Shakespeare and Early Modern English/ Christian beltran

Shakespeare and Early Modern English/ Christian beltran

1. Define and explain, The Great Vowel Shift.

A series of phonetic changes occurring in Early Modern English in which the Middle English low and mid long vowels were raised, (ä) and (ō) becoming (ā) and (ū), for example, while the high long vowels (ē) and (ū) became the diphthongs (ī) and (ou).

2. Name 5 dialects of Modern English.

-New Zealand English
-American English
-Australian English
-Canadian English
-Indo-Pakistani 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?

Samuel Johnson, English
Noah Webster, American

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

12 countries.

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 speakers.

6. When was Early Modern English spoken?

It was spoken since the Great Vowel Shift

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

The fate of the second person pronouns [i.e. you and thou and thee] in the history of English. This story illustrates the interaction of morphological change and social factors. The fact that personal pronouns exist in most of the world's known languages has persuaded linguists that pronominal reference to speaker, addressee and a third person [i.e. he, she, it, they] is a universal feature of human language. This statement suggests that the system of pronominal reference is fundamentally stable.

8. Which language families does Modern English belong in?

American English, Australian English, British English, Canadian English, Caribbean English, Hiberno-English, Indo-Pakistani English, New Zealand English, Philippine English, Singaporean English, and South African English.

9. Name 4 worldwide uses for Modern English.
There are:
-Business relations
-Economic
-Education
-Entertainment
-Internet

10. In your opinion, what was the greatest influence on the spread of Modern English around the world? Why?
One of the most influential countries in the world is USA. Therefore I think this country have a lot of resposabiliy on the spread of modern English, because one of the biggest economy in the world is getting by USA

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?

They are Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley and Edward de Vere.

12. Briefly explain The Oxfordian Theory.

Oxfordians point to the acclaim of Oxford's contemporaries regarding his talent as a poet and a playwright, his reputation as a concealed poet, and his connections to London theatre and the contemporary playwrights of Shakespeare's day.

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

There are:

-Plays
-Sonnets
-Poems

14. In which town was Shakespeare born?

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

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

The Blackfriars indoor 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:

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:

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

-Henry Fuseli, William Faulkner, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Herman Melville.

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

-Henry VI
-Edward IV
-Edward V
-Richard III
-Henry VII

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

Blank verse: it is distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. In English, the meter most commonly used with blank verse has been iambic pentameter.

Iambic pentameter: it used in poetry and drama. It describes a particular rhythm that the words established in each line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet". The word "iambic" describes the type of foot that is used. The word "pentameter" indicates that a line has five of these "feet".

20. Name 4 actors from Shakepeare's original company.

The original cast Barbara Barrie (Sarah) Charles Braswell (Larry) Susan Browning (April) George Coe (David) Steve Elmore (Paul) Beth Howland (Amy)

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

The Wars of the Roses were a series of bloody dynastic civil wars between supporters of the rival houses of Lancaster and York, for the throne of England. They are generally accepted to have been fought in several spasmodic episodes between 1455 and 1487

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

Because the war of the roses has origins in the badges associated with the two royal houses.

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

The two royal houses,
the White Rose of York
the Red Rose of Lancaster

24. What prompted this civil war to begin?

The antagonism between the two houses started with the overthrow of King Richard II by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, in 1399. Richard its government had been highly unpopular and Bolingbroke returned from exile, initially to reclaim his rights as Duke of Lancaster. With the support of most of the nobles, Bolingbroke then deposed Richard and was crowned as Henry IV

25. How did the war end?

Edward then reigned peacefully until his death (1483), but his uncle, Edward IV’s youngest brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, usurped the throne as Richard III. The alienated nobles threw their support behind Henry Tudor, tuberculosis in 1509.

26. Which Kings of England were participants in the Wars of the
Roses?
- King Edward IV
- King Henry VI
- Richard III
- Edward V
- Henry VII