Shakespeare's Comedies and

Romances

List of rhetorical tropes, figures, and

schemes commonly used by Shakespeare

I. Schemes of Grammar

Parallelism and repetition:

isocolon--syntactically parallel phrases of equal

length to the ear: “The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not

seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to

conceive, nor his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).�

anaphora--beginning each of a series of phrases

with the same word “. . . I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will

roar you an’twere any nightingale.(I.ii.75-6).

epistrophe--ending each of a series of members

with the same word

“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisby dear, and lady

dear!” (I.ii.47-8)

antimetabole (chiasmus)—repetition of words in

converse order, beginning with what ended the

previous clause or member, and ending with what

began the previous clause or member. “heaven hath pleas’d it so,/To punish me with this, and this

with me” �(Hamlet III.iv.173-4).

anadiplosis--repetition of last word of previous

clause to begin first word of susequent clause. “and she (sweet lady) dotes,/devoutly dotes, dotes in

idolatry, upon this spotted and inconstant man” (I.i.110).

climax--anadiplosis continued, progressively for

several clauses “And let the kettle to the trumpet speak/The trumpet to the

cannoneer without,/ The cannons to the heavens, the

heaven to earth” (Hamlet 5.2.253-6).

paroemion--repetition of sounds--as in alliteration

and rhyme (in prose). “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet/ Are of imagination all

compact” (V.i.7).

polyptoton--repetition of words sharing the same

root “To leave the figure or disfigure it” (I.i.51).

diacope—repetition of word with one or two

intervening words

“How happy some o’er other some can be!”� ( 1.1.226)

“Out, dog! Out, cur! (III.ii.65)

epanalepsis--same word or phrase at end as at

beginning of a member, sentence, or clause. “When he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when

he is worst, he is little better than a beast.”

ploce--multiple repetition of word “Sickness is catching. O, were favor so,/Yours would I

catch, fair Hermia; ere I go/ My ear should catch your

voice, my eye your eye, / My tongue should catch your

tongue’s sweet melody” (I.i.186-9).

epizeuxis--repeating word with nothing

intervening. “Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes/ And

interchanged love tokens with my child” (I.i.28-9).

polysyndeton--conjunction repeated among

phrases. Then let us teach our trial patience/ Because it is a

customary cross/ As due to love as thoughts and dreams

and sighs . . .” (I.i.152-4)

Exchange, substitution, misplacement

hendiadys--two nouns substituted for noun and

modifier for increased emphasis. “Heaven’s face does glow, /O’er this solidity and

compound mass,/With heated visage” (Hamlet III.iv.49).�

Here, “solidity and . . . �mass” substitutes for “solid . . .

mass.”

hypallage--(can constitute an error)--shifting of

the application of words. “The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not

seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to

conceive, nor his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).

anastrophe--unusual word order “Those that hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck, You do

their work, and they shall have good luck” (II.1.40-1)

parenthesis--interposition (interrupting the syntax

of a larger clause or phrase) of explanatory

matter

"The next thing then she, waking, looks upon/(Be it on lion,

bear, or wolf or bull, /On meddling monkey, or on busy

ape)/ She shall pursue it with the soul of love" (II.i.179-82).

epergesis--interposition of explanitory matter in

apposition. You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-

faced man, a proper man as one shall see in a summer's

day, a most lovely gentlemanlike man. Therefore you must

needs play Pyramus" (I.ii.77-80).

Omission or Compression

ellipsis--omission of a word easily understood "Thrice blessed [are is omitted] they that master so their

blood/To undergo such maiden pilgrimage" (I.ii.74-5).

zeugma--using one verb to serve several clauses “Man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor

his heart to report . . .” (IV.i. 209-211).� �(“is able to”

omitted, but understood, in second two clauses.)

brachylogia--omits conjunctions between words And stol’n the impression of her fantasy

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits,

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats—messengers

Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth. (I.i.32-5)

asyndeton--omits conjunctions between phrases

Go, Philostrate,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments,

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,

Turn melancholy forth to funerals:

The pale companion is not for our pomp. (I.i.12-15).

