I don’t know exactly what it is about this word, but it’s one of my favorites.

diadem (n.) IPA Pronunciation:
crown

HAMLET
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole,
And put it in his pocket!
- Hamlet (III.iv)

The word just has such a regal sound about it. Crown sounds authoritative, but diadem is royal.

Shakespeare’s language can be challenging. You and everyone else already know this fact. I’ll try not to say it again. Since it can be so challenging (whoops!) some people try to avoid it. When avoiding it for so long doesn’t work and people realize that they have to work on something Shakespearean, for whatever reason, they’re a bit lost on where to start.

This is a tough question to answer. Shakespeare did so much and everyone’s needs are different how can one recommend one starting place? Very carefully. Some might suggest picking up a copy of a play with Shakespeare’s text on one side and a modern “translation” on the other. This isn’t a horrible idea, but I have mixed feelings about those books.

Theatre and English classes alike will usually start their Shakespeare unit with a day or two of biography and history. Great info, but a history lesson isn’t usually the best way to get excited about a piece of text for reading or performing.

If you really want a fun, engaging and relatively easy way to jump into Shakespeare’s text I would recommend The Sonnets. Even if you’re about to work on a play? Yes, even then. The Sonnets make for a great activity for anyone first entering the vast fields of Shakespeare’s writings: from students to teachers to the average person who just wants to start working with Shakespeare’s text.

First off, a Sonnet is only 14 lines long. That’s not a lot of text, so it will be easy to dive into all aspects of the verse without being overloaded with so much to work with. Each sonnet is written in iambic pentameter which will allow the first time student to see how the meter of the verse works right away. Rhyme is used in these poems, one can see the effects that has on the verse, and that some words don’t rhyme anymore. The reader will also have to make sense of the grammatical structure that the authors used. Again, since there are 14 lines, it’s not so much that you can’t make sense of with a little help from a teacher, friend, or book. If you’re lost for what something means you can ask me too and I’ll do my best to help. Have a dictionary handy to see what some words mean, but with some time and thought you’ll be able to make sense of what the Sonnet is saying. It only gets easier with practice too!

With 154 different sonnets to choose from, I guarantee that you’ll find one that you can relate to somehow. When you decide to work on a sonnet choose one that speaks to you. This is another advantage of working with the Sonnets. When you have a piece of text that you connect with emotionally you will understand it, memorize it, and enjoy it better and faster.

Now go out there and pick up a sonnet and go to work fun!

Bring in da hoise, brink in da funk. Wait, you can’t bring in a verb. That makes no grammatical sense but it sounds cool, right? Shakespeare could probably pull it off. I’m no Shakespeare.
hoise (v.) IPA Pronunciation:
hoist, remove

BUCKINGHAM
And all together, with the Duke of Suffolk,
We’ll quickly hoise Duke Humphrey from his seat.
- Henry VI, Part 2 (I.i)

When this word is used in the above context it’s fun to say. Think about the seriousness of the action and what the sound of the word does to its meaning instead of saying “remove Duke Humphrey from his seat.” Hoise has more poise. Maybe. I just wanted to make that rhyme. You decide for yourself.

Mr. William Shakespeare is not just famous for writing plays to be performed - he wrote poetry as well. In 1592 there was an outbreak of plague in London and so the theaters were shut down for two years. During this time Shakespeare decided to put his talents to use by writing poetry that wasn’t for the stage. At least some of his sonnets were written during this time along with a few other poems: Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, The Phoenix and the Turtle, A Lover’s Complaint, and The Passionate Pilgrim.

Sometime in the 1590s (and maybe after, too) Shakespeare completed 154 sonnets. Unlike the number of plays he wrote, we’re pretty darn certain about the number of sonnets. One very helpful reason is that they were all published - also unlike the plays - during his lifetime (1609) in a volume called Shake-speare’s Sonnets.

You may be asking… What is a sonnet anyway? A sonnet is a certain structure of a poem that was very popular during this time. Over a thousand sonnets from various authors have survived from the late 16th century. A sonnet consists of 14 lines with a three rhyming quatrains followed by a couplet. Or in plainer terms, the rhyme scheme is as follows: A - B - A - B. C - D - C -D. E - F - E - F. G - G. Each line is written in Iambic Pentameter, 10 syllables per line. Much like Shakespeare’s verse in his plays, sometimes these rules are broken. He will play with the meter to create deviant rhythms to add some drama to the verse. Some lines here and there have an extra syllable. What else would you expect from The Bard? Sonnet 99 even breaks the line limit and has 15 lines. Shakespeare never really liked to stick to the rules.

