Questions tagged [shakespeare]

Questions relating to William Shakespeare, an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

William Shakespeare (/ˈʃeɪkspɪər/; 26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, of which the authorship of some is uncertain. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

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Shakespeare's Scansion

Here are lines from "Richard III": Farewell. The leisure and the fearful time Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love And ample interchange of sweet discourse Which so long sundered friends should dwell upon. Not just these lines, but the entire…
Ricky
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Twelfth Night: Why does Olivia call Sir Toby “cousin”?

I’m reading Twelfth Night, where in Act 1, Scene 5, Olivia says to Sir Toby Belch: Olivia: Cousin, cousin, how have you come so early by this lethargy? How come she’s calling her uncle “cousin”?
athos
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What does "Would he had blotted a thousand!" mean?

I come across this passage in Bill Bryson's book, "Shakespeare": "His mind and hand went together,' they [John Hemings and Henry Condell] wrote in the introduction to the First Folio, 'and what he thought he uttered with that easiness that we have…
Anthony Kong
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Was Shakespeare's Hamlet truly fat?

In the final scene Hamlet's mother, watching the duel and worried about her son's fortunes, observes that He's fat and scant of breath. Editions that bother to explain this or that archaic turn of phrase in Shakespeare take the trouble of pointing…
Ricky
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In Shakespeare, besides "ponderous and marble jaws," are there any similarly structured phrases?

There are better ways to word this question, I'm sure, but I can't think of any for some reason: my apologies. In Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4, the lead character speaks as follows: Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell Why thy canonized bones, hearsed…
Ricky
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Meaning of "office" as in "in the office of a wall"?

This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands. — Richard II, William Shakespeare. What's the meaning of "in the office of a wall" in…
Sai Ma
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Is Shakespeare proper English?

"Divides one thing entire to many objects; Like perspectives, which rightly gazed upon show nothing but confusion..." - William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Richard the Second I read plenty of Shakespeare in high school, especially in drama. I…
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In "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, does "ay" mean "yes" or "always"?

And since that time it is eleven years, For then she could stand alone. Nay, by the rood, She could have run and waddled all about, For even the day before, she broke her brow. And then my husband—God be with his soul! He was a merry…
Ricky
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"My dread lord" or "Dread my lord" in Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2

Here's from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2 What wouldst thou have, Laertes? Laer. My dread lord, Your leave and favour to return to France; This text is from the second quarto(Q2). In the first folio(F1), "My dread lord" is replaced by "Dread my lord". I…
ivanhoescott
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how to understand the following Shakespeare's dialogue?

I was recently studying a play of Shakespeare called: Merry Wives of Windsor and the context is that there are two persons talking one is William and the other is Evans, the second one is the father of William, the father called Evan is trying to…
neo33
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Shakespeare and the tenses

In Anthony's speech there is a line that goes like this: "When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept." Why the present perfect?
Ricky
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Shakespeare's omission of 'as' before 'single' in 'When sorrows come, they come not single spies...'

When Shakespeare wrote: "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions", why didn't he put an "as" before "single spies"?
Peter4075
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In Love's Labour's Lost, what does "spite of cormorant devouring time" mean?

In the opening statement of Love's Labour's Lost (Act 1 Scene 1), Ferdinand speaks of why he wants to make the oath to study and forgo base pleasures. He says Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs And…
mherzl
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How can I quote a play from the middle of a line?

Here is the play stanza: Good night to everyone. [To Brabantio] And, noble signior, If virtue no delighted beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. I do not need this part, "Good night to everyone. [To Brabantio]." Should I just…
shurup
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A Winter's Tale Help, 'He something seemed...'

There is a children's copy of A Winter's Tale at work with a line I didn't understand (browsing whilst waiting for the microwave!). It says 'He something seemed unsettled' (Hermione talking about Leontes). I haven't read any Shakespeare (apart from…
Gary
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