II. Figures and Tropes of Invention (content)

Inartificial arguments (testimony)

apodixis—supporting one’s statement through the testimony

of many; “Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,/Could ever hear by tale or

history/The course of true love never did run smooth” (I.i.132-5).

martyria—supporting one’s statement through one’s own

personal experience; Where I have come, great clerks have purposed

o greet me with premeditated welcomes;

Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,

Make periods in the midst of sentences,

Throttle their practiced accent in their fears,

And, in conclusion, dumbly have broke off,

Not paying me a welcome.� Trust me, sweet,

Out of this silence yet I picked a welcome,

And in the modesty of fearful duty

I read as much as from the rattling tongue

Of saucy and audacious eloquence. (V.i.93-103)

Euche—vow to keep a promise; My good Lysander,

I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow,

By his best arrow, with the golden head,

By the simplicity of Venus’ doves,

By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves,

And by that fire which burned the Carthage queen

When the false Troyan under sail was seen,

By all the vows that ever men have broke

(In number more than ever women spoke)

In that same place thou hast appointed me

Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. (I.i.168-178)

Eustathia—pledge of constancy. “And then end life when I end loyalty.” (II.ii.63)

Notation and conjugates (figures of ambiguity)

atanaclasis—word repeated with different meanings

(wordplay). “Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung/ With feigning [soft or

deceitful?] �voice verses of feigning [longing?] love.”

syllepsis—word used once with two different meanings (pun). “Get thee to a nunnery” (III.i.121).� “Nunnery” means convent, but it

is also slang for whorehouse.

paronomasia—use of two words sounding nearly the same but

having different meanings. “And here am I , and wood [possibly prounounced “wode” ] within

this wood/Because I cannot meet my Hermia” (II.i.192).

asteismus—reply using different meaning of same word to

twist speaker’s original meaning. BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard,

your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French-

crown-color [i.e. the color of the coin] beard, your perfit yellow.

QUINCE Some of your French crowns [heads made bald by

the “French disease,” syphilis] have no hair at all, and then you will

play barefaced.

Tropes of Comparison (all these figures are metaphorical).

metaphor—comparison that treats the thing discussed as the

thing to which it is compared—a kind of substitution of a thing

resembling for the thing itself. “The spring, the summer, the childing autumn, angry winter

change/Their wonted liveries” (II.i.113). “O, let me kiss/This princess

of pure white [Helena’s hand]” (III.ii.144).

simile—explicit comparison of thing discussed to something

else (explicit analogy using “like” or “as” or equivalent).

For she his hairy temples then had rounded

With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; And that same dew which sometime on the buds

Was wont to swell, like round and orient pearls,

Stood now within the pretty flowerets’ eyes

Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. (IV.i.50-5)

allegory—metaphor sustained over many lines, entire passage, or

more (entire play, for instance).

catechresis—use of a word (usually a verb or adjective) in a

context usually not proper to it (the effect of this is implied

metaphor). When we laughed to see the sails conceive

And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind,

Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait Following (her womb then rich with my young squire),

Would imitate, and sail upon the land

To fetch me trifles.

parabola—a comparison based on a moral or mystical

resemblance—as in the parables of Christ.� Often comes in

the form of allegory. Thrice blessed they that master so their blood

To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;

But earthlier happy is the rose distilled

Than that which, withering out the virgin thorn

Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness. (I.i.76-8)

icon—paints the likeness of a person through imagery.

“Not Hermia, but Helena I love./ Who wil not change a raven for a

dove?” (II.ii.114-15).

hyperbole--Rhetorical Exaggeration, often achieved through

the above tropes of comparison

QUEEN

What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue

In noise so rude against me?

