Clues to Acting Shakespeare (3rd ed) Page 8

  Oh, horrors! When we think back on the sarcastic acting style of the film industry of the 1930s through the 1950s, or if we listen to many modern soap operas or turn on prime time television or watch (and hear) any number of film stars read every line with sarcasm, we ask, “How did that happen to American realistic acting? It surely wasn’t Stanislavski’s intention!”

  Who has read or heard

  Of any kindred action like to this?

  KING JOHN, III, iv

  Here is an example of speech structure in a monologue. Claudius, King of Denmark, speaks to Hamlet’s friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

  King: Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. (1)

  Moreover that we much did long to see you, (2)

  The need we have to use you did provoke (3)

  Our hasty sending. Something have you heard (4)

  Of Hamlet’s transformation—so call it, (5)

  Sith nor th’ exterior nor the inward man (6)

  Resembles that it was. What it should be, (7)

  More than his father’s death, that thus hath put him (8)

  So much from th’ understanding of himself, (9)

  I cannot dream of: I entreat you both (10)

  That, being of so young days brought up with him, (11)

  And sith so neighbored to his youth and havior, (12)

  That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court (13)

  Some little time, so by your companies (14)

  To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather (15)

  So much as from occasion you may glean, (16)

  Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus, (17)

  That opened lies within our remedy. (II, ii) (18)

  Line 1 is a standard greeting.

  Lines 2, 3, and part of 4 point out that “we have a need” and a problem.

  Lines 4 through part of 10 review the problem.

  Lines 10 through part of 14 are an invitation.

  Lines 14–18 are the command to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to get to the bottom of the problem.

  Speech structure may vary, depending on length and intention, but an awareness of the basic form will serve you well. In Shakespeare’s speeches, you can usually ask the following questions and find answers:

  • What is the speech about (or what is the thought)?

  • What is the development?

  • What is the conclusion?

  Use your awareness of this structure to play your action and achieve your objective.

  BREAKING THE RHYTHM

  How “meter” differs from “rhythm” can be confusing for some actors.

  Technically, meter is the measured arrangement of words into a specific pattern, which is, for us, lines of five feet (each a meter), with each foot comprised of two syllables.

  Rhythm is (for us) the recurring pattern of strong and weak accents within the meter (the foot). Thus, here are five meters with recurring rhythm:

  dee dum / dee dum / dee dum / dee dum / dee dum.

  This explanation seems to work for actors: Meter is the written structure, rhythm is what we hear.

  Of the many marvelous things about Shakespeare’s language, one of the most unique is the effect achieved when he breaks the rhythm. As an actor, you’ve got to know when this change is happening, and you must play it accordingly. If you don’t do so, the complete sense of the line is lost.

  For example, notice the break in this rhythm:

  dee dum / dee dum / dum dee / dee dum / dee dum.

  There are hundreds of examples of breaking the rhythm, and once your eye (and ear) are searching, you’ll soon identify them. Here are a few.

  From Henry VI, Part 2:

  York: How now? Is Somerset at liberty? (1)

  Then, York, unloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts (2)

  And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart. (3)

  Shall I endure the sight of Somerset? (4)

  False king, why hast thou broken faith with me, (5)

  Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse? (6)

  King did I call thee? No! thou art not king, (7)

  Not fit to govern and rule multitudes, (8)

  Which dar’st not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor. (V, i) (9)

  The meter is broken to start 5, 6 and 7, so the rhythm changes in each of these first feet to “dum dee.” As an actor choice, in lines 4 and 5 you could argue that the rhythm of the first foot in each line would be “dum dum,” with no unstressed syllable. In line 7, you could argue that every word is stressed. (In monosyllabic lines like this, watch for many stresses!) Know the possibilities, and make your personal choice.

  From Richard III, Clarence speaks to his murderers:

  Clarence: I charge you, as you hope to have redemption (1)

  By Christ’s dear blood shed for our grievous sins, (2)

  That you depart, and lay no hands on me: (3)

  The deed you undertake is damnable. (I, iv) (4)

  The meter is broken in line 2 by “shed,” which is an active verb that must be stressed, but is in the unstressed position. You need the verb, and certainly “for” (the other half of the foot) would not be the stressed syllable. So a caesura is taken after “blood” to set up “shed,” which is stressed. (As an actor choice, once you stress “shed” you could also stress “for” to achieve a specific emphasis.)

  The other three lines are regular, with line 1 having a feminine ending.

  From The Comedy of Errors:

  Duke: One of these men is genius to the other; (1)

  And so of these, which is the natural man, (2)

  And which the spirit? Who deciphers them? (3)

  Dromio S: I, sir, am Dromio; command him away. (4)

  Dromio E: I, sir, am Dromio; pray, let me stay. (V, i) (5)

  In line 2, “which” breaks the meter. In the Dromio lines, both “I’s” break the meter.

  Scan your rehearsal monologue and sonnet for words that break the meter. Circle them. These are obviously important words and must be played. They are real clues to reading the lines.

