Shakespeare’s Language and Style

Shakespeare is known for his poetic language and unique writing style that has stood the test of time.

In Romeo and Juliet, his use of iambic pentameter and poetic devices like metaphor and simile elevate the story to a masterpiece of literature.

Key Points

• Shakespeare’s language is characterized by complex vocabulary and intricate sentence structures.
• He often used blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) in his plays for dialogue.
• His plays are known for their rich imagery, wordplay, and deep exploration of human emotions.

Key Terms

• Iambic pentameter – a metrical pattern of poetry consisting of five iambs (unstressed/stressed syllable pairs) per line.
• Blank verse – unrhymed iambic pentameter, commonly used by Shakespeare in his plays.
• Metaphor – a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using “like” or “as”.
• Simile – a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using “like” or “as”.