Shakespeare's Language - Softcover

Shewmaker, Eugene F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0816040443 ISBN 13: 9780816040445

Publisher: Checkmark Books, 1999

Explains the meaning of thousands of words as they are used in Shakespeare, and provides a quote using the word in context

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About the Author:

Eugene F. Shewmaker is a retired editor of dictionaries and other reference books. He earned an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama and pursued an interest in theater. He lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 9 Up—Shakespeare's eloquent and sometimes-difficult language has often been a major stumbling block for those attempting to understand his works. To this end, Shewmaker has produced this new glossary to clarify the meaning behind the "arcane references, unfamiliar expressions, and words of [Shakespeare's] own invention." This update to the 1996 edition is a comprehensive listing of approximately 17,000 words, which are defined and then contextualized in an accompanying quote. The new chapter "Introduction to Shakespeare and His Language" both explains how the manuscripts we have today came to be and highlights specific well-known passages, indicating how an understanding of the words increases one's enjoyment of their author's genius. A guide to Shewmaker's abbreviations and a list of Shakespeare's poems and plays indexed in the text have been updated to include three plays recently accepted into the canon: Two Noble Kinsmen, Edward III, and Sir Thomas More. Thus, the current edition features more than 2000 new references, as well as an extensive updated bibliography, in keeping with the most current scholarship. Some listings, such as "accomplements" (from Edward III) are completely unique to this update, while others, such as "addressed" vs. "addrest," reflect spelling changes used in various texts since 1996. Although the print is somewhat smaller, the book is more inviting overall. Shewmaker's scholarly work will be of use to students who are trying to clarify uncommon words and/or usages from the Bard's dramatic and poetic works.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
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