William Shakespeare (1564-1616) used many different meanings and connotations of a single word and a whole range of words appropriate for describing certain subjects to create bawdy puns and allusions on sexual issues in his dramas. It is the concern of this essay to examine the subject of ‘bawdiness’ more closely and to work out, why, how and through whom Shakespeare made use of bawdy puns. These results may give some insights into Shakespeare’s thoughts about gender roles, his relationship to sexuality in general and how he thought about the Elizabethan audience’s reaction towards his strong sexual treatment. The first two parts of this essay will provide a short survey of the Early Modern English of the common people in 1600 and will later on particularly examine Shakespeare’s use of witty and insulting language. Part four will present a table with ‘bawdy’ examples out of the two plays of Shakespeare, ‘King Lear’ and ‘As you like it’ with particular attention to the position when and by whom the pun is uttered. Grounding on the examples, the third part of section four will make a comparison between the uses of bawdy in tragedies and comedies and will work out differences, similarities and the profound line of reasoning behind it. The closing part of this essay, part five, offers some main conclusions and thoughts about the topic of ‘bawdiness’ in ‘King Lear’ and ‘As you like it’.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 A Short Survey of the Language of Shakespeare’s Time
3 Shakespeare’s Language – Wordplays and Puns
4 The Use of Bawdy in King Lear and As You Like It
4.1 Bawdy in King Lear
4.2 Bawdy in As You Like It
4.3 A Comparison: The Different Treatment of Bawdy
5 Conclusion
6 Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the function and prevalence of bawdy wordplay and sexual allusions within Shakespeare's dramas, specifically comparing the tragic "King Lear" with the pastoral comedy "As You Like It" to understand the societal context and gender dynamics of the Elizabethan era.
- The linguistic evolution and the prevalence of puns in Early Modern English.
- Methodological analysis of sexual metaphors and bawdy puns in Shakespearean texts.
- Comparison of "bawdiness" between comedic and tragic literary forms.
- The role of the "Fool" character as a vessel for social critique and sexual expression.
- Evidence of the liberal social attitudes toward sex and marriage during the Elizabethan period.
Excerpt from the Book
4.3 A Comparison: The Different Treatment of Bawdy
The examples listed above illustrate that Shakespeare mostly used puns for sexual organs and for the sexual intercourse in numerous ways. Partridge found out that Shakespeare used 68 synonyms for the female genitals (eg. lap, secret parts, hole, pond, rose…) and 45 synonyms for the male genitals (e.g. cock, prick, sword, horn…) in his dramas. Furthermore, one can find a variety of synonyms for the sexual act, the male lust and the process of wooing. Shakespeare was mainly attracted to the female body parts, which he often describes more picturesque and widely than the male genitals.
“…myriad manifestation of Shakespeare’s interest in women and their sexual features. It was part of his character and temperament; not did he wish to hide it; he did not even wish to represent it as other than it was.” It is interesting, that he derived his examples from various fields of life, for example, from the agricultural -, the topographical -, the poetical -, the sportive -, the gardening - and the domestic area. Many of these allusions seem brutal, sadistic and coarse (e.g. horn, lance, pistol, and needle). On the other hand, when describing female organs Shakespeare is rather more poetic and euphemistic in his portrays (e.g. belly, bosom, rose, and nest).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the research goal of examining the usage and intent behind Shakespeare's bawdy puns, providing a brief overview of the essay's structure.
2 A Short Survey of the Language of Shakespeare’s Time: This section details the linguistic landscape of 1600, highlighting the influence of humanism and the trend toward expanding vocabulary and employing wordplay.
3 Shakespeare’s Language – Wordplays and Puns: This chapter defines the masterfulness of Shakespeare in using puns for amusement and as a rhetorical tool to reflect Elizabethan attitudes toward sexuality.
4 The Use of Bawdy in King Lear and As You Like It: This comprehensive section provides analytical tables documenting specific bawdy expressions, their locations in the plays, and the characters who utter them.
4.1 Bawdy in King Lear: This sub-chapter focuses on the specific sexual allusions and puns identified within the tragedy "King Lear".
4.2 Bawdy in As You Like It: This sub-chapter catalogues the specific bawdy instances and sexual references found within the comedy "As You Like It".
4.3 A Comparison: The Different Treatment of Bawdy: This analytical comparison explores the differences in how sexual language is utilized in tragedies versus comedies.
5 Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes how Shakespeare's intellectual application of sexual humor reflects both his own creative temperament and the cultural zeitgeist of his time.
6 Bibliography: This section lists the primary and secondary literature used to conduct this research.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Bawdy, Puns, Wordplay, King Lear, As You Like It, Elizabethan Language, Sexuality, Gender Roles, Linguistics, Comedy, Tragedy, Renaissance, Metaphor, Sexual Allusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The essay examines the use of bawdy wordplay and sexual allusions in Shakespeare's works, specifically analyzing "King Lear" and "As You Like It".
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The paper covers the evolution of Elizabethan English, the function of puns as rhetorical devices, and the social reflection of gender roles and sexual discourse in Shakespeare's era.
What is the main research question?
The research seeks to understand why, how, and through which characters Shakespeare incorporated bawdy puns into his dramas.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The study uses a descriptive and comparative method, supported by the work of scholars like Eric Partridge to categorize and analyze instances of bawdy language found in the source texts.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body provides a linguistic survey of the period, a conceptual definition of Shakespearean puns, and detailed tables comparing bawdy usage in the two selected plays.
How would you describe the key terminology?
The work is defined by terms such as "bawdiness," "Elizabethan English," "semantic puns," and "rhetorical figures" within the context of Renaissance drama.
Does the author conclude that Shakespeare was vulgar?
No, the author argues that while Shakespeare was "healthily coarse" and "ribald," he used sexual humor as a legitimate tool of his art rather than for mere obscenity.
What role does the "Fool" play in these dramas regarding bawdy language?
The Fool is identified as the character most often permitted to use bawdy puns, acting as a medium for social commentary and "unrefined" expression that other characters cannot express.
How does the frequency of bawdy language differ between the two plays?
The study observes that bawdy puns occur more frequently and are more diverse in the comedy "As You Like It" compared to the tragedy "King Lear".
- Quote paper
- Annett Oswald (Author), 2005, The Use of Bawdy in Shakespeare’s "King Lear" and "As You Like It", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/74618
