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Shakespeare's influence on the english language pdf
Shakespeare's influence on the english language pdf
The influence of Shakespeare on english language
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Generally, when people think of Shakespeare, they tend to associate him with old English and plays like Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. They wrongly disassociate him from modern English terms used by youth. People inaccurately think Shakespearean English and modern English are two very different things. However, Shakespeare authored a number of today’s catchphrases. Countless people quote Shakespeare without realizing! While many people know that William Shakespeare’s way with words rose high above his peers’, few recognize that Shakespeare devised several of today’s popular phrases, including, “it is all Greek to me”, “break the ice”, and “too much of a good thing”.
Written by William Shakespeare, the play As You Like It contained an expression far before its time. Despite being written in 1599, the phrase “too much of a good thing” found its way into common use, even today. Desiring “too much of a good thing” seems to become more relevant than ever with things like chocolate-hazelnut spread at one’s fingertips, (Schwartz). Something that was once beneficial turned
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Referring to the inability to comprehend a foreign concept, “It’s all Greek to me” compares the thought presented to a foreign language. Greek, on the surface, represents a complex and challenging language to understand. While on a deeper, metaphorical level Greek represents the idea of the unknown. Although foreign things are not impossible to master, this phrase embodies the idea of the incomprehensible. This phrase applies to far more than just language. “It’s all Greek to me” indicates that some concept, idea, belief, or process is simply not understood. For instance, the intricacies of advanced calculus often befuddle the average person, therefore, this person, rather than attempting to understand these concepts, simply says, “It’s all Greek to
Shakespeare’s language is so different from the slang teens use today so by reading his plays, it can improve teens’ speaking abilities. If teens were to read Shakespeare’s plays, it could expand their vocabulary and they would use more academic
The title of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing has sparked scholarly debates about its meaning for centuries. Some say it is a play on the term “noting”, revolving around the theme of all sorts of deceptions by all sorts of appearances (Rossiter 163). Others claim it has more to do with everyone making a fuss about things that turn out to be false, therefore, nothing (Vaughn 102). Regardless of these speculations, there is something rather profound going on in the play that is worth making a big deal about: four characters in the play learn about love, and eventually, how to love.
This shows just how much impact Shakespeare has had on the English. language, to still be able to find phrases that are 400 years old. existence today. Not only this, but the wide, complex spectrum of emotions created by The words Shakespeare uses add depth and underlying meaning to his
Levine’s first chapter presents evidence that 19th century Americans of all social classes enjoyed Shakespeare as an integral part of their culture and entertainment. Shakespeare’s works were familiar enough to the populace that a variety of parodies were written and performed for large crowds that displayed their engagement with the works by applause, vegetable-throwing, interruptions, and commands to the actors. Shakespeare’s plays were performed in frontier communities and in cities, in churches and theatres and make-shift stages, attended by people of all classes. He describes the integration of Shakespeare into the Americans’ language and imagination, and explains Shakespeare’s popularity on the basis of its compatibility with 19th century Americans’ oral rhetorical style and their ability to see their own culture’s emphasis on individualism and morality reflected in Shakespeare’s characters and stories.
For as long as people today can remember there has always been Shakespeare in the classroom. Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest playwrights of all time and deserves to be presented as so, however his work is very old and as times have changed so has English. Teens don’t understand his work and struggle through these units in school. The least that should be done is changing a few allusions for an easier and deeper understanding for young minds. Teachers always talk about giving their students the tools that they need to succeed and this update is one of those necessary tools. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change
Shakespeare's plays are full of references to what is now obscure- classical myth, falconry, astrology, or the theory of 'humors' that were thought to determine personality within so many of his characters (?S??Far?). Shakespeare wrote about themes and events we can relate to even now nearly 500 years later. 'He wrote about us-you and me, our friends, our families, the people we work with and play with and argue with and go to bed with, the characters we see on the evening news and elect to public office' often times comparisons are often scary (Seder iii). Shakespeare also liked to make fun of many of his characters. His plays show that he can be funny and has a humorous personality, often times even in his tragedies in which tears would flow from not only depression but from laughter. 'Shakespeare is full of humor, not only the broad clowning of the likes of Falstaff, but the deft little jabs and needles, sly and subtle jests' found in his vocabulary (Seder iv). The meanings of words Shakespeare used have changed and some have totally disappeared. The word ?bootless to Shakespeare did not mean lacking footwear, but useless or meaningless? (?So?..Far?). In our time we use expressions like LOL and IDK that stand for ?laugh out loud? and ?I don?t know or understand? when writing text messages or instant messages. If these expressions were during Shakespeare?s time the people would not have understood their meaning. Another such expressions could be ?Cool beans!? that basically means ?this is neat.? Terms that Shakespeare used have either fallen out of use or have different meanings, thus confusing the reader if he or she is not familiar with the Shakespearean style of writing. A great example of a word meaning chan...
