Cadence in Shakespeare
Necessary Rhythm
Cadence is an often overlooked aspect of writing that is significant in the attempt to understand the meaning of text. The use of cadence is most often only considered relevant in an approach to poetry or music; however, poetic form is used in other genres of writing and is an applicable approach to literary criticism. An author’s intended message is intricately woven into the cadence in which the words are to be delivered. In order to appreciate the words of Shakespeare, in particular, one must consider the implications of intended cadence. Although Shakespeare’s work can be enjoyed through a silent reading, certain nuances of his plays are lost without the aspect of performance or delivery in which the cadence is more visible.
In an article from The Sunday Telegraph London Charles Spencer approaches the importance of cadence in performances of Shakespeare. He gets his point across very well by stating that:
Anyone who has been to see Shakespeare in the theatre recently will recognize this experience. An actor is “tearing a passion” to tatters and after what seems like several yards of fraught blank verse, you belatedly realize that you have barely the faintest clue as to what he’s been banging on about. The odd word or phrase sinks in, but even speeches you know well on the page seem shrouded in obscurity on the stage.
Luckily this is not always the case. Many of us have also had the pleasure of watching a performance in which the actors manage to “deliver the verse with such clarity that even Shakespeare’s knottiest, and most clotted passages make crystalline sense” (Spencer). An enjoyable performance of Shakespeare relies on the proper delivery of cadence. The intended meaning can be completely lost if the cadence is not delivered correctly. So how do we discern the intended cadence? Peter Hall, author of Shakespeare’s Advice to the Players, “insists that Shakespeare himself provides all the clues about how to speak his verse . . . moment
Cadence is an often overlooked aspect of writing that is significant in the attempt to understand the meaning of text. The use of cadence is most often only considered relevant in an approach to poetry or music; however, poetic form is used in other genres of writing and is an applicable approach to literary criticism. An author’s intended message is intricately woven into the cadence in which the words are to be delivered. In order to appreciate the words of Shakespeare, in particular, one must consider the implications of intended cadence. Although Shakespeare’s work can be enjoyed through a silent reading, certain nuances of his plays are lost without the aspect of performance or delivery in which the cadence is more visible.
In an article from The Sunday Telegraph London Charles Spencer approaches the importance of cadence in performances of Shakespeare. He gets his point across very well by stating that:
Anyone who has been to see Shakespeare in the theatre recently will recognize this experience. An actor is “tearing a passion” to tatters and after what seems like several yards of fraught blank verse, you belatedly realize that you have barely the faintest clue as to what he’s been banging on about. The odd word or phrase sinks in, but even speeches you know well on the page seem shrouded in obscurity on the stage.
Luckily this is not always the case. Many of us have also had the pleasure of watching a performance in which the actors manage to “deliver the verse with such clarity that even Shakespeare’s knottiest, and most clotted passages make crystalline sense” (Spencer). An enjoyable performance of Shakespeare relies on the proper delivery of cadence. The intended meaning can be completely lost if the cadence is not delivered correctly. So how do we discern the intended cadence? Peter Hall, author of Shakespeare’s Advice to the Players, “insists that Shakespeare himself provides all the clues about how to speak his verse . . . moment
Cited: Meyer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Silverbush, Rhona, and Sami Plotkin. Shakespeare’s Monologues Illuminated. New York: Faber & Faber Inc., 2002. Widdicombe, Toby. Simply Shakespeare. New York: Longman, 2002.