5.4.1
Word Usage & Hendiadys
Shakespeare's Use of Words & Hendiadys in Hamlet
Shakespeare's Use of Words & Hendiadys in Hamlet
In writing his own version of a play that had already existed on the English stage for years, much of Shakespeare’s creative energy went into the language of the play rather than its plotting.
New words in Hamlet
New words in Hamlet
- In Hamlet, Shakespeare used and invented more words than he had ever done in a single play before.
- According to the scholar Alfred Hart, Shakespeare used almost 600 words that he had never used before, an exceptionally high number (in his previous tragedy, Julius Caesar, it was 70).
- Hart also estimated that Shakespeare invented around 170 new words or phrases in the play. Whatever Shakespeare wanted to dramatize in this new version of the Hamlet story, he often needed to find new language to express it.
What is hendiadys?
What is hendiadys?
- One of the most striking uses of language in the play is the use of hendiadys. This is a pattern of language where two nouns are paired together to express a single idea e.g. “Law and Order”.
- Shakespeare uses hendiadys in Hamlet far more than in any other play. Scholars have found 66 examples compared to the next highest total, 28, in Othello.
Examples of hendiadys in Hamlet
Examples of hendiadys in Hamlet
- “Angels and ministers of grace defend us” (Act 1 Scene 4)
- “The book and volume of my brain” (Act 1 Scene 5)
- “A fantasy or trick of fame” (Act 4 Scene 4)
Analysis of hendiadys in Hamlet
Analysis of hendiadys in Hamlet
- In these phrases, the two nouns modify each other or balance each other out. They help to create a sense that, in the world of Hamlet, it is difficult to pin down truth or meaning.
- When used by Hamlet himself, the effect is of someone striving to ‘fix’ a precise meaning on events but of ultimately being caught between two opposing ideas.
- The use of hendiadys seems appropriate for a character who, for much of the play, seems unable to decide on one course of action.
1Introduction
2Plot Summary
2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas
2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas
2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas
2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas
2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas
3Character Profiles
3.1Hamlet
3.3Gertrude
3.4Ophelia
4Key Themes
4.1Regicide in Hamlet
4.2Madness in Hamlet
4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet
4.4Settings in Hamlet
5Writing Techniques
6Context
6.1Social & Historical Context
6.2Literary Context
6.3Performance & Textual History
7Critical Debates
7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet
7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet
Jump to other topics
1Introduction
2Plot Summary
2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas
2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas
2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas
2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas
2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas
3Character Profiles
3.1Hamlet
3.3Gertrude
3.4Ophelia
4Key Themes
4.1Regicide in Hamlet
4.2Madness in Hamlet
4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet
4.4Settings in Hamlet
5Writing Techniques
6Context
6.1Social & Historical Context
6.2Literary Context
6.3Performance & Textual History
7Critical Debates
7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet
7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet
7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered