"I bear a charmed life." ~ Shakespeare
Going right back to Shakespeare's world in the Elizabethan era, insults have been a much loved past time. These days they usually include 'Yo mama's so fat...' but back in Shakespeare's time insults were much smarter, and the Bard was the king. He had the ability to twist words, using techniques such as simile, hyperbole, grotesque imagery, personification and my favourite, puns!
Why?
Mercutio uttering his final insult in Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo and Juliet'.Shakespeare used his beloved insults to create a variety of effects. In his plays, insults are used for comedy, drama and portraying the personality of a character. Generally, the more witty the character's insults, the smarter the character is. For example, Mercutio in 'Romeo and Juliet' uses hilarious insults towards the Capulets, portraying his smart and witty character. Mercutio's entertaining insults also creates a bit comedy in this frustrating tragedy. His final say, however, is the greatest insult and it foreshadows the end of the tragedy, "A plague on both your houses!".
Examples, please?
Want proof of Shakespeare's genius?
Flick through the slideshow below or listen to this song by 'Song a day man' :
Flick through the slideshow below or listen to this song by 'Song a day man' :
shakespeare_insult_song_song_a_day_1333.mp3 | |
File Size: | 1771 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |