Literary Elements of Literary Elements of Twelfth NightTwelfth Night

Mrs. ColeMrs. Cole

OMMSOMMS

Literary TermsLiterary Terms Aside – an actor’s speech, directed to Aside – an actor’s speech, directed to

the audience, that is not supposed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on stage be heard by other actors on stage

Blank Verse – poetry made up of Blank Verse – poetry made up of unrhymed iambic pentameterunrhymed iambic pentameter Blank verse is considered best for Blank verse is considered best for

dramatic verse in English since it is the dramatic verse in English since it is the verse form closest to the rhythms of verse form closest to the rhythms of everyday English speech and has been everyday English speech and has been the dominant verse form of English drama the dominant verse form of English drama and narrative poetry since the mid-and narrative poetry since the mid-Sixteenth Century. Sixteenth Century.

Iambic pentameter – a Iambic pentameter – a verse with ten syllables verse with ten syllables per line, beginning with per line, beginning with an unstressed syllable an unstressed syllable Iamb means “foot;” Iamb means “foot;”

pentameter means pentameter means “five in the meter.” “five in the meter.” Together, you have a Together, you have a five pairs of five pairs of unstressed/stressed unstressed/stressed syllables.syllables.

Shakespeare often uses contractions Shakespeare often uses contractions to make lines shorter, or stresses to to make lines shorter, or stresses to make lines longer, in order to fit this make lines longer, in order to fit this strict meter. strict meter.

Use of contractionsUse of contractions ““My soul the faithful’st off’rings have My soul the faithful’st off’rings have

breathed out/ that e’er devotion breathed out/ that e’er devotion tendered – what shall I do?” V.1.116-117tendered – what shall I do?” V.1.116-117

Extra StressesExtra Stresses ““More than light airs and recollected terms More than light airs and recollected terms

of these most brisk and giddy-pacof these most brisk and giddy-paceed d times.” II.4.6-7times.” II.4.6-7

Poetry Vs. ProsePoetry Vs. Prose Shakespeare uses both poetry and Shakespeare uses both poetry and

prose in his plays prose in his plays In most modern editions of the plays, In most modern editions of the plays,

each line in multi-line verse passages each line in multi-line verse passages begins with a capital letter. begins with a capital letter.

Each line in multi-line prose passages Each line in multi-line prose passages begins with a small letter except the begins with a small letter except the first line or a line beginning with the first line or a line beginning with the opening word of a sentence.opening word of a sentence.

In addition, verse passages have a In addition, verse passages have a shortened right margin, but prose shortened right margin, but prose passages have a full right margin. passages have a full right margin.

Poetry Vs. ProsePoetry Vs. Prose Why alternate between the two?Why alternate between the two?

Both higher class and lower class Both higher class and lower class characters use poetry, so it is not characters use poetry, so it is not just a class distinction.just a class distinction.

What seems more likely is that the What seems more likely is that the use of poetry indicates high emotion, use of poetry indicates high emotion, wit, and clarity of mind. A person wit, and clarity of mind. A person speaking in prose, then, would be speaking in prose, then, would be considered less intelligent. Or, what considered less intelligent. Or, what they are saying could be considered they are saying could be considered more common and everyday.more common and everyday.

Poetry Vs. ProsePoetry Vs. Prose Consider Maria’s marriage to Consider Maria’s marriage to

Toby. Although they are Toby. Although they are different in social class, what different in social class, what makes them equal enough to makes them equal enough to be considered a good match? be considered a good match?

What does that tell us about What does that tell us about Shakespeare’s values?Shakespeare’s values?

Literary TermsLiterary Terms Dramatic Irony – when the readers Dramatic Irony – when the readers

know things the characters do notknow things the characters do not Monologue – A long speech delivered Monologue – A long speech delivered

by one character to anotherby one character to another Soliloquy – Occurs when a character Soliloquy – Occurs when a character

stands alone on the stage and makes stands alone on the stage and makes a speech.a speech.

