Language of every nation is a dynamic phenomenon that exists in permanent development. Time brings some new phenomena into the life of a nation and removes some old ones. All these processes find their reflections in the language and the basic differences between the English of Shakespeare’s times and modern English are the topic of this very paper. The following excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays are to be transformed into the English language spoken in the world nowadays.
- Context: The boatswain of the ship carrying the Italian dignitaries is wrestling with the storm that threatens to destroy the entire ship and all its crew. Because of this, he ignores requests made by the dignitaries and tells them all to go back to their cabins. Gonzalo, takes issue with this, essentially tells him to remember his place, and reminds him of the importance of those to whom he had spoken so freely with. This is the boatswain’s response.
- Boatswain: None that I more live than myself. You are a councilor: if you can command these elements to silence and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap.—Cheerly, good hearts!—Out of our way, I say. (I.i.21-27)
The words of the boatswain can be interpreted into modern English in the following way as the words uttered in an emergency situation and full of emotional coloring: “There is no person more experienced than me. You are a councilor: if you can calm the forces of nature down at least for now, then do it by your power and authority. If you can not, then thank God and me that you are still alive. Now go to your cabin and be ready to face the disaster if there will be such a need. – Move on, my faithful sailors! Keep on fighting with the storm! – And you, officials, get out of our way! Do not prevent us from doing our job and saving us all! You do have no knowledge in the seamen’s craft, so if you can not help them do not impede at least!”
- Context: Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, and Francisco have arrived safely on the island, having jumped ship in the storm to avoid apparent shipwreck. Gonzalo speaks to the remarkableness of their survival. He addresses the others:
- Gonzalo: Beseech you, sir, be merry. You have cause / (So have we all) of joy; for our escape / Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe / is common: every day some sailor’s wife, / The master of some merchant, and the merchant, / Have just our theme of woe; but for the miracle, / I mean our preservation, few in millions / Can speak like us. (II.i.1-7)
The words uttered by Gonzalo to his friends after they were safe from the storm can be interpreted into modern English as follows: “We can be jolly and glad now, my friends. I beg you not to be sad, be merry. You, as all the rest of us, have reason to rejoice – we are saved from the storm, we are alive and not even wounded by it. And this fact is worth more than all the misfortunes that could occur in our further lives. We are all sad right now a little bit but this is a common thing – all people have sad moments in their lives. Wives of sailors, merchants, and even people who are very rich sometimes mourn something. But the reason for our gladness and genuine happiness can not be compared to the reasons for their sorrow. By a miracle, we are saved from that storm, and this feeling of happiness is familiar to only a few of millions of people living on this Earth.”