HAMLET

Such an act

That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,

Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose

From the fair forehead of an innocent love,

And sets a blister there, makes marriage vows

As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed

As from the body of contraction plucks

The very soul, and sweet religion makes

A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face does glow,

O'er this solidity and compound mass,

With heated visage, as against the doom

Is thought-sick at the act. (Hamlet 3.4.39-51)

Schemes and Tropes of Division

eutrepismus—divides something (an action, a way of

proceeding, a speech, etc.) into parts and numbers and

orders these parts. “First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the

names of the actors, and so grow to a point” (I.ii.8-10).

merismus (partitio)—division of whole into parts. This loam, this roughcast, and this stone doth show

That I am that same wall: the truth is so.

And this the cranny is, right and sinister,

Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.� (V.i.160-3).

synecdoche—substitutes part for whole, whole for part, genus

for species, species for genus (as substitution, this is also a

kind of metaphor). Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats/Will not debate the

question of this straw. (Hamlet 4.4.25).

prolepsis—a general statement followed by an amplifying or

supporting division into parts. If then true Lovers have been ever crossed,

It stands as an edict in destiny:

Then let us teach our trial patience

Because it is a customary cross,

As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,

Wishes and tears, poor Fancys followers.

epanodos—prolepsis that repeats the terms of the general

statement in every part following. Things base and vile, holding no quantity

Love can transpose to form and dignity.

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgment taste:

Wings and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.

As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

So the boy Love is perjured everywhere. (I.i.252-241).

synathroesmus—a heaping together of words of different

meaning, with or without a recapitulation at the end.

epiphonema—gathering of several statements or pieces of

evidence into an epigrammatic or pithy summary. Or if there were a sympathy in choice,

War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,

Making it momentany as a sound,

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,

Brief as the lightning in the collied night,

That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,

And ere a man hath power to say “Behold!”

The jaws of darkness do devour it up

So quick bright things come to confusion. (I.i.141-9)

disjunctive proposition—expression of alternatives that divide

the possibilities contemplated. Upon that day either prepare to die

For disobedience to your father’s will,

Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would,

Or on diana’s altar to protest

For aye austerity and single life. (I.i.86-90)

“Good fortune, then,/To make me blest or cursed’st among men!

(Merchant of Venice II.ii.44-5).

Subjects and adjuncts

encomium—praise for a person extolling inherent attributes

or “adjuncts”; FLUTE No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in

Athens.

QUINCE Yea, and the best person too, and he is a very paramour for

a sweet voice.

(IV. ii. 9-12)

epitheton—attributes a quality to a person or thing by way of

addition; “O sweet bully Bottom!” (IV.ii.19)

hypotyposis lively description of a person, condition, action,

event, etc. "she grew round-wombed and had indeed, sir, a son for her cradle

ere she had a husband for her bed." (King Lear 1.1.12-13)

antonomasia—substitution of descriptive phrase for proper

name, or the opposite (substitution of proper name for

quality associated with it). “Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook” (III.ii.347).

metonymy—substitution of attribute or adjunct for thing itself

(as substitution, this is also a kind of metaphor).

periphrasis—substitution of descriptive phrase for common

name (as substitution, this can also be a kind of metaphor). “If we have unearned luck/Now to scape the serpent’s tongue, /We

will make amends ere long: (V.i.424-6).

prosopographia—lively description of a person His mother was a vot’ress of my order,

And in the spiced Indian air, by night,

Full often hath she gossiped by my side,

And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands, Marking th’embarked traders on the flood;

When we have laughed to see the sails conceive

And grow big-bellied to the wanton wind,

Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait

Following (her womb then rich with my young squire),

Woud imitate, and sail upon the land

To fetch me trifles, and return again,

As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.

\prosopopoeia—attribution of human qualities to dumb or

inanimate objects (a kind of extended catechresis or

metaphor). “The cowslips tall her pensioners be.” (II.1.10). [But what is odd about

this instance of prosopopoeia?

characterismus—description of body or mind Look here upon this picture, and on this,

The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.

See what a grace was seated on this brow:

Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,

An eye like Mars, to threaten and command,

A station like the herald Mercury

New Lighted on a heaven-kissing hill--

A combination and a form indeed

Where every god did seem to set his seal

To give the world assurance of a man.

