Hamlet Techniques

Pun - the usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound.

Example: Not so, my lord, I am too much in the sun (1.2.67)

A little less kin, than more kind

Theatrical Jargon - language peculiar to a particular group, procession e.g. theatre.

Example: Hamlet discusses with the players about acting, talks about what makes a good play, lets Shakespeare portray his own opinions.

Anaphora - the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses or paragraphs.

Irony - the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Example: Claudius to Hamlet "think of us as a father"

Metaphor - a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Rhyme - Have or end with a sound that corresponds to another.

Iambic pentameter - a common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each fact containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable

Blank verse - unrhymed verse, especially the unrhymed Lambic Pentameter most frequently used in English drama.

Soliloquy - an utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to themself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as a device in drama to discuss a characters innermost thoughts).

Bawdy humour - describes something gross, indecent or overly graphic in a humorous way.

Example: Excellent, well sir, you are a fishmonger.

Double entredre - a phrase, saying or sentence that can be interpreted in two different ways.

Rhetorical question - the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

Example: To be or not to be?

Symbolism - something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible.

Example: the plays the thing, wherein ill catch the conscience of the king (2.2.606-607).

Repetition - the act or process or an instance of repeating of being repeated.

Example: horrible, horrible, most