““Shakespeare’s Use of the Shakespeare’s Use of the [Renaissance] Theory [of [Renaissance] Theory [of

Composition]” Composition]”

By Sister Miriam JosephBy Sister Miriam Joseph

About Sister Miriam JosephAbout Sister Miriam Joseph

Lived from 1898-1982Lived from 1898-1982 Earned her doctorate from Earned her doctorate from

Columbia UniversityColumbia University Had additional degrees from Had additional degrees from

Saint Mary’s College in Indiana Saint Mary’s College in Indiana & University of Notre Dame& University of Notre Dame

A member of the Sisters of the A member of the Sisters of the Holy CrossHoly Cross

A professor of English at Saint A professor of English at Saint Mary's College from 1931 to Mary's College from 1931 to 1960. 1960.

Additional publicationsAdditional publications

The Trivium: The Liberal The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoricand Rhetoric

Discerning the Ghost in Discerning the Ghost in HamletHamlet

Shakespeare's Use of the Shakespeare's Use of the Arts of LanguageArts of Language

The Trivium in College The Trivium in College Composition and ReadingComposition and Reading

Many other articles in Many other articles in scholarly journals including scholarly journals including Shakespeare QuarterlyShakespeare Quarterly

Renaissance writers Renaissance writers The Renaissance was a time of intense ferment in The Renaissance was a time of intense ferment in

all areas of life — religion, science, politics, all areas of life — religion, science, politics, domestic relations, culture. That ferment was domestic relations, culture. That ferment was reflected in the literature of the era, which also reflected in the literature of the era, which also registered a heightened focus on and analysis of registered a heightened focus on and analysis of the self and the personal lifethe self and the personal life

These new elements of Shakespeare’s day have These new elements of Shakespeare’s day have been implemented into our everyday writingbeen implemented into our everyday writing

Shakespeare implemented his knowledge of Shakespeare implemented his knowledge of terms, the forms, and the processes of terms, the forms, and the processes of argumentation into his playsargumentation into his plays

History of the Renaissance History of the Renaissance TheoryTheory

Began as a co-requisite of the mathematical Began as a co-requisite of the mathematical persuasion such as geometry, astronomy, music persuasion such as geometry, astronomy, music grammar and dialectgrammar and dialect

Defined as a penetrating and comprehensive Defined as a penetrating and comprehensive analysis of thought and its expressionanalysis of thought and its expression

Elements of logos, pathos, and ethos are Elements of logos, pathos, and ethos are encouraged as important entities of composition encouraged as important entities of composition during this time like no other in its pastduring this time like no other in its past

Main influences on ShakespeareMain influences on Shakespeare

His creative art illustrates most fully the variety His creative art illustrates most fully the variety and compass of the Renaissance theory of and compass of the Renaissance theory of compositioncomposition

His writing possessed the perfect blend of logic, His writing possessed the perfect blend of logic, grammar, and rhetoricgrammar, and rhetoric– Logic is the art of thinking; grammar, the art of inventing Logic is the art of thinking; grammar, the art of inventing

symbols and combining them to express thought; and symbols and combining them to express thought; and rhetoric, the art of communicating thought from one rhetoric, the art of communicating thought from one mind to another, the adaptation of language to mind to another, the adaptation of language to circumstancecircumstance

Group WorkGroup Work

““Translate” the following famous soliloquy Translate” the following famous soliloquy from Hamlet in modern language for the from Hamlet in modern language for the modern student. Suppose Shakespeare was modern student. Suppose Shakespeare was writing it now.writing it now.– How would his audience analysis change?How would his audience analysis change?

Available: Available:

http://the-tech.mit.edu/http://the-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/hamlet/hamlet.3.1.htmlShakespeare/hamlet/hamlet.3.1.html

To be, or not to be: that is the question:To be, or not to be: that is the question:Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferWhether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;No more; and by a sleep to say we endNo more; and by a sleep to say we endThe heart-ache and the thousand natural shocksThe heart-ache and the thousand natural shocksThat flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummationThat flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation

