Analysis of the linguistic and grammatical features of Shakespeare

What is Shakespeare's Language?

Although the language of Shakespeare has, on the whole, preserved remarkable freshness, it is not free from archaism. On the one hand, Shakespeare uses words which have become obsolete: e.g., quoth (= said), sooth (= truth), hie (= hasten), an (= if); or words which, though they are still used at the present time, have not retained their shakespearian sense, e.g.: favour (= face), missives (= messengers), battle (= battalion), fond (= foolish), envy (= hatred).

Grammatical Differences

On the other hand, the grammar of Shakespeare’s English differs from that of the English of to-day by:

1) The use of few archaic forms and inflexions e.g.

Mine (= my); his (= its) – which (= who)- ye (= you) – whiles (=

while)- or...or (= either... or...) – broke (= broken), spoke (=

spoken), chose (= chosen), etc.
2) by a greater liberty in the use of the various parts of speech as well

as in construction. In Shakespeare

a)

Meek (= meekly) – other (= otherwise) – nothing (= in no wise)

b) Prepositions and Conjunctions are interchanged or used in a peculiar

sense:

Singular Use for Plural

An (= of) – in (= into) – so (= provided that) - that (=so that)

c) The singular is used for the plural, e.g.:

Timer and the hour runs through the roughest (Macbeth, I, 3,

149)

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives (Macbeth, II, I, 63)

Whom the vile blows and buffets on the world. Hath so incensed........

(Macbeth, III, I, 108)

d) May is sometimes used for can

...That by no means I may discover them...

Use of the Auxiliary 'do'

(Julius Caesar, I, I, 75)

e) The auxiliary “do” is used in affirmative sentences without any idea of

emphasis

His wonder and his praises do contend... (Macbeth, I, 3, 92)

Conversely verbs in the negative or interrogative form generally

dispense with the auxiliary “do”:

Live you? O are you aught... (Macbeth, I, 3, 42)

...to me you speak not (Macbeth, I, 3, 57)

f) Double negatives, double comparatives and double superlatives are

frequently used:

.... nor is not moved by concord of sweet sounds.... (Merchant

of Venice, V, I)

Frequent Ellipsis

For the more better assurance (Midsummer Night’s Dream, III, I, 18)

g) Ellipsis is frequent:

• Ellipsis of the

More tunable than lark shepherd’s ear (Midsummer Night’s Dream (I, I,

184)

• Ellipsis of the

Who was the thane livers yet (Macbeth, I, 3, 110)?

• Ellipsis of the

..... the illness should attend it (Macbeth, I, 5, 10)

• Ellipsis of the

Let toward the king (Macbeth, I, 3, 154)