Topic Seven (1.7): Shakespeare’s Language

Introduction

In this topic, you will examine Shakespeare’s language in greater detail. Having completed your reading and annotation of the play, using the in-text notes, and the Guide to Shakespeare’s Language provided in Topic 1.2, you should now feel more comfortable with the style of the language used in the play and have a sound understanding of the plot and its characters. You are now ready to build on this further and to examine the nuances and subtleties of Shakespeare’s language so you can bring greater detail and precision into the close textual analysis in your essays.

Top Tips

  • At AL, you are expected to go even further in your close textual analysis than you did at AS and to explore a wider and more sophisticated range of technical terms and concepts, so keep referring to the glossary provided in Mastering English Literature, the Guide to Shakespeare’s Language, the notes in your text and the literary terminology websites provided in General Resources.
  • If you come across any new terminology that doesn’t feature on the glossary, begin a separate list in your notes.

Review

You used the following resources at AS, but you may find them helpful to look at them again in light of Hamlet. If you did not study AS with Wolsey Hall, please make sure you read these carefully now and make notes.

EXPLORE – Metaphors and Similes in Shakespeare (Shakespeare Online) Links to an external site.

EXPLORE – Shakespeare’s Language (RSC) Links to an external site. – N.B. Make sure you also listen to the embedded audio file in this link.

Tasks

  • The following resource from the Royal Shakespeare Company contains a series of video clips and shows you examples of key language features in Hamlet:

EXPLORE – The Language in Hamlet: Key Terms (RSC) Links to an external site.

  • Read through the following resources on tone and style in the play and add to your notes:

EXPLORE – Metaphors and Similes in Hamlet (Sparknotes) Links to an external site.

EXPLORE – Tone in Hamlet (Sparknotes) Links to an external site.

EXPLORE – Style in Hamlet Links to an external site.

  • You will also find some helpful explanations of allusions in the play here:

EXPLORE – Allusions in Hamlet (Sparknotes) Links to an external site.

Consolidation

You may also find it helpful to develop your understanding of Shakespeare’s language by reviewing the meaning of the following key quotations from the play on Sparknotes:

EXPLORE – Important Quotations Explained (Sparknotes) Links to an external site.

Terminology

Make sure you understand any new literary terminology covered in this topic. You may like to make flashcards of key terms now, to help you with revision later on.