Shakespeare and His Sonnets

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Questions and Answers

What does Samuel Johnson suggest Shakespeare has outlived?

The common texts of literature merit

The tradition of his friendships and enmities (correct)

The modes of artificial life

His contemporaries (correct)

In Johnson's view, what is the primary reason for reading Shakespeare's works?

To understand personal allusions in the context

The desire for pleasure (correct)

To follow contemporary literary trends

To engage with the audience's opinions

What aspect of Shakespeare’s plays did Johnson deem non-essential?

The performance aspect (correct)

Narrative structure

Character development

Historical context

According to Johnson, how have Shakespeare's works fared through time?

They have received new honours Signup and view all the answers

What role does Johnson attribute to the reader in relation to Shakespeare's plays?

The true audience Signup and view all the answers

What was the main innovation of Samuel Johnson's dictionary compared to earlier glossaries?

It provided etymology for words for the first time. Signup and view all the answers

Which milestone occurred first in the history of the Oxford English Dictionary?

The Philological Society called for a new dictionary. Signup and view all the answers

What was the planned number of pages for the Oxford English Dictionary at the project's beginning?

6,400 pages Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the Oxford English Dictionary is true?

The first edition was completed in 1928. Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the contributions of James Murray to the Oxford English Dictionary?

He helped compile thousands of quotations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the rhyme scheme of Shakespeare's sonnet form?

abab cdcd efef gg Signup and view all the answers

How many sonnets were directly aimed at the Fair Youth?

127 Signup and view all the answers

In Sonnet 116, what metaphor does Shakespeare use to describe love?

A star Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the themes of Sonnets 1-17?

Exhortation to marry the Fair Youth Signup and view all the answers

What literary device is primarily used in the line 'love is not love which alters when it alteration finds'?

Paradox Signup and view all the answers

What does Shakespeare suggest about love's relationship with time in Sonnet 116?

Love is oblivious to time Signup and view all the answers

Which of Shakespeare's sonnet sections discusses the Dark Lady?

Sonnets 128-154 Signup and view all the answers

What meter is characteristic of Shakespeare's sonnets?

Iambic pentameter Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born in 1564 and died in 1616.
He was married to Ann Hathaway and had three children: Susannah, Judith, and Hamnet (twins).
He wrote 39 plays and 154 sonnets.
Famous sonnets include "Let me not to the marriage of true minds," a sonnet about love and its constancy.
Sonnets were written in English Sonnet Form: three quatrains followed by one couplet, 16 lines.
Sonnets were written in iambic pentameter: five feet or iambs (stressed/unstressed, u / = iamb).
Sonnets 1-17 are referred to as marriage sonnets.
Sonnets 18-127 are dedicated to "The Fair Youth," and discuss the immortality of poetry.
Sonnets 128-154 are written about "The Dark Lady."

Samuel Johnson & Shakespeare

Samuel Johnson was a famous scholar and writer of the 18th century.
He wrote The Plays of William Shakespeare in 1765.
He believed that Shakespeare's works were of high literary merit and deserve recognition.
Unlike many before him, Johnson recognized Shakespeare's ability to write about human nature and emotion.
Johnson believed that Shakespeare was a pioneer in the use of language and vocabulary, and provided context for his work.
Johnson was a pioneer in analyzing Shakespeare's works and establishing his legacy.

Dictionaries

Samuel Johnson published A Dictionary of the English Language in 1755.
It contained 42,733 words.
This was a significant increase in size from earlier glossaries which contained only 4,000.
The dictionary included etymology for the first time and helped to improve understanding of word histories.
The dictionary provided detailed definitions and included quotes showing the words used in context.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

The Philological Society of London called for a new English Dictionary in 1857.
The new dictionary had goals of inclusiveness and tracing words to their origins in the Anglo-Saxon languages.
The Society partnered with Oxford University Press and James H. Murray to create the dictionary.
The dictionary was initially planned to take ten years to complete and contain 6,400 pages.
It took over forty years to complete with 400,000+ words and phrases in ten volumes.
The dictionary was originally published in fascicles from 1884-1928.
Supplements were added between 1933-1986.
The Supplements were included in the Second Edition, released in 1980s.
The dictionary has been continuously updated and revised and is now available digitally.

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Description

Explore the life and works of William Shakespeare, focusing on his sonnets and the structure that defines them. Learn about his family, relationships, and the critical appreciation by Samuel Johnson. This quiz covers his literary legacy and the significance of his poetic contributions.