PassagePassage

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;For in that sleep of death what dreams may comeFor in that sleep of death what dreams may come To grunt and sweat under a weary life, To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread of something after death,But that the dread of something after death,The undiscover'd country from whose bournThe undiscover'd country from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the willNo traveller returns, puzzles the willAnd makes us rather bear those ills we haveAnd makes us rather bear those ills we haveThan fly to others that we know not of?Than fly to others that we know not of?Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolutionAnd thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pith and momentAnd enterprises of great pith and momentWith this regard their currents turn awry,With this regard their currents turn awry,And lose the name of action. —Soft you now!And lose the name of action. —Soft you now!The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisonsThe fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisonsBe all my sins remember'dBe all my sins remember'd

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause: there's the respectMust give us pause: there's the respectThat makes calamity of so long life;That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,The insolence of office and the spurnsThe insolence of office and the spurnsThat patient merit of the unworthy takes,That patient merit of the unworthy takes,When he himself might his quietus makeWhen he himself might his quietus makeWith a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,To grunt and sweat under a weary life,To grunt and sweat under a weary life,But that the dread of something after death,But that the dread of something after death,The undiscover'd country from whose bournThe undiscover'd country from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the willNo traveller returns, puzzles the willAnd makes us rather bear those ills we haveAnd makes us rather bear those ills we haveThan fly to others that we know not of?Than fly to others that we know not of?Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;And thus the native hue of resolutionAnd thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pith and momentAnd enterprises of great pith and momentWith this regard their currents turn awry,With this regard their currents turn awry,And lose the name of action. —Soft you now!And lose the name of action. —Soft you now!The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisonsThe fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisonsBe all my sins remember'dBe all my sins remember'd

Follow up questionsFollow up questions

Because this passage was a well known Because this passage was a well known soliloquy, did you find it easier to “translate” soliloquy, did you find it easier to “translate” into modern day English?into modern day English?

Do you think this passage has influenced Do you think this passage has influenced orators in their delivery of speeches?orators in their delivery of speeches?– Why or why not? If so, how?Why or why not? If so, how?

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

Do you believe his writings are still relevant in Do you believe his writings are still relevant in the classroom today?the classroom today?

Will the teaching of Shakespeare ever be Will the teaching of Shakespeare ever be obsolete?obsolete?

Paul Oskar Kristeller stated, “Rhetoric is important, Paul Oskar Kristeller stated, “Rhetoric is important, as it always was, as a technique of expression, for as it always was, as a technique of expression, for we wish and try to write and speak well and clearly. we wish and try to write and speak well and clearly. Yet our universe of discourse, and in system of Yet our universe of discourse, and in system of education that should reflect this universe,education that should reflect this universe,

rhetoric should not occupy the center, but be rhetoric should not occupy the center, but be subordinated, not only with philosophy, but also to subordinated, not only with philosophy, but also to the sciences as well as to poetry and the other the sciences as well as to poetry and the other arts.”(228)arts.”(228)

Group ActivityGroup Activity

Get back into your groups and discuss one Get back into your groups and discuss one following questions:following questions:

Is your own personal writing influenced by Shakespeare’s Is your own personal writing influenced by Shakespeare’s work? How specifically?work? How specifically?

When was your first exposure to Shakespeare? What was When was your first exposure to Shakespeare? What was your initial reaction?your initial reaction?

As we emerge ourselves into a more multimedia society, As we emerge ourselves into a more multimedia society, how will we be able to incorporate the more traditional how will we be able to incorporate the more traditional media?media?

Reasons for choosing Reasons for choosing selected topicselected topic

I feel it is always important to know where I feel it is always important to know where your writing derives; it gives you a better your writing derives; it gives you a better sense of yourselfsense of yourself

Shakespeare undoubtedly is one of the Shakespeare undoubtedly is one of the most well- renowned authors of all timemost well- renowned authors of all time

Curious to know the level of influence his Curious to know the level of influence his writing has made on peerswriting has made on peers

Final thoughtsFinal thoughts

“…“…the function of the trivium is the the function of the trivium is the training of the mind for the study training of the mind for the study of matter and spirit, which of matter and spirit, which constitute the sum of reality. The constitute the sum of reality. The fruit of education is culture, which fruit of education is culture, which Mathew Arnold defined as 'the Mathew Arnold defined as 'the knowledge of ourselves and the knowledge of ourselves and the world.‘” ~Sister Miriam Josephworld.‘” ~Sister Miriam Joseph

Either hand in or e-mail written Either hand in or e-mail written “prompt” to:“prompt” to:

kyger@purdue.edukyger@purdue.eduSubject: English 470 Prompt/ Subject: English 470 Prompt/

yourlastnameyourlastname