Shakespeare's works have persistently influenced humanity for the past four hundred years. Quotations from his plays are used in many other works of literature and some common phrases have even become integrated into the English language. Most high schoolers have been unsuccessful in avoidance of him and college students are rarely afforded the luxury of choice when it comes to studying the bard. Many aspects of Shakespeare's works have been researched but one of the most popular topics since the 1960s has been the portrayal of women in Shakespeare's tragedies, comedies, histories and sonnets.
The social normality of the world is that men are required to be strong, determined and career driven, but for women, they ought to be weak, acquiescent to their male counterpart, and domestic. As of late, women have been acting against this stereotype. Rather than being complacent, women are beginning to stand in solidarity and dismantle the patriarchy that reigns over the nation. With this new-found empowerment for women, countless obstacles in the form of other social groups, particularly men, face them, working against women from allowing true equality to be achieved. Women in literature and media are beginning to be portrayed as women in power, something that was a rarity to previous generations. Contrary to traditional feminine gender
Shakespeare's As You Like It is a good play for anyone to read or see. Some readers would enjoy one aspect of it, some would enjoy another. But all would, in general, enjoy the play. Albert Gilman says that Shakespeare intended to imply that all that people need to live together in harmony is "good sense, love, humor, and a generous disposition." (Gilman lxvii) This play is deeper than the surface, and that is part of its appeal to every kind of person.
Across the Universe of Time: Shakespeare’s influence on 21st century society. It is harder to imagine a more universal writer than William Shakespeare. Rarely, if ever, is one of his many plays not being performed anywhere in the world and similarly rare is the tertiary English student who has not examined his work at length. His plays, sonnets and poems are common fodder for high school English departments across the globe.
By using just the right combination of words, or by coming up with just the right image, Shakespeare wrote many passages and entire plays that were so powerful, moving, tragic, comedic, and romantic that many are still being memorized and performed today, almost four centuries later. But the greatness of Shakespeare’s ability lies not so much in the basic themes of his works but in the creativity he used to write these stories of love, power, greed, discrimination, hatred, and tragedy.
In Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses major key points companies have used to go from a good company to a great one. He did this by discussing seven characteristics companies should listen and absorb to transition from being good to becoming great. These characteristics included: level 5 leadership, first who…then what, confront the brutal facts, the hedgehog concept, a culture of discipline and the flywheel. Companies who can approach these successfully are the ones who enable themselves to separate from other competing companies. Furthermore, the statement Jim Collins said, which caught my attention immediately, was not in these seven characteristics, but in the first chapter of the book. He stated, “Good is the enemy of great.” This sentence consisting of six words I believed was most powerful throughout the book. Having said this, he discusses how typically companies are satisfied with just good, good is good, no one ever tries to take another step to try and become great. While this book is discussing businesses, it also applies to everyday life; am I doing everything to be great, or am I too just satisfied with good? Reflecting back on past work, school and overall experiences, it came to my attention not all the time did I try and be great, for I was content with good, good was good for me. I never took an extra stride to try and become great at what I was doing. Chapter 1, I felt to be the most influential, it truly grasped my attention and made me think to never settle for just good because someone else out there is taking extra steps to be great. Moreover, while all the characteristics have a significant meaning in the text and assist one another in transitioning companies from good to great, the Hedgehog Concept is on...
Leach, Robert.As You Like It-A "Robin Hood" Play.English Studies: A Journal of English Language and Literature 82, no. 5 Oct. 2001. p 393-400.
Wells, Stanley. “William Shakespeare.” British Writers. Ed. Ian Scott-Kilvert. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1979. 295-334. Print.
Shakespeare’s ability to mold the English language into eloquently written poetry gave him the ability to affect the language as he did. Hundreds of clichés that are used daily by English speakers were invented in Shakespeare’s writings. Few people are aware, but expressions such as “dead as a doornail” (Henry IV, Part II) or “something wicked this way comes” (Macbeth) can both be accredited to Shakespeare. In The Story of English, Bernard Levin writes that “if [the reader] cannot understand my argument, and [declares] ‘It's Greek to me’, you are quoting Shakespeare” (McCrum, Cran, MacNeil 99). Levin is simply reminding the reader that much of common English speech can be traced back to idioms used in Shakespeare’s writing. Shakespeare even took the liberty to invent words of his own, supposedly inventing over one thousand commonly used words. Shakespeare was able to create words in multiple ways, including changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and suffixes, and coming up with words that were completely original (pathguy.com). Shakespearian words include “assassination” and even “obscene” (McCrum, Cran, MacNeil 99), and other such words that are used by English speakers daily. Although a number of writers have used the English language to their advantage, no writer has taken the language to the level that Shakespeare was able to do.