Shakespearean Language - A Guide for Actors and Students

Shakespeare was a master of language, his sayings have become part of everyday speech, and his plays endure, in part, because of the beauty of his verse. Shakespeare's language, however, poses special difficulties for modern actors because many of his words seem unusual or difficult to pronounce, he employs rhetorical devices throughout his works, and he carefully uses rhythm to convey sense.

The relation of the modern actor to the Shakespearean text, the importance of understanding the nuances of his language, and the fundamentals of grammar are all thoroughly examined in this volume. Its heart is a detailed consideration of the iambic code, the metrical system that Shakespeare used to give so much power to his verse. O'Dell also examines the importance of formal rhetoric in Elizabethan England and Shakespeare's artful use of rhetorical devices in his plays. As a practical reference guide, this volume keeps in mind the particular needs of theater professionals.

List of contents

Preface
Sound and Fury
An Actor's Guide to Shakespeare's Verse
Scansion
The Sonnets
Acquiring the Inner Ear
The Flow of Thought and Feeling
Putting it on its Feet
Messages in Code
Rhetoric
Acquiring an Elizabethan Rhetorical Facility
Structuring Argument
Tangled Webs
Index

About the author

LESLIE O'DELL is Associate Professor of Theatre and English at Wilfrid Laurier University and Text Consultant for the Stratford Festival in Ontario.

Product details

• Authors: Leslie O'Dell, O'Dell Leslie
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.10.2001
• EAN: 9780313311451
• ISBN: 978-0-313-31145-1
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; England, English, LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama, PERFORMING ARTS / Theater / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / General, Theatre Studies, 17th century, c 1600 to c 1699, Literary studies: c 1600 to c 1800, 16th century, c 1500 to c 1599, c 1500 to c 1600, C 1600 To C 1700, Shakespeare Studies & Criticism, Literary studies: plays and playwrights, Relating to Shakespeare / Shakespearean, The Arts: Drama