Rhyming Couplet – A pair of lines Rhyming Couplet – A pair of lines ending with rhyming words that sum ending with rhyming words that sum up a speechup a speech

Literary TermsLiterary Terms Paradox – Two seemingly Paradox – Two seemingly

contradictory ideas that make sense contradictory ideas that make sense togethertogether ““Wise enough to play the fool” III.1Wise enough to play the fool” III.1

Oxymoron – A pair of words that are Oxymoron – A pair of words that are opposite alone, but together make opposite alone, but together make sensesense ““The Fortunate Unhappy” II.5The Fortunate Unhappy” II.5

Pun – a play on words, including two Pun – a play on words, including two words that sound alikewords that sound alike ““Hart” and “Heart” I.1Hart” and “Heart” I.1

Literary TermsLiterary Terms Apostrophe: an address to someone or Apostrophe: an address to someone or

something that is absent, abstract, or something that is absent, abstract, or inanimate. inanimate. ““Come away, come away, death/ And in Come away, come away, death/ And in

sad cypress let me be laid.” II.4.49 -50sad cypress let me be laid.” II.4.49 -50 Epigram: a very short humorous poem. Epigram: a very short humorous poem.

““You water the grass to make it You water the grass to make it grow/Then you find out you have to grow/Then you find out you have to mow!” mow!”

Forms of ComedyForms of ComedyFew comedies are one purely distinct Few comedies are one purely distinct

form or another, but rather they include form or another, but rather they include a blend of types. Here are some rough a blend of types. Here are some rough categories that can help focus categories that can help focus discussions.discussions.

Low ComedyLow Comedy: Laughter is often based : Laughter is often based on the physical mishaps, slapstick, and on the physical mishaps, slapstick, and bodily functions. bodily functions. Ex. Ex. Beavis and Butthead, Dumb and DumberBeavis and Butthead, Dumb and Dumber

Farce: Farce: The devices that drive the plot The devices that drive the plot identify this form of comedy: mistaken identify this form of comedy: mistaken identities, coincidences, and mistimings. identities, coincidences, and mistimings. The characters become puppets of fate. The characters become puppets of fate.

Characters interested in each other Characters interested in each other must often struggle to be together as must often struggle to be together as others contrive to keep them apart. others contrive to keep them apart.

There are always coincidences, There are always coincidences, doublings, or obstacles, i.e. twins, doublings, or obstacles, i.e. twins, busybodies, marriages that happen at busybodies, marriages that happen at the wrong time. the wrong time.

Money and class figure prominently in Money and class figure prominently in the action.the action.

Ex. Ex. Seinfeld, That ’70s Show, Sydney Seinfeld, That ’70s Show, Sydney WhiteWhite

Comedy of MannersComedy of Manners: emphasizes : emphasizes the mechanisms of language and the mechanisms of language and reduces life and its problems to verbal reduces life and its problems to verbal repartee. repartee.

Uses clever insults, put-downs, puns, Uses clever insults, put-downs, puns, paradoxes, and epigrams paradoxes, and epigrams

Does not hesitate to sacrifice a Does not hesitate to sacrifice a character’s feelings to the cause of character’s feelings to the cause of witty dialoguewitty dialogue

3 groups of characters: 3 groups of characters: the true wits: insightful, self-aware the true wits: insightful, self-aware the would-be wits: witty, but not insightfulthe would-be wits: witty, but not insightful the witless: unaware of the true meaning the witless: unaware of the true meaning

of lives around themof lives around them Ex. Ex. The Office, Thirty RockThe Office, Thirty Rock

Comedy of Ideas: Comedy of Ideas: Characters argue Characters argue about important issues like war, about important issues like war, gender, marriage, religion, class, and gender, marriage, religion, class, and government. government.

Characters represent different Characters represent different approaches to these issues.approaches to these issues.

Satire is a type of comedy of ideas, Satire is a type of comedy of ideas, that is often irreverent and challenges that is often irreverent and challenges the conventional thinking on issues. the conventional thinking on issues.

Ex. Ex. Monty Python, M*A*S*H, Monty Python, M*A*S*H, and, at and, at times, times, South Park South Park and and The SimpsonsThe Simpsons

What type of comedy would you guess What type of comedy would you guess Twelfth NightTwelfth Night to be? Remember, to be? Remember, Shakespeare had to entertain an Shakespeare had to entertain an audience of multiple classes.audience of multiple classes.

Forms of Comedy courtesy of Forms of Comedy courtesy of apcentral.collegeboard.com/PreAPWorkshopsapcentral.collegeboard.com/PreAPWorkshops

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