Assignments/Shakespeare and Early Modern English/ Mariela Pizarro/Vinska Sandoval/level 700

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Modern_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Vowel_Shift
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakepeare
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses

1. Define and explain, The Great Vowel Shift.

Great Vowel Shift: Major changes in Middle English long vowels, loss of vowel length; long vowels came to be pronounced in higher position, the highest were diphthongized. This means that the vowel in the English word date was in Middle English pronounced as [aː] similar to Modern English dart. The word date in Middle English as long vowel in Modern English is pronounced as diphthongized ei.

Pronunciation of Middle English:

Feet was pronounced as [eː] similar modern fate
Wipe was pronounced as [iː] similar to modern weep
Long [e] and then to modern English [i] beak.

2. Name 5 dialects of Modern English.

American English, Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Caribbean English.

3. One of the problems with Early Modern English was a lack of uniformity in spelling. Which 2 people (1-English, 1-American) helped establish standardized spelling?

There were two men, helped to establish standardized spelling: Noah Webster and the England and Samuel Johnson.

4. How many countries in the world have given Modern English official status?

About twelve within them are: United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and Southern Africa.

5. The most recent statistics show that approximately how many people speak Modern English as a:I. First language? II. Second Language?

There are over 508 million of speakers of English Language speakers of English as a first or second language as of 1199.

6. When was Early Modern English spoken?

It was used from about the end of the Middle English period (the latter half of the 15th century) to 1650.

7. How are the uses of Pronouns different between Early Modern & Modern English?

case Old English Middle English Modern English
sg nominative þu thou you
accusative þe thee you
dative þe thee you
genitive þin thy/thine your
pl nominative ge ye you
accusative eow you you
dative eow you you
genitive eower your your

Modern English forms of the second person pronoun do not show number contrast; they are absolutely invariant except for the possessive (and even here it is identical for both singular and plural). In fact, in Old English too there is some replication of forms, but not as much as there is in Middle English.

Pronouns in Early Modern English

Nominative Objective Genitive Possesive
1st Person
singular I me my / mine mine
1st Person
plural we us our ours
2nd Person
singular informal thou thee thy / thine thine
2nd Person
plural or formal singular ye you your yours
3rd Person
singular he/she/it him / her / it his / her / his (its) is /hers /his (its)
3rd Person
plural they them their theirs

Thou is nominative, thee, objective, and thy and thine are genitive and
absolute genitive. You, your, and yours, once only plural, have now taken over
the second person singular function, although some Quakers still use thee as
both nominative and objective.

Early Modern English Modern English

Thou hast You have /juː hæv/
She hath She has
What hast thou? What do you have?
What hath she? What does she have?

8. Which language families does Modern English belong in?

The language families include American English, Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Caribbean English, Hiberno-English, Indo-Pasistani English, New Zealand English, Philippine English, Singaporean English and South African English.

9. Name 4 worldwide uses for Modern English.

The use of Modern English in different areas such as: In communications, science, business, aviation...

10. In your opinion, what was the greatest influence on the spread of Modern English around the world? Why?

In my opinion, the mayor influence of the spread of Modern English are economical, socio-cultural and political factors since the industrial revolution and by the other hand, is the globalization of markets, the finding in science and technology because they have generated new occupations and professions that require having working knowledge of English.

11. There has been a lot of controversy over the true authorship of Shakespeare's writings. Which 3 people are also candidates as the possible authors of Shakespeare's plays?

There are 3 theories that hold that the Shakespeare play's were written by: Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere.

12. Briefly explain The Oxfordian Theory.

The case for Oxford's authorship is based on perceived similarities between Oxford's biography and events in Shakespeare's plays and sonnets.; parallels of language, idiom, and thought between Oxford's letters and the Shakespearean canon; and underlined passages in Oxford's Bible that may correspond to quotations in Shakespeare's plays.

13. Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, which according to the Folio Classification, fall into 3 categories. Name the 3 categories.

The 38 plays are classified in three categories: COMEDIES, HISTORIES AND TRAGEDIES

14. In which town was Shakespeare born?

He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England.

15. Which famous London theatre (built by actors, for actors) is connected with Shakespeare's plays?

English Renaissance theatre, also called early-modern theatre.

16. Even though Richard III is the most performed play, Hamlet is Shakespeare's most famous play. In your opinion, what does this portion of Hamlet's famous soliloquy mean:

To be or not to be, that is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing, end them.
To die, to sleep;No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to — 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.
To die, to sleep;To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,...

HAMLET, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AND FAMOUS PLAYWRITE!

I think, lines describe a person who felt very sad, depressed, confused.I get the impression, lines are expressing man’s fears and worries about his life or destine.

17. Name 5 post-Shakespearean artists whose work was heavily influenced by the writings of William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare influenced artists such as Benjamin Jonson, Thomas Hardy, William Faulkner, Charles John Huffam Dickens, Herman Melville.

18. Which of Shakespeare's plays are included in The Wars of the Roses series?

Some of the events of these wars were dramatized by Shakespeare in the history plays Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; Henry V; Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; Henry VI, Part 3; and Richard III.

19. Shakespeare wrote most of his works in blank verse composed in iambic pentameter. What is blank verse & iambic pentameter?

POETRY STYLE:

Blank verse: It is a regular meter, but lines do not establish rhyme.
Iambic pentameter: It is a used in poetry and drama. It describes a particular rhythm.

20. Name 4 actors from Shakespeare’s original company.

Richard Burbage, William Kempe, Henry Condell and John Heminges

21. What were the Wars of the Roses (1377-1485)?

The Wars of the Roses were civil battles, power struggle between two England royal families because York and Lancaster Royal Houses wanted the administration of England.

22. Why was this war called the Wars of the Roses?

The war was called the wars of the Roses because the York’s distinctive was a white rose and the Lancaster´s distinctive was a red rose.

23. What were the names of the 2 houses which fought in this war?

The two Royal houses’ name are: York and Lancaster Houses.

24. What prompted this civil war to begin?

Arguments, power struggle between Royal England families because both Royal families wanted to rule England.

25. How did the war end?

Behind death of Eduardo IV, occurred in April, 1483, his brother Ricardo usurped the throne, converting in Ricardo III, whereas the Lancaster ´supporters looked for the leadership of Enrique Tudor, whom would be Enrique VII, founder of dynasty Tudor. In august, 1485, the Ricardo and Enrique’s military armies were confronted in the decisive battle of Bosworth Field, the last and the most important of the whole of the war. Ricardo was killed in the Battle, Enrique Tudor ascended to the throne and one year later he got married with Isabel York, the Eduardo IV´s daughter as result the two houses were united.
Finally, the war ended with the victory of the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, who founded the House of Tudor which subsequently ruled England and Wales for 116 years.

26. Which Kings of England were participants in the Wars of the Roses?


Enrique VI
Margarita de Anjou
Ricardo Plantagenet
Eduardo IV
Ricardo III
Enrique VII
IsabelTudor