This was your husband. Look you now what follows.

Here is your [new] husband, like a mildewed ear

Blasting his wholesome brother. (Hamlet III.iv.53-65)

mimesis—imitation of gesture, pronunciation, or utterance,

often derisive I never heard a passion so confused,

So strange, outrageous, and so variable

As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:

“My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!

Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!

Justice! The law!� My ducats and my daughter!

A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducts,

Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter!

And jewels—two stones, two rich and precious stones,

Stolen by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!

She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats!”

pragmatographia—description of an action or event My mistress with a monster is in love.

Near to her close and consecrated bower,

While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,

A crew of patches, rude mechanicals

that work for bread upon Athenian stalls,

Were met together to rehearse a play

Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day.

The shallowest thickskin of that barren sport,

Forsook his scene and entered in a brake.

When I did him at this advantage take,

An ass'snole I fixed on his head.

Anon his Thisby must be answered,

And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,

Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,

Rising and cawing at the gun's report,

Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,

So at his sight away his fellows fly,

And at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls

He "murder" cries and help from Athens calls.

Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong,

Made senseless things begin to do them wrong,

For briers and throns and their apparel snatch:

Some, sleeves--some, hats; from yielders all things catch.

I led them on in this distracted fear

And left sweet Pyramus translated there,

When in that moment (so it came to pass)

Titania waked, and straightway loved an ass. (III.ii.7-34)

chronographia—description of a time (for example a time of

day). Now the hungry lion roars

And the wolf behowls the moon,

Whilst the heavy plowman snores,

All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow

Whilst the screech owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night

That the graves, all gaping wide,

Every one lets forth his sprite,

In the churchway paths to glide.

And we fairies, that do run

By the triple Hecate's team

From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,

Now are frolic. (V.i. 363-379)

Contraries or Contradictories

paradoxon apparent (not necessarily, as today, actual) self-

contradiction. OPHELIA Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with

honesty?

HAMLET Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform

honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can

translate beauty in into its likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but

now the time gives it proof. (Hamlet 109-115)

antithesis—sets contraries in opposition Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword,

And won thy love doing thee injuries,

But I will wed thee in another key

With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. (I.i.16-19)

Synoeciosis--a composition of contraries--calls attention to

itself by the inconsistency of the terms it brings together

"Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword,/And won thy love

doing thee injuries"

(1.1.16-17).

"Very tragical mirth" (V.i.37) [This could, of course, be a

malopropism, or verbal error, in which case it would not count as

Synoeciosis].

irony—suggests an implicit meaning contrary to what is explicitly

said.

III. Figures pertaining to Logos (argumentation)

enthymeme—an abbreviated syllogism—a syllogism with one

of the steps missing—usually used, according to

Renaissance rhetoricians, to represent a counter-argument,

contrary statement, or contradiction. But all the story of the night told over,

And all their minds transfigured so together,

More witnesseth than fancy's images,

And grows to something of great constancy:

But howsoever, strange and admirable. (The syllogism here would be something on the order of:

If several people confirm a story it is more than an illusion.

Several people confirm this story.

Therefore, this story is more than an illusion.

In the above enthymeme, the major premise is omitted, so that we

have:

Several people confirm this story; therefore, it is more than an illusion.

syllogismus—an even more abbreviated syllogism—a single

vivid suggestion, from which one is prompted to infer other

steps of reasoning. To explain why he sees as preferment his move from the service of the

rich Shylock to the service of the poor Bassanio, the Clown Lancelot

says, "The old proverb is very well parted between my master Shylock

and you, sir. You have the grace of God, sir, and he hath enough"

(Merchant of Venice, II.ii. 139-41).

sorites—chain of reasoning, often, but not always, involving

anadiplosis and gradatio And he, repelled, a short tale to make,

Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,

Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness,

Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension,

Into the madness wherein now he raves,

And all we mourn for. (Hamlet, II.ii.146-51)

disputatio in utramque partem--disputation on each part, or on

each side of a question "To be, or not to be. That is the question," etc. (Hamlet, III.i.56-90)

aporia—doubting or deliberating with oneself

"To be, or not to be. That is the question," etc. (Hamlet, III.i.56-90) [It

should be no surprise that this figure may also involve disputation, by

a single character, on both sides of a question].

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man

to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about to expound

this dream. Methought I was--there is no man can tell what.

Methought I was, and methought I had--But man is but a patched fool

if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not

heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his

tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was"

(IV.i.203-212).

paromologia—admission of something unfavorable to one’s

position, followed by a point that overthrows what was

granted. THESEUS

. . . . Demetrius is a worthy gentleman

HERMIA

So is Lysander.

THESEUS

In himself he is;

But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,

The other must be held the worthier. (I.i.52-5)

concessio—admission of a point that actually hurts the

adversary to whom it is granted HIPPOLYTA

'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of.

THESEUS

More strange than true. I never may believe

These antique fables nor these fairy toys. (V.i. 1-3)

metastasis—turning back of an objection against one who

made it:

TITANIA

And this same progeny of evils come

From our debate, from our dissension;

We are their parents and original.

OBERON

Do you amend it then; it lies in you.

Why should Titania cross her Oberon?

I do but beg a little changeling boy

To be my henchman.

apoplanesis—evasion of a point by digression to another matter. LYSANDER

. . .Demetrius--I'll avouch it to his head--

Made love to Nedar's daughter,Helena

And won her soul, and she (sweet lady) dotes,

Devoutly dotes, dotesin idolatry,

Upon this potted and inconstant man.

THESEUS

I mustconfess that I have heard so much

And with Demetrius thought to have spokethereof;

But, being overfull of self-affairs,

My mind did lose it. But,Demetrius, come,

And come, Egeus. You shall go with me;

I have someprivate schooling for you both.

For you, fair Hermia, look you armyourself

To fit your fancies to your father's will . . . (I.i.106-118)

IV. Figures of Pathos (emotion)

Vehemence through form of utterance or emotion expressed

\exuscitatio—speech so impassioned that it makes listener feel

the emotion of speaker Bottom alludes to this when, in hearing from Quince that Pyramus is

"a lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love," responds: "That will

ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience

look to their eyes. I will move storms; I will condole in some measure"

(I.ii.20-3).

aposiopesis—sudden breaking off of speech or self-

interruption conveying some kind of emotional state "Methought I was--there is no man can tell what. Methought I was,

and methought I had --But man is a patched fool if he will offer to say

what methought I had" (IV.i.206-9).

\ecphonesis—exclamation (the most widely used figure of

vehemence) capable of expressing virtually every kind of

emotion.

"O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!" (III.ii.137) "O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!" (IV.i.78)

thaumasmus—expression of wonder.

"I am amazed at your passionate words" (III.ii.220).

"'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of" (V.i.1)

erotema—rhetorical question, which can add vehemence to a

logical argument Why art thou here,

Come from the farthest steep of India, But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,

Your buskined mistress and your warrior love,

To Theseus must be wedded, and you come

To give their bed joy and prosperity? (II.i.68-73)

threnos—lamentation, expression of sorrow

How happy some o'er other some can be!

Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.

But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;

He will not know what all but he do know.

And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,

So I, admiring of his qualities.

Things base and vile, holding no quantity,

Love can transpose to form and dignity.

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgment taste:

Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he his so oft beguiled.

As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,

So the boy Love is perjured everywhere.

For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia's eyne,

He hailed down oaths that he was only mine;

And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,

So he dissolved, and show'rs of oaths did melt. (I.i.226-45)

Vehemence through petition and complaint

apostrophe—a turning of address from those to whom one

speaks to another “listener”—usually an inanimate object,

personified abstraction, or oneself. In the following case, Hamlet turns from addressing the ghost to

addressing other "listeners," and then back to the ghost again: O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else?

And shall I couple hell? O fie! Hold, hold, my heart,

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,

But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee?

Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat

In this distracted globe. (1.5.93-7)

anamnesis—recital of past things, often (though not always)

woes and injuries Is all the counsel that we two have shared,

The sister's vows, the hours that we have spent

When we have chid the hasty-footed time

For parting us--O, is all forgot?

All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence?

We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,

Have with our needles created both one flower,

Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

Both warbling of one song, both in one key;

As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds

Had been incorporate. So we grew together,

Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,

But yet an union in partition,

Two lovely berries molded on one stem.

So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;

Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

Due but to one, and crowned with one crest.

And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

To join with men in scorning your poor friend? (III.ii.198-216)

apocarteresis—casting away of all hope in one direction and

turning to another for aid My master's a very Jew. Give him a present? Give him a halter! I am

famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs.

Father, I am glad you are come. Give me your present ot one Master

Bassanio, who indeed gives rare new liveries. If I serve not him, I will

run as far as God has any ground" (Merchant of Venice II.ii.98-103).

optatio—ardent wish or prayer O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! (I.i.195).

deesis—vehement supplication

Approach, ye Furies fell!

O Fates, come, come,

Cut thread and thrum

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell! (V.i.279-282)

mempsis—complaint against injuries and craving for redress Full of vexation come I, with complaint

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.

Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,

This man hath my consent to marry her.

Stand forth, Lysander. And, my gracious duke,

This hath bewitched the bosom of my child

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I beg the ancient privilege of Athens:

As she is mine, I may dispose of her

Which shall be either to this gentleman

Or to her death, according to our law

Immediately provided in that case (I.i.22-45).

Placating or assuaging

paramythia—seeking to console or diminish sorrow Then let us teach our trial patience,

Because it is a customary cross,

As due to love as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,

Wishes and tears, poor Fancy's followers. (1.1.152-5)

medela—conciliatory words offered to an injured party to

help the cause of a friend

Antonio intervenes with Portia on behalf of Bassanio, who has just

confessed giving the ring he had of Portia to the lawyer who saved

Antonio from Shylock, thus breaking an oath to Portia never to give

away the ring; the concialatory words here take the form of a vow to

keep the faith (See Euche, above) from now on:

I once did lend my body for his wealth

Which but for him that had your husband's ring

had quite miscarried. I dare be bound again,

My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord

Will never more break faith advisedly. (V.i.249-253)

philophronesis—soothing or submissive speech designed to

mitigate the anger of one too powerful to oppose I do entreat your grace to pardon me.

I know not by what power I am made bold,

Nor how it may concern my modesty

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts. (I.i.58-61)

Provoking or Confronting

epiplexis—asking rhetorical questions in order to chide or

reprehend. Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man,

That I did never, no, nor never can

Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye,

But you must flout my insufficiency? (II.ii.122-8)

mycterismus—subtle mock [BOTTOM AS] PYRAMUS

Approach, ye Furies fell!

O Fates, come, come,

Cut thread and thrum,

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

THESEUS

This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a

man look sad.

(V.i.283-4)

"The funeral bak'd meats/Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables"

(Hamlet I.ii.180-1).

sarcasmus—bitter taunt Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself!

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left thevalue of a cord;

Therefore thou must be hanged at the state's charge. (Merchant of

Venice IV.i.362-5).

onedismus—reproach for ingratitude or impiety And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

To join with men in scorning your poor friend?

It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly.

Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,

Though I alone do feel the injury. (III.ii.215-219)

categoria—accusation of wickedness of another to his face QUEEN

What have I done that thou dar'st wag thy tongue

In noise so rude against me?

HAMLET

Such an act

That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,

Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose

From the fair forehead of an innocent love,

And sets a blister there, makes marriage vows

As false as dicers' oaths. O, such a deed

As from the body of contraction plucks

The very soul, and sweet religion makes

A rhapsody of words! Heaven's face does glow,

O'er this solidity and compound mass,

With heated visage, as against the doom

Is thought-sick at the act. (Hamlet 3.4.39-51)

proclees—provocation of adversary by vehement accusation or

confident offer of proof. "What, have you come by night/And stol'n my love's heart from him?"

(III.ii.283-4) Signor Antonio, many a time and oft

In the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys and my usances

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug

For suff'rance is the badge of all our tribe.

You call e misbeliever, cutthroat dog,

And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.

Well then, it now appears you need my help.

Go to then. you come to me and you say,

"Shylock, we would have moneys"--you say so,

You that did void your rheum upon my beard

and foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

over your threshold. (Merchant of Venice I.iii.103-115)

bdelygmia—concise expression of hate or abhorrence to

another "Vile thing, let loose/Or I will shake thee from em like a serpent"

(III.ii.260-1)

ara—cursing O be thou damned, inexecrable dog,

And for thy life let justice be accused! (Merchant of Venice (IV.i. 128-

9)

Blessing or Enjoying

eulogia—pronouncement of blessing

Now until the break of day

Through this house each fairy stray.

To the best bridebed will we

Which by us shall blessed be,

And the issue there create

Ever shall be fortunate.

So shall all the couples three

Ever true in loving be,

And the blots of Nature's hand

Shall not in their issue stand.

Never mole, harelip, nor scar,

Nor mark prodigious such as are

Despised in nativity

shall upon their children be.

With this field dew consecrate

Every fairy take his gait

And each several chamber bless

Trhough this palace with sweet peace.

And the owner of it blest

Ever shall in safety rest. (V.i.393-414)

"Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke" (I.i.20).

paeanismus—expression of exuberant joy O love, be moderate; allay thy ecstasy;

In measure rain thy joy; scant this excess!

I feel too much thy blessing. Make it less

For fear I surfeit! (Merchant of Venice, III.ii.111-14)

This remark by Titania could also be interpreted as an instance of

paeanismus:

Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.

Fairies, be gone, and be always away.

So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle

Gently entwist; the female ivy so

Enrings the barky fingers of the elm

O, howe I love thee! how I dote on thee! (IV.i.39-44)

V. Figures of Ethos (character)

comprobatio—commendation of those judging one’s cause or

one’s argument for their virtues PORTIA

It must not be. There is no power in Venice

Can alter a decree established.

'Twill be recorded for a precedent,

And many an error by the same example

Will rush into the state: it cannot be.

SHYLOCK

A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel!

O wise young judge, how I do honor thee! (Merchant of Venice 216-

220)

parrhesia—speaking candidly and boldly, often to figures of

authority. The figure often involves an apology, or

expression of humble reverence. Hermia's speech in the passage below is parrhesiastic.

THESEUS

Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

HERMIA

So is Lysander.

THESEUS

In himself he is;

But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,

The other must be held the worthier.

HERMIA

I would my father looked but with my eyes

THESEUS

Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

HERMIA

I do entreat your grace to pardon me.

I know not by what power I am made bold,

Nor how it may concern my modesty

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts,

But I beseech your grace that I may know

The worst that may befall me in this case

If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

THESEUS

Either to die the death, or to abjure

For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,

Know of your youth, examine well your blood,

Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,

you can endure the livery of a nun,

For aye to be in shady cloister mewed,

To live a barren sister all your life,

Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.

Thrice blessed they that master so their blood

To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;

But earthlier happy is the rose distilled

Than that which, withering on the virgin thron

Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.

HERMIA

So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,

Ere I will yield my virgin patent up

Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke

My soul consents not to give sovereignty. (I.i.52-82)

eucharistia—expression of gratitude for benefits received BASSANIO

Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend

Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted

Of grievous penalties, in lieu whereof,

Three thousand ducats due unto the Jew

We freely cope your courteous pains withal.

ANTONIO

And stand indebted, over and above,

In love and service to you evermore.

(Merchant of Venice IV.i.406-12)

sygnome—expression of forgiveness Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.

Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,

Nor thine on me! (Hamlet V.ii.311-13)