There
are two main styles of poetic rhyming that we find in Shakespeare's
verse: couplets and quatrains. Being able to easily and quickly identify
them will make you look like an absolute rock star in any cold-reading
audition, and give you opportunities for some really fun choices.
Today,
we're going to look at couplets, sometimes called "rhyming couplets"
(which is redundant, but whatever), or "heroic couplets". A couplet is
where the endings of two lines of verse in a row rhyme with each other.
For example:
Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream)
Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?
When at your hand did I deserve such scorn?
Claudius (Hamlet)
My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to heaven go.
Luciana (The Comedy of Errors)
Gaze when you should, and that will clear your sight.
Antipholus of Syracuse
As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night.
See that? "Born" rhymes with "scorn", "below" with "go", and "sight" with "night".
Characters
can speak in pairs of couplets at length in a monologue - the above
couplet of Helena's is from a longer speech of couplets.
Couplets
are sometimes used to indicate the end of a scene, or before a shift in
the action, like the couplet from Hamlet's Claudius. The scene is
mostly rhyme-free, but given a nice "button" with couplets right at the end.
Other
times, couplets are shared throughout the scene and among characters.
This can be a lot of fun to play with, as it could mean that the
characters are on the same level, and in agreement, or sparring, kind of
like a rap battle, or that they're in love. Looking at a few additional
lines from the same scene of The Comedy of Errors demonstrates this
type of back-and-forth.
Luciana
What, are you mad that you do reason so?
Antipholus of Syracuse
Not mad, but mated - how, I do not know.
Luciana
It is a fault that springeth from your eye.
Antipholus of Syracuse
For gazing on your beams, fair sun, being by.
Luciana
Gaze when you should, and that will clear your sight.
Antipholus of Syracuse
As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night.
Luciana
Why call you me love? Call my sister so.
Antipholus of Syracuse
Thy sister's sister.
Luciana
That's my sister.
Antipholus of Syracuse
No;
The
scene continues, with Antipholus trying to woo Luciana, but did you see
that exquisite shared line of verse just now? Thy sister's sister. / That's my sister. / No; is all one line of verse, rhyming with the
previous line: Why call you me love? Call my sister so. I think this
could be really hot in performance, as the pace seems to quicken!
Next week on Breaking Down the Bard: Quatrains!
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