry a woman and as such could not marry her. The point of these is to add a layer of comedy to the audience. In this case it also serves to tell the audience one thing while telling another character another thing. However paradoxes are often used to show the conflict that complex emotions create. Antithesis are used often to show conflict in ideas, in this play there is an overarching antithesis of nature and society. The play utilities a 'Green World' technique, where the characters leave the confines of society and thus lose its restricting rules, in order to explore the genre of the pastoral comedy. This play is Shakespeare's way of satirising the popular opinion of the time that 'everything is better in the countryside' that arose from the popularity of the pastoral comedies. Individual antitheses can be used comically or dramatically but almost always are used to show an internal conflict of opinion in a character. Finally oxymorons are two words that are put together but mean mutually exclusive things. An example of an oxymoron is Jaques' line "A material fool". He is listening to Touchstone trying to woo Audrey and finding himself agreeing with some of Touchstone's words but wishes to maintain his sense of superiority. The internal conflict of pride and acknowledgement creates the oxymoron here. Oxymorons are often a double sided comment, they serve to demonstrate a complex nature to something.
The sound of words are very important. The effect of how a word sounds can very subtly affect how something is read or where the focus or strength in a point is found. Alliteration highlights a string of words by them all starting with the same letter sound. Depending on the sound of the letters used it can have different meanings, sibilance, for example, the repetition of the 'S' sound at the start of a word can have a variety of different effects including creating suspicion, a sense of evil, or even calm and serenity. The use of words accompanying the sound is heavily influential but a strong list of plosive words with letters like 'B' or 'P' will have more impact and strength. Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound, it works much in the way of alliteration practically. An example of assonance is Audrey's line "I am not fair, and therefore..." the 'air' in 'fair' and 'ere' in 'there' sounds long and pronounced. This creates the effect of extending the time it takes to complete the line and can have an effect. In this case it can be seen as to make Audrey seem less intelligent. Assonance is more an aid to the actors and readers to discern how a character is than for an audience to appreciate. Finally dissonance is the opposite of these two techniques, it is when words sound out of place and the sounds contrast with each other. The effect of it is to make the reader uncomfortable with what is being said. The contrast also highlights both words creating a divide between them.
Shakespeare's language is infinitely complex. People have dedicated their lives to uncovering every little trick that he employed. Many of his techniques are to help the actor, these language features are an actor's friend and if he can spot them then he is well on his way to being able to successfully perform Shakespeare.
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