ShakespeShakespeare the are the Latin Latin LoverLover

Lesson 22Lesson 22CLAS/LING 1010CLAS/LING 1010

November 5, 2008November 5, 2008

The Literary OutsiderThe Literary Outsider

““And though thou And though thou hadst hadst small Latine, small Latine, and lesse Greekeand lesse Greeke, , From thence to honour From thence to honour thee, I would not thee, I would not seeke For names; but seeke For names; but call forth thund’ring call forth thund’ring Æschilus, Euripides, Æschilus, Euripides, and Sophocles to us.” and Sophocles to us.” —Ben Jonson, —Ben Jonson, Preface Preface to the First Folioto the First Folio, 1623 , 1623

The Literary OutsiderThe Literary Outsider

““Yes, trust them [actors] not, Yes, trust them [actors] not, for there is an upstart crow, for there is an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, beautified with our feathers, that, with his Tygers heart that, with his Tygers heart wrapt in a Players hide, wrapt in a Players hide, supposes he is as well able to supposes he is as well able to bumbast out a blanke verse as bumbast out a blanke verse as the best of you; and being an the best of you; and being an absolute Johannes Factotum, absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his owne conceit the is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a onely Shake-scene in a countrie.” —Robert Greene, countrie.” —Robert Greene, Groatsworth of Wit Groatsworth of Wit (1592) (1592)

The Literary OutsiderThe Literary Outsider

One of the main ways to get a literary reputation in One of the main ways to get a literary reputation in Tudor England was through displays of classical Tudor England was through displays of classical learning: knowledge of Latin and Greek and allusions learning: knowledge of Latin and Greek and allusions to Greco-Roman culture and history.to Greco-Roman culture and history.

A person typically obtained this knowledge by A person typically obtained this knowledge by attending one of the two universities, Oxford and attending one of the two universities, Oxford and Cambridge.Cambridge.

Shakespeare lacked a university education.Shakespeare lacked a university education. This fact has suggested to many that the man we know This fact has suggested to many that the man we know

as Shakespeare could not have authored the highly as Shakespeare could not have authored the highly literate works that are attributed to him.literate works that are attributed to him.

But in fact, Shakespeare (1564-1616) had a strong But in fact, Shakespeare (1564-1616) had a strong background in Latin and Roman literature.background in Latin and Roman literature.

We will see this in his borrowings from Latin poets and We will see this in his borrowings from Latin poets and playwrights, his allusions to Roman history and his playwrights, his allusions to Roman history and his creative use of Latin.creative use of Latin.

The Education of The Education of ShakespeareShakespeare

• We know that Shakespeare We know that Shakespeare only attended primary only attended primary school, so how did he get school, so how did he get his education?his education?

• He benefited from He benefited from increased funding and increased funding and standardization of early standardization of early education during the Tudor education during the Tudor period.period.

• He was a member of the He was a member of the rising middle class.rising middle class.

• His early education was His early education was obtained at a charter obtained at a charter school, and was school, and was exceptionally rigorous.exceptionally rigorous.

The Education of The Education of ShakespeareShakespeare

• Born at Stratford-upon-Avon Born at Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564. in April 1564.

• In 1571, at 7, entered King In 1571, at 7, entered King Edward VI Grammar School, Edward VI Grammar School, a rigorous college-a rigorous college-preparatory school created preparatory school created by a grant from the king to by a grant from the king to the Stratford town council in the Stratford town council in 1533. 1533.

• As the son of a council As the son of a council member, Shakespeare got member, Shakespeare got free tuition.free tuition.

• However, at 13 he was However, at 13 he was forced to enter his family’s forced to enter his family’s business (glove making). business (glove making).

The Education of The Education of ShakespeareShakespeare

The curriculum was designed to prepare The curriculum was designed to prepare boys for study of law, medicine or boys for study of law, medicine or clergy, so a prime focus was on Latin clergy, so a prime focus was on Latin language and literature.language and literature.

Upper grades were taught exclusively in Upper grades were taught exclusively in in Latin, and students were punished for in Latin, and students were punished for speaking English.speaking English.

Shakespeare used a state-mandated Shakespeare used a state-mandated Latin grammar, Latin grammar, Lily’s A Short Introduction of Grammar (1540).

It remained in use, with some small It remained in use, with some small changes, until the mid-nineteenth changes, until the mid-nineteenth century.century.

The Education of The Education of ShakespeareShakespeare

Shakespeare alludes to both Shakespeare alludes to both the Lily grammar and his Latin the Lily grammar and his Latin teacher, Thomas Jenkins, in teacher, Thomas Jenkins, in Merry Wives of WindsorMerry Wives of Windsor (1602):(1602):

Sir Hugh Evans: What is lapis, William? Sir Hugh Evans: What is lapis, William?

William Page: A stone. William Page: A stone.

Evans: And what is ‘a stone’, William? Evans: And what is ‘a stone’, William?

William: A pebble. William: A pebble.

