Understanding Shakespeare

Summary

This video script explores the enduring legacy of William Shakespeare, often referred to as The Bard, and delves into his writing techniques used to appeal to diverse audiences at the Globe Theater. It explains the use of prose and verse to entertain both the nobility and commoners, highlighting the importance of Shakespeare's ability to resonate with different social classes. The script also discusses the structure and significance of sonnets in his works, using 'Romeo and Juliet' as an example to illustrate the call and response pattern and the contrast between spiritual and sensual imagery. The video encourages viewers to appreciate Shakespeare's dense and layered writing, meant to be experienced through performance rather than just reading.

Takeaways

• 🎭 William Shakespeare is often referred to as The Bard, a term indicating his authority and headship in English literature.
• 👑 Shakespeare was highly regarded in his time, even being commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I and rumored to have worked on the King James Bible.
• 🏟️ The Globe Theater, where Shakespeare's plays were performed, had a unique structure with different social classes occupying different areas, influencing his writing style.
• 📜 Shakespeare's plays were written to appeal to a diverse audience, alternating between prose for the commoners and verse for the nobility.
• 🤹‍♂️ Prose was used for comedic relief and lower-status characters, making the plays accessible to the groundlings in the pit.
• 🎭 Verse was utilized for higher-class characters to engage the nobility with complex themes and vocabulary.
• 📝 Shakespeare's writing often switches between prose and verse without a constant standard, depending on the editor of the book.
• 📚 Sonnets are a key form of verse used by Shakespeare, characterized by a specific rhyme scheme, rhythm, and structure.
• ❤️ The use of sonnets in 'Romeo and Juliet' signifies a mature love, contrasting with the spiritual and sensual imagery throughout the play.
• 📖 Shakespeare's works are best experienced through performance rather than just reading, emphasizing the importance of the theatrical experience.
• 📚 The Norton anthology of Shakespeare's complete works is recommended for those interested in exploring Shakespeare's extensive contributions to literature.

Q & A

What is the significance of the term 'The Bard' in reference to William Shakespeare?

The term 'The Bard' refers to a poet with authority and headship, similar to how presidents of clubs or universities are referred to with a lowercase 'b' compared to the President of the United States. In this case, 'The Bard' with a capital 'B' signifies Shakespeare's high regard and authority in English literature, indicating his status as perhaps the greatest English-speaking writer.

Why was Shakespeare commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I and King James I?

Shakespeare was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to write plays that honored her family's lineage, including the famous histories of Richard III and Henry V. It's rumored that he was also commissioned by King James I during the production of the King James Bible to reconstruct and analyze the Psalms, reflecting his influence and the esteem in which he was held.

What was the challenge that playwrights faced when writing for the Globe Theater?

The challenge was to entertain a diverse audience with vastly different social statuses, ranging from nobility to commoners. There was always the fear that either the nobility wouldn't endorse the play or the commoners would openly mock and heckle it during the live show.

How did Shakespeare adapt his writing style to cater to the different social classes in his audience?

Shakespeare effectively altered his writing style from character to character and scene to scene. He used prose for comedic relief characters and those of lower stature, which resonated with the commoners, and verse for characters of higher class to entertain the nobility due to the greater working vocabulary and complex character development.

What is the difference between prose and verse in Shakespeare's works?

Prose is made up of sentences and paragraphs without any rhyming structure, similar to normal writing today, and was usually attributed to characters of lower stature or for comedic relief. Verse, on the other hand, is poetry and was used for characters of higher class, offering a greater working vocabulary and complex character development.

How does the script describe the visual cue for when Shakespeare switches between prose and verse in his works?

The script mentions that prose lines often run continuously from margin to margin, while verse is usually made up of narrower lines all aligned on the left, creating jagged right-hand edges determined by the end rhyme or rhythm. Editors might also indent every other line of poetry to align the end rhyme.

What are the three attributes that identify a Shakespearean sonnet?

A Shakespearean sonnet can be identified by its rhyme scheme, rhythm, and structure. It consists of 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme, predominantly written in iambic pentameter, and follows a structure of three quatrains followed by a couplet.

What is the role of the couplet in a sonnet?

The couplet in a sonnet serves a vital role, usually arriving in the form of a grand conclusion to the theme or idea explored in the quatrains. It often provides a summary or a twist that wraps up the sonnet's message.

How does the use of spiritual imagery in the sonnet between Romeo and Juliet signify their relationship?

The use of spiritual imagery, such as words like 'holy', 'saint', 'pray', 'sin', and 'faith', contrasted with the imagery of sensual body parts like hands and lips, signifies that their romance is not just a childish lusting but a higher form of love, indicating an equal partnership.

What does the repetition of the word 'sin' in the following quatrain of the sonnet suggest about Romeo and Juliet's relationship?

The repetition of the word 'sin' four times in immediate succession might foreshadow that their romance is doomed from the beginning, hinting at the tragic nature of their love story.

What is the recommended resource for those interested in exploring Shakespeare's complete works as mentioned in the script?

The script recommends the Norton anthology of Shakespeare's complete works, which is formatted clearly with history and information, making it a great resource for anyone looking to delve into Shakespeare's poems and plays.