  Scan this thing no further; leave it to time.

  OTHELLO, III, iii

  CHAPTER 8

  Practice Identifying Antithesis

  IN THE STUDY of how Shakespeare’s language works, nothing is more important than understanding antithesis. According to Webster, “Antithesis is the placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas.”

  For text awareness, you should not rely on your director. First, textual study is part of the actor’s job; to know exactly what you are saying is part of the work. Secondly, American directors are often more interested in the visual element of a production than the textual. That approach, if not balanced with the time needed to thoroughly analyze the text, can spell disaster for the actors.

  If you are working in a situation where the text is not being studied for antithetical words, phrases and thoughts, you need to work especially hard on your own. You might also seek private coaching or assemble a group of actors outside rehearsal and do this work. Without text study, your acting will fall short of your capability.

  For the actor, discovering antithesis is both enriching and exciting. Discovery is not an academic exercise. Rather, it turns on the brain, and does so in such a way that it fuels emotion and spontaneity. Text study gives you confidence; it does not take away confidence. (That very thought is antithetical!)

  Shakespeare read without playing the antithesis sounds generalized, and we all know what Stanislavski said about “in general.” On the other hand, when you play the antithetical words, phrases, and thoughts, the meaning becomes specific.

  Because you want your acting to be specific, seek opportunities for text study. Realize that each antithetical idea you dig out and play will make your acting stronger.

  ANTITHESIS: THE ACTOR’S FRIEND

  Here are exercises in locating antithesis. In the first examples, the antithetical ideas are ide
ntified. Then there are examples to practice on your own.

  For this second group of examples, the answers are hidden in the next two chapters. After digging out the antithetical ideas as best you can, turn to that help and compare. You may even find more examples than are identified. Also, for this work, five or six brains are usually better than one, and it’s more fun. So get a pizza, put a small group together, and plunge in.

  This procedure works well: First, read the speech aloud for general sense, then concentrate on two or four line sections. Read these lines aloud, and dig out the antithetical ideas. After you’ve finished, read the entire speech aloud, this time playing the discoveries, and listen for even more antithesis. For example, the first half of the speech might be antithetical to the second half, or an early line might be antithetical to a later line.

  Once you believe that you’ve exhausted all possibilities, read the speech with the new discoveries, and compare to your first reading.

  When in rehearsal, also be aware that any of your speeches may be antithetical to something said by another actor. See, for example, the speeches below.

  This is all as true as it is strange.

  Nay, it is ten times true, for truth is truth

  To th’end of reck’ning.

  MEASURE FOR MEASURE, V, i

  Here is Romeo’s first speech. He talks of love with his cousin, Benvolio, then notices that a street fight has taken place between the two warring houses.

  Benvolio: Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, (1)

  Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! (2)

  Romeo: Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, (3)

  Should without eyes see pathways to his will! (4)

  Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? (5)

  Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. (6)

  Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love: (7)

  Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! (8)

  O any thing, of nothing first create! (9)

  O heavy lightness! serious vanity! (10)

  Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! (11)

  Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! (12)

  Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! (13)

  This love feel I, that feel no love in this. (14)

  Dost thou not laugh? (15)

  Benvolio:No, cuz, I rather weep. (I, i) (16)

  Here are some of the antithetical words, phrases, and thoughts. Perhaps you will discover others.

  Lines 1/2: The phrases “gentle in his view” and “tyrannous and rough in proof” are antithetical. (The first idea is a pleasant anticipation; the second an unpleasant experience.)

  Line 4: “without eyes”—“see pathways”

  Line 6: “tell me not”—“have heard it all”

  Line 7: “hate”—“love”

  Line 8: “brawling—“loving”; “love”—“hate”

  Line 9: “any thing”—“nothing”

  Line 10: “heavy”—“lightness”; “serious”—“vanity”

  Line 11. “Mis-shapen chaos”—“well-seeming forms”

  Line 12: All four phrases.

  Line 13: “Still-waking”—“sleep”; “is not”—“is”

  Line 14: “love”—“no love”

  Lines 15/16: “laugh”—“weep”

  Also, the thought in line 13—“That’s not what it [love] is”—is antithetical to the type of “love” expressed in lines 7–12.

  Now read the speech and play all the antithetical possibilities!

  In an example from Henry V, here is the King’s prayer before the battle at Agincourt.

  King: O God of battles, steel my soldiers’ hearts; (1)

  Possess them not with fear! Take from them now (2)

  The sense of reck’ning, if th’ opposed numbers (3)

  Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord, (4)

  O, not to-day, think not upon the fault (5)

  My father made in compassing the crown! (6)

  I Richard’s body have interred new; (7)

  And on it have bestowed more contrite tears (8)

  Than from it issued forced drops of blood: (9)

  Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay, (10)

  Who twice a day their withered hands hold up (11)

  Toward heaven, to pardon blood; (12)

  And I have built two chantries, (13)

  Where the sad and solemn priests sing still (14)

  For Richard’s soul. More will I do: (15)

  Though all that I can do is nothing worth, (16)

  Since that my penitence comes after all, (17)

  Imploring pardon. (IV, i) (18)

  Here are some of the antithetical words, phrases, and thoughts.

