Shakespeares Language in Titus Andronicus

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Shakespeares Language in Titus Andronicus
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More possibilities

• The grammar was not as strict as today. Apart
  from hard rules rhyme, style and metre could
  influence the sentence structure

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Did you notice...
Changing piece Groaning shadows

• there are rarely any -ing endings
• Even though the form existed it
• wasn't actually used.
• In 100 000 words the ing occurs 40 times in a
• Shakespeare text, 120 times in a restauration
• comedy, and 837 times in modern drama

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Now or not Now?

• The present is not exclusively used for the
  present. Occasionally it is used for the past as
  well.
• To top this confusion Verbs in the 1st person
  singular don't have special endings.
• Tamora Titus, I am come to see you

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Shall Shall Shall

• In the battle of Will and Shall, Shall
  prevailed. Of course the language of the bible
  had had its influence on that.
• In the 17th century it is still hard to decide
  whether Shall refers to modality or future.
• Marcus Titus, thou shalt obtain and ask the
  empery.
• Lucius And that he will, and shall, if Lucius
  live
• Chiron Full well shalt thou perceive how much I
  dare.

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Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do

• The use of do was since the 15th century
  constantly increasing. Except for a construction
  in a positive declarance sentence Somewhat doth
  she mean
• The lifetime of Shakespeare is the only time
  where do is recognizable used in a positive
  declarance sentence.
• Simultaneously questions and imperatives
  increased up to the modern frequency.

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Imperative

• In case of an imperative, the pronoun could
• follow the verb
• In peace and honour rest you here!
• Hark ye!

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Inverted Order

• The usual order of Subject Verb Object can be
  inverted in early modern english Verb Object.
• Chiron And that would she...

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Bibliographie

• Manfred Görlach Einführung ins
  Frühneuenglische Heidelberg 1994.
• Charles Barber Early modern English Edinburgh
  1997.