Playwrights over the centuries including William Shakespeare, had their way with words that we love to hear. Some claim words and used them on stages and at many venues where authors and actors like to go.

 

In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare used compelling words to gain his audience’s attention. Some were passionate, amusingly, and humorous. He entertained with flattering words that gave new meaning to love, insults, hate and emotions. 

 

His metaphoric gestures were entertaining, and laughter were a frequent reminder of how well his audience were engaging in his plays. It was true then as it was leading up to the 21st century. Actors voiced Shakespeare’s words consistently and would carry on doing so had it not been for COVID-19 which restricted movements to attend performances. Still, Shakespeare and his sonnets lived on. His vast imagination made us find a place for his imagery and romantic gestures, a reality of lifestyles. Often Shakespeare’s words grow with us, in our wellbeing and not ceasing to amuse us.

 

It is a belief that there has never been any other poet and playwright as gifted. In Shakespeare’s sonnet 130, words were drawn from verses significant to love as a dominant theme. 

 

The first line of the lyric is poignant to the rest of the poem.

 

"My mistress'’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” Shakespeare delivered his choice of words to reflect mistress dented insult to the woman he met at some point in his life. However, critics said that although the words sounded as insults, they were unique words and phrases. When looked at with a preying-eye, they appear to take a different meaning. A difference between Shakespeare and other poets was his boldness and choice of words.

 

It was before the industrial revolution when at the time he delivered with certainty and belief. His audience believed in him and were followers. Words such as, “Dun” was another flattering word which carried a demeaning sense of injustice to the female admirer in the sonnet. She was supposed to be, greyish, in the eyes as she met a male companion. Another was:

 

"Her hairs were wires, black wires growing on her head." 

 

“Wire” signified insult and a depravity character which singled out the woman as an image to remember for a long time. And they were words used to describe a hated character.

 

"I have seen roses “demarked”. It was a strange used of a word to define hybrid species of roses. It compared the woman as one of a kind, perhaps not to be seen again.

 

In comparison, demarked was “reeks”, and it was used complementary to describe the ‘’mistress’' (woman’s) cheeks. As if unravelling the insult, Shakespeare, reined on her earlier, yet again, she was dull, more than the sound of music.

 

It is not easy to grasp Shakespeare's poems unless you are in that frame of mind. Therefore, a phrase can be used repeatedly until it rings true of his characters in his poems. Speaking of love as rear, describes a rare show of affection.

Shakespeare uses women to denote belied. Not a friendly term to be used as it misrepresents a woman’s ideologies which can amount to misogyny. It may be a watershed joke as Shakespeare’s audience ravel in his deliberate, piercing words.

 

Conviction from Shakespeare’s poems arise from passion, emphasis and speaking words aloud. His tone can uplift and be awakening of the heart, mind, and soul. All flow evenly in each verse. They are already on the page, so those of us who read them and see them at performances may have set beliefs and word-driven effects from Shakespeare’s sonnets. It is how we see ourselves and whether there is anything new about the sonnets. Keeping in line with Shakespeare, we may act with blazon and going over the top as Shakespeare likes to do and throws insult at his characters. There are some things that we can avoid in our spoken word. Be mindful of insults that can have obscure meanings and taken the wrong way.

 

Rather than remaining with our feelings, why not carry out a survey after a performance to get the truth from your audience.