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1600’s Shakespearian
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Modern English
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He doth bestride the
narrow world like a Colossus; and we petty men walk under his huge legs,
and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves
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He walks on the narrow world like a giant,
and petty men like us walk under his huge legs and look forward only to dying
dishonourably.
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This is an extract from the Shakespearian play ‘Julius
Ceaser’
Firstly, the context should be considered; the play is
action-orientated and based on a leader who was known for being strong and
brutal, therefore, Shakespeare might well have used language that
sensationalise the tension and feeling of awe in the extract. The use of the
verb ‘doth’ is a variation of the modern day verb ‘to do’, this is placed
before the objective verb ‘bestride’ to increase a sense of majesty and
vastness. In modern English we don’t use either of these verbs and instead would
just use the one verb ‘walks’. Therefore, it would be fair to say that the
phrase ‘doth bestride’ has become obsolete in modern English.
Interestingly, in the Shakespearian text, the word Colossus
is used as a singular, common concrete noun. Although, this is sometimes still
used in modern English in this way but the term Colossus is perhaps more
commonly used a proper noun to describe a company such as Colossus Computers or
Colossus Comics., this is an example of semantic shift and I believe it to be
broadening.
Finally, the Shakespearian text uses the phrase ‘peep about’
where in modern English we use the phrase look forward. There is a correspondence
in that both texts use a variation of the verb ‘to see’ (‘peep’ and ‘look’).
However, the Shakespearian text uses the present tense preposition ‘about’
whereas in modern day English we use the future tense adverb ‘forward’. I feel
as though this phrase has become amorliated in a semantic sense, because by
using a word to do with the future you are connoting a sense of positivity.
