Shakespeare Midterm 1

Anaphora

repetition of word or words at the beginning of a line, phrase, or clause.

Ex. Hamlet says, “Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love.”

• Here“doubt” begins successive clauses.

Antanaclasis

Repetition of a word where at least one instance has a different meaning.

• Ex: In As You Like It, a page who has been singing defends the song declaring, “You are deceived, sir: we kept time, we lost not our time.” The critical Touchstone replies, “By my troth, yes; I count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song.”

• In the first and second instance “time” refers to keeping the beat or rhythm of the song. In the third instance, Touchstone refers to a waste of time.

syllepsis

You might think of this as like antanaclasis without repetition—the two meanings operate in the single word (similar to a pun).

• Ex: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing says, “if the prince be too important, tell him there is measure in every thing and so dance out the answer.”

• Here “measure” first refers to moderation, but at the time “measure” can also refer to steps in a dance.

Anthimeria

Technically “the substitution of one part of speech for another,” in practice this means using a noun as a verb, a preposition as a noun, etc.

• Ex: In King Lear, Gloucester uses “cruel” as a verb: If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time,Thou shouldst have said 'Good porter, turn the key,'

• All cruels else subscribed.

Aposiopesis

A sudden break in a speech, often to express distraction or emotion.

Ex: In King Lear a gentleman tells Albany that his wife has died: “It came even from the heart of--O, she's dead!”

Asyndeton

lack of coordinating conjunctions connection items.

• Ex. Egeus complains that Lysander has wooed Hermia

  With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,

  Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers

  Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth

• Here there is no “and” to properly connect the list of items.

Auxesis

Ordering of words, phrases, or clauses from lesser to greater force or importance.

• Ex: Polonius describes Hamlet’s descent into from lesser to greater malady:

• And he, repulsed--a short tale to make--

  Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

  Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,

  Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,

  Into the madness wherein now he raves,

  And all we mourn for.”

Epistrophe

While anaphora features repetitions at the beginning of a unit, epistrophe is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of lines, phrases, or clauses.

• Ex: Hamlet says to the ghost:

  If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,

  Speak to me:

  If there be any good thing to be done,

  That may to thee do ease and grace to me,

  Speak to me

• The repetition of “to me” at the end of three lines is epistrophe.

Epizeuxis

the immediate repetition of a word or phrase.

• Ex: In response to Polonius’s question about what he’s reading, Hamlet responds “Words, words, words.”

Hendiadys

the substitution of a adjective-noun pair with two nouns

• Ex: Macbeth describes life as a “tale . . . full of sound and fury” rather than “full of furious sound.”

Hypallage

a misapplication or mixed order of words as in Bottom’s “eye of man hath not heard” speech or in less forced manner, Prospero in The Tempest declaring, “I’ll resolve you of . . . every these happen’d accidents” (where a reversal of order has occurred).

Polysyndeton

list with a coordinating conjunction (usually “and” or “or”) between each item;

• Ex: In Othello Desdemona urges:

• Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,

  Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,

  Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit

  To your own person.”

asyndeton

a list with no coordinating conjunctions

• Ex. Egeus rants,

• “Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,

  With feigning voice verses of feigning love,

  And stolen the impression of her fantasy

  With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,

  Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers

  Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth.” (note that ordinarily this would feature an

  “and” before “sweetmeats.”

Zeugma

a single verb applies to multiple clauses

• Ex: In Romeo and Juliet the verb “lend” works on two different parts of the sentence: “But passion lends them power, time means, to meet.”