Poetry in Shakespeare Flashcards
Shakespeare's Techniques
Which of the following quotes is not written in blank verse?
A. “What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?”
B. “Nay, if our wits run the wild goose chase, I am done”
C. “I dreamt my lady came and found me dead”
Quote B is prose — it has 12 syllables and an uneven rhythm. Lines in blank verse are written in Iambic pentameter — they have 10 or 11 syllables and 5 stressed beats.
The Prince often speaks in blank verse, whereas the Nurse often speaks on prose. What does this suggest about the difference between these characters?
This suggests that the Prince is an upper-class character, whereas the Nurse belongs to a lower class. The regular rhythm of blank verse also makes a character seem serious and in control of their own speech — blank verse makes the Prince seem like a voice of authority who sets down the law.
The final lines of the play are “Fore never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
What effect does the rhyme have in these lines?
The rhyme makes these two lines seem more final and emphasises their importance as the Prince draws the play to a close.
Why do you think the prologues to Acts 2 and 2 are sonnets?
Explain your answer.
- Sonnets are traditionally
love poems. The prologue
remind the audience that
the play is based on
Romeo and Juliet’s love.
However, much of the
content of the sonnets is
about conflict and tragedy
— this tells the audience
that Romeo and Juliet’s
love story will not be a
happy one. - Sonnets have a set rhythm
and rhyme scheme — this
reinforces the idea that
Romeo and Juliet’s destiny
is fixed and final.
True or False? A soliloquy is a long speech by one character to the other characters on the stage.
False. When a character gives a long speech to other characters, it’s called a monologue. A soliloquy is a long speech, but it’s spoken by a character on their own when no one but the audience can hear them.
When Juliet sees Romeo’s body, she says:
“Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.”
Which word is emphasised by the word order in this sentence?
Shakespeare emphasises the word “Poison” by putting it first in the sentence. Without this emphasis, the line would have been ‘I see poison hath been this timeless end’.
When Mercutio is dying he says “Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death!”
What is the effect of the short words in this line?
The short words in this line give it a fast pace — this suggests that Mercutio is angry, upset and not in control of his speech.
Who has a soliloquy in Act 4, Scene 3?
Why does Shakespeare include this?
Juliet has a soliloquy in Act
4, Scene 3 when she is preparing to drink the Friar’s potion. This allows the audience to see her fears and emotions as she contemplates faking her own death. The soliloquy creates sympathy for Juliet and makes the atmosphere more tense as the audience worries about what will happen after she drinks the potion.
