Did people really speak the way they did in Shakespeare's plays?

In: English History, William Shakespeare

[Edit]

Answer

Yes, and no.

Shakespeare uses many different styles of language, such as blank verse, rhyming couplets and ordinary "vernacular" language.

He also varied the rhythms and rhymes of his language and used a particular rhythm pattern called iambic pentameter where there are five "stressed" sylables in a line of dialogue.

Generally, he used the more refined and complicated patterns for the "high class" characters and gave the more ordinary styles to "lower class" characters.

Nobody spoke the way Shakespeare wrote his high class characters - it probably takes a lot of thought and rewriting to compose such language.

Many people did, however, use the more common, lower class styles of speech.

First answer by ID1388771854. Last edit by Peterc14. Contributor trust: 268 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question]

Also see on Answers.com

Deborah Gates
William Shakespeare (William Shakespeare)

Research your answer:

Can you answer other questions about England?

Answers.com > Wiki Answers > Categories > History Politics and Society > History > European History > English History > Did people really speak the way they did in Shakespeare's plays?

Our contributors said this page should be displayed for the questions below. (Where do these come from

)

If any of these are not a genuine rephrasing of the question, please help out and edit these alternates.

Did people talk like shakespeare? Did people speak like Shakespeare? How did people speak in the plays? Did many people spoke Elizabethan? Did people speak shakespeare language? Did people speak the they do in plays? Did people speak like they do in plays? Did people speak like they did in plays? How did people speak shakespeares plays? How did people talk in shakespeare times? Did people really speak like shakespeare? How do people speak in shakespeare plays? William shakespeares speach? Did people speak like shakespeares plays? People speak shaspeare plays? Did people speak the way the do in plays? Did people use shakespeares language? Did people speak like in shakperes plays? How dd the speak in shakesperian plays? Did everyone speak shakespeare's language?