  Lines 1/2: “steel”—“fear”

  Lines 3/4: “sense of reck’ning”—“pluck their hearts”

  Lines 8/9: “bestow’d”—“issued”; “tears”—“blood”

  Line 14: “sad and solemn”—“sing”

  Line 16: “all”—“nothing”

  Also, the thought—“think not upon the fault”—(lines 5 and 6)—is antithetical to the thought—think on all of this penitence and award us victory (lines 7–18).

  Here is Olivia encouraging love from Viola in Twelfth Night:

  Olivia: O, what a deal of scorn looks beautiful (1)

  In the contempt and anger of his lip. (2)

  A murd’rous guilt shows not itself more soon (3)

  Than love that would seem hid: love’s night is noon. (4)

  Cesario, by the roses of the spring, (5)

  By maidhood, honor, truth, and everything, (6)

  I love thee so that, maugre all thy pride, (7)

  Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide. (8)

  Do not extort thy reasons from this clause, (9)

  For that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause; (10)

  But rather reason thus with reason fetter, (11)

  Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. (III, i) (12)

  Clarification note: “maugre” means “despite,” and “fetter” is something that confines: (Webster: “boredom puts fetters upon the imagination.”)

  Antithetical text includes:

  Lines 1/2: The idea that scorn, contempt, and anger can be beautiful on the lip is antithetical.

  Lines 3/4: “murd’rous guilt”—“love”; “shows”—“hid”; “night”—“noon”

  Line 7: The thought “I love thee so” is antithetical to the thought “mauger all thy pride.”

  Line 8: “wit nor reason”—“passion”

  Line 12: “sought”—“unsought”

  Also, the thought expressed in lines 1–4—“you hide your love behind scorn and pride”—is antithetical to the thought expressed in lines 5–8—“my love is unhidden and freely expressed.”

  And in lines 9–12, the thought—“you deny the passion of love”—is antithetical to the thought—“but I’m giving myself to you.”

  From Richard III, here is Queen Margaret (whose husband, King Henry VI, has been killed by Richard) condemning Queen Elizabeth, who succeeded her.

  Margaret: Decline all this, and see what now thou art: (1)

  For happy wife, a most distressed widow; (2)

  For joyful mother, one that wails the name; (3)

  For one being sued to, one that humbly sues; (4)

  For queen, a very caitiff crowned with care; (5)

  For she that scorned at me, now scorned of me; (6)

  For she being feared of all, now fearing one; (7)

  For she commanding all, obeyed of none. (8)

  Thus hath the course of justice whirled about (9)

  And left thee but a very prey to time, (10)

  Having no more but thought of what thou wast, (11)

  To torture thee the more, being what thou art. (IV, iv) (12)

  If you study this entire speech you will discover that these lines, taken from the middle, are ant
ithetical to the lines that preceded them. This speech also contains these antithetical ideas:

  Line 1: “Decline”—“now”

  Line 2: “happy wife”—“distressed widow”

  Line 3: “joyful mother”—“one that wails”

  Line 4: “being sued to”—“humbly sues”

  Line 5: “queen”—“caitiff”

  Line 6: “scorned at me”—“scorned of me”

  Line 7: “feared of all”—“fearing one”

  Line 8: “commanding all”—“obeyed of none”

  Lines 9/10: “course of justice”—“prey to time”

  Lines 11/12: “what thou wast”—“what thou art”

  Do these next examples on your own. After finishing, dig around in chapters 9 and 10 and find my listing of the antithetical words, phrases, and thoughts. Perhaps you found more possibilities.

  In The Taming of the Shrew, here is Petruchio speaking to Kate after he has dismissed the tailors and plans to travel to her father’s home in old clothes.

  Petruchio: Well, come, my Kate; we will unto your father’s, (1)

  Even in these honest mean habiliments. (2)

  Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor, (3)

  For ’tis the mind that makes the body rich; (4)

  And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds (5)

  So honor peereth in the meanest habit. (IV, iii) (6)

  In Richard II, here is the King alone in prison shortly before his death.

  Richard: I have been studying how I may compare (1)

  This prison where I live unto the world; (2)

  And, for because the world is populous, (3)

  And here is not a creature but myself, (4)

  I cannot do it. Yet I’ll hammer it out. (5)

  My brain I’ll prove the female to my soul, (6)

  My soul the father; and these two beget (7)

  A generation of still-breeding thoughts; (8)

  And these same thoughts people this little world, (9)

  In humors like the people of this world, (10)

  For no thought is contented. (V, v) (11)

  Also from Richard II, Bolingbroke condemns Exton, Richard’s killer, after having wished the murder done.