Evans: No, it is lapis... Evans: No, it is lapis...

William: Lapis. William: Lapis.

Evans: That is a good William. What is he, Evans: That is a good William. What is he, William, that does lend articles? William, that does lend articles?

William: Articles are borrowed of the William: Articles are borrowed of the pronoun, and be thus declined, pronoun, and be thus declined, Singulariter nominativo, hic, haec, hoc... Singulariter nominativo, hic, haec, hoc...

Evans: What is your genitive case plural, Evans: What is your genitive case plural, William ? William ?

William: Genitive case? William: Genitive case?

Evans: Ay. Evans: Ay.

William: Genitive: horum, harum, horum. William: Genitive: horum, harum, horum. (Act 4, Scene 1) (Act 4, Scene 1)

The Career of ShakespeareThe Career of Shakespeare

• Member of The King’s Men, which Member of The King’s Men, which owned its own theater, the owned its own theater, the Globe Theater, south of the Thames in London.

• Had a powerful patron, Had a powerful patron, Lord Henry Wriothseley, Earl of Southhampton, to whom he dedicates his sonnets.

• Wrote 36 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 narrative poems.poems.

• The versions of his works that we The versions of his works that we know today were first published in know today were first published in 1623 as the First Folio.1623 as the First Folio.

The Career of The Career of ShakespeareShakespeare

• Summary Summary chart: chart: Shakespeare’Shakespeare’s lifes life

• Shakespeare Shakespeare quiz quiz

Shakespeare’s Classical Shakespeare’s Classical Influences Influences

• Early poems Early poems Venus and Venus and Adonis, Rape of Lucrece Adonis, Rape of Lucrece from classical sources: from classical sources: Ovid’s Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Metamorphoses, Livy’s Livy’s Early History of RomeEarly History of Rome. .

• Several plays about Roman Several plays about Roman history: history: Julius Caesar, Titus Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus Andronicus (1590)(1590), , Coriolanus, Antony & Coriolanus, Antony & CleopatraCleopatra

• Influenced by the works of Influenced by the works of Plautus (d. 184 Plautus (d. 184 BCBC): ): Comedy Comedy of Errors of Errors (1589) takes (1589) takes characters and plot from characters and plot from PlautusPlautus comedies comedies Amphitruo Amphitruo and and Menaechmi.Menaechmi.

Shakespeare’s Use of Shakespeare’s Use of LatinLatin• Fluent in Latin, Shakespeare naturally used Fluent in Latin, Shakespeare naturally used

Latinate words with deference to their Latinate words with deference to their original meanings. original meanings.

• Examples are found in the following quotes:Examples are found in the following quotes:• Thou, Thou, sapient sapient sir, sit here. —sir, sit here. —King LearKing Lear (Act II, Scene (Act II, Scene

6)6)• And so the prince obscured his contemplation Under And so the prince obscured his contemplation Under

the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, Grew like the the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, Unseen, yet summer grass, fastest by night, Unseen, yet crescive crescive in his faculty. —in his faculty. —Henry VHenry V (Act I, Scene 1) (Act I, Scene 1)

• Other examples can be found by looking for Other examples can be found by looking for specific Latin bases in a concordance of specific Latin bases in a concordance of Shakespeare’s works. Shakespeare’s works.

Shakespeare’s Latinate Shakespeare’s Latinate VocabularyVocabulary My powers are My powers are crescentcrescent.. That they have overborne their That they have overborne their continentscontinents.. The The fortitude fortitude of the place is best known to you.of the place is best known to you. Whose white Whose white investments investments figure innocence.figure innocence. and of the truth herein this present object made and of the truth herein this present object made

probationprobation. . imputation imputation and strong circumstances, which lead and strong circumstances, which lead

directly to the door of truthdirectly to the door of truth As knots…infect the sound pine and divert his As knots…infect the sound pine and divert his

grain grain tortive tortive and errant from his course of and errant from his course of growth.growth.

Shakespeare’s Latinate Shakespeare’s Latinate VocabularyVocabulary Abate the edge of traitors…that would Abate the edge of traitors…that would reduce reduce

these bloody days again.these bloody days again.

Cadent Cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks.tears fret channels in her cheeks.

The presence of the king The presence of the king disanimates disanimates his his enemies. enemies.

What to this was What to this was sequent sequent Thou know’st already.Thou know’st already.

Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes in an Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes in an extravagant extravagant and wheeling stranger of here and and wheeling stranger of here and every where. every where.

Arts-man, Arts-man, preambulatepreambulate, we will be singled from , we will be singled from the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at the charge-house on the top of the mountain?the charge-house on the top of the mountain?

New Bases in New Bases in Lesson 23Lesson 23

No New Suffixes No New Suffixes since Lesson XXI!since Lesson XXI!•CORDCORD•FLECT, FLEXFLECT, FLEX•MAN(U)MAN(U)•PORT PORT •STRU, STRUCTSTRU, STRUCT•TERMINTERMIN•VINC, VICTVINC, VICT