Mason Carter

Exactly. And the thing is, Shakespeare didn't just use iambic pentameter for his tragedies. I mean, it's everywhere. Comedies, histories. It just adds this touch of formality, like the language is dressed up for a special occasion.

Exactly. And the thing is, Shakespeare didn't just use iambic pentameter for his tragedies. I mean, it's everywhere. Comedies, histories. It just adds this touch of formality, like the language is dressed up for a special occasion.

Exactly. Though Shakespeare was also really good at knowing when to break the rules, like when to ditch the rhythm if it would make the scene even better.

Exactly. Though Shakespeare was also really good at knowing when to break the rules, like when to ditch the rhythm if it would make the scene even better.

Not at all. He used a mix of like rhymed verse and unrhymed verse. And they both have a purpose. Think about the rhymed verse. It's like in his sonnets. That's the language of big emotions, you know, love, despair, all that.

Not at all. He used a mix of like rhymed verse and unrhymed verse. And they both have a purpose. Think about the rhymed verse. It's like in his sonnets. That's the language of big emotions, you know, love, despair, all that.

Yeah, most likely. Yeah. The rhyme scheme just makes it sound more formal, more structured, even if the emotions are like all over the place. It's like imagine a sonnet is this carefully crafted jewel box and inside are all the deepest emotions.

Yeah, most likely. Yeah. The rhyme scheme just makes it sound more formal, more structured, even if the emotions are like all over the place. It's like imagine a sonnet is this carefully crafted jewel box and inside are all the deepest emotions.

Right.

Right.

Yes, exactly. We call it blank verse. And it still uses iambic pentameter, but it ditches the rhyme. So it just sounds more natural, like how people actually talk.

Yes, exactly. We call it blank verse. And it still uses iambic pentameter, but it ditches the rhyme. So it just sounds more natural, like how people actually talk.

Love that analogy. And you know, speaking of words, Shakespeare was definitely not afraid to use a lot of them. And some of them, while they sound like they're from a different time period, which of course they are.

Love that analogy. And you know, speaking of words, Shakespeare was definitely not afraid to use a lot of them. And some of them, while they sound like they're from a different time period, which of course they are.

Well, you can't deny he loves language, but there's more to it than that. Remember that language was changing a lot during Shakespeare's time? I mean, he was writing just when English was shifting from Middle English to Modern English. And his plays, they capture that evolution.

Well, you can't deny he loves language, but there's more to it than that. Remember that language was changing a lot during Shakespeare's time? I mean, he was writing just when English was shifting from Middle English to Modern English. And his plays, they capture that evolution.

Exactly. And that's part of what makes his work so cool. He wasn't afraid to use words and phrases that were already considered like old fashioned back then. And then he'd throw in these new terms that were just starting to catch on. It's this amazing blend that just makes his language so rich, so deep. People are still fascinated by it, whether they're Shakespeare scholars or just casual readers.

Exactly. And that's part of what makes his work so cool. He wasn't afraid to use words and phrases that were already considered like old fashioned back then. And then he'd throw in these new terms that were just starting to catch on. It's this amazing blend that just makes his language so rich, so deep. People are still fascinated by it, whether they're Shakespeare scholars or just casual readers.

And that's the beauty of studying Shakespeare. It's not like a dictionary hunt for archaic words. It's about connecting with history, understanding how we got from there to here, and just appreciating the fact that stories have always had power and they always will.

And that's the beauty of studying Shakespeare. It's not like a dictionary hunt for archaic words. It's about connecting with history, understanding how we got from there to here, and just appreciating the fact that stories have always had power and they always will.