No one can be sure to whom Shakespeare’s sonnets were addressed, if anyone, but there are many theories. More on that some other time. The sonnets are great to just sit down with and speak aloud. I’m sure you’ll find one that really speaks to you. They’re not all about “flowery love” like some think. With 154 of them I think you will find a sonnet for any occasion.

Anything that rhymes with ‘pickle’ is worth mentioning. Especially in Shakespeare.

mickle (adj.) IPA Pronunciation: /mIkl/
great, much, large

DROMIO OF EPHESUS
O villain! thou hast stolen both mine office and my name.
The one ne’er got me credit, the other mickle blame.
- Comedy of Errors (III.i)

I’ll give you a nickel and tickle for that mickle pickle. Cool sentence, huh? Shakespeare wrote that sentence. So it’s not stupid. It’s in that one play…

Note the difference in the above quote between saying “much blame” and “mickle blame.” The latter has a very different feel when spoken, almost a more piercing quality with the more forward vowel.

A version of Shakespeare’s 16th Century Globe Theatre in London as a 21st Century New Globe Theatre In New York. Sounds awesome! I just found out about The New Globe today and I’m really excited.

BUT! It’s just an idea at the moment and the idea needs more support. I won’t usually promote things like this on this website but I am a firm supporter of the arts and anything I can do to help - I will do. So check out the New Globe Campaign so that this cultural arts center can exist. Tell your friends too!

This is the excerpt of your first post template…

To be or not to be…

You’ve heard it so many times that you may have forgotten to listen to the significance of these words. In these six words Shakespeare gives us two complete opposites: existing and not existing. This use of a word (or sentence) being placed against another to form a balanced contrast is known in rhetoric as ANTITHESIS.

Antithesis is a huge part of Shakespeare’s language. Nearly ever character uses it. Shakespeare was well educated in the art of rhetoric and forming an argument. Naturally, this is reflected in his character’s speech.

In antithesis you must “set the word itself Against the word” (Richard II, V.v) for a variety of different effects. A comparison of two antithetical or opposite thoughts can show a lot to the actor and audience alike. Two opposing ideas in a line can show a the scope of thought in a characters mind. Hamlet in the above quotation is contemplating two very serious ideas. Antithesis also very clearly and precisely illustrates though words the character’s meaning.

In MacBeth the witches chant “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” And later MacBeth comments on the occasion, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” Foul and fair are two opposites and set against each other. What kind of day is it? You’d think this doesn’t make sense, but think to some of your own experiences. Have you said anything like that?

“She’s so mean, but I love her anyway.” “That class is great but I hate going.” “I shouldn’t eat it, but I can’t stop!” These all have antithetical elements in them. Each of these sentences are very dramatic. Explanation can be had for all of these but it isn’t necessary. When you put the two antithetical thoughts together in such a short phrase, you get drama. “I really enjoy our relationship together on occasion because we do fun things together such as swimming, shopping, watching movies and other things but you really have some habits that thoroughly annoy me at time as well and I’m conflicted with how I feel about you.” Where’s the drama there? How about “I love and hate you.” Whoa. NOW I want to know more about this relationship. DRAMA!

Shakespeare is great at crafting these concise and dramatic sentences together to create something the audience and actor alike can really sink their teeth into.

Not all are complete opposites though. “Our father’s love, is to the bastard Edmund / As to th’ legitimate” (King Lear, II.i). The opposite ideas here are the legitimate versus the bastard son. But Edmund us comparing his father’s love between them. One, or the other. When Marc Anthony says “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him,” (Julius Caesar, III.ii) he is setting bury and praise against one another even though they’re not opposite ideas.

Some acting books could go on for chapters about antithesis and rightly so. It’s pretty darn important for being able to play Shakespeare’s text. It’s a tool that the author has left you to use EVERYWHERE YOU CAN. Don’t neglect it. Antithesis will serve you well.