Key terms

Here are some of the key terms that get used when talking about Shakespeare’s language, so you can look out for them in As You Like It.
  • Iambic Pentameter

    Play Iambic Pentameter Video

    Iambic Pentameter is the name given to the rhythm that Shakespeare uses in his plays. The rhythm of Iambic Pentameter is like a heartbeat, with one soft beat and one strong beat repeated five times.

    Where will I find it in As You Like It?

    Although As You Like It uses more prose than verse, you will still be able to find examples of iambic pentameter throughout the play. For example, after Orlando first meets Rosalind, he says ‘What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?’ (1:2). Say this line out loud to hear how the beats are stressed, and see if you can find other examples of iambic pentameter when you read the play.
  • Prose and Verse

    Play Prose and Verse video

    Shakespeare writes in a combination of Prose and Verse. Prose is a conversational way of speaking which doesn’t have a set rhythm or structure. Verse always has a set rhythm and structure.

    Where will I find it in As You Like It?

    Just over half of As You Like It is written in prose, and it is interesting to see the different ways that the characters speak. In Shakespeare’s plays, it is often the noble characters who speak in verse, but it is not quite as straightforward in As You Like It. For example, Rosalind, who is clearly a noble character, often talks in prose. As you read the play, see if you notice anything interesting about when she talks in prose and when she talks in verse. Is the same true of the other characters?
  • Rhyming Couplets

    Play Rhyming Couplets video

    Rhyming couplets are two lines written in Iambic Pentameter that end in the same sound, or a rhyme. They are often used to sum up the end of a character’s speech.

    Where will I find it in As You Like It?

    When Orlando’s love poems are found in the forest, they are made up of rhyming couplets. For instance, ‘From the east to western Ind, / No jewel is like Rosalind.’ (3:2). Look at how the characters, particularly Touchstone, react to the poems. Do you think we are meant to be impressed by Orlando’s writing?
  • Antithesis

    Play antithesis video

    Antithesis happens when two opposites are put together. For example, hot and cold or light and dark.

    Where will I find it in As You Like It?

    When Rosalind and Jaques talk in the forest in Act 4 Scene 1, Rosalind talks about having ‘rich eyes and poor hands’ and how she would ‘rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad’. Note the contrasts between rich/poor and merry/sad in this scene, and see if you can find your own examples of antithesis when you read the play.

Test Yourself on language terms

Shakespeare writes in a combination of prose and verse. Verse is like poetry and it has a set structure and rhythm. The rhythm Shakespeare uses in his plays is called iambic pentameter, which is like a heartbeat, with one soft beat and one strong beat repeated five times. Sometimes it’s also interesting to look at lines that don’t match the rhythm of iambic pentameter and to think about why.
In Shakespeare’s plays, you will find examples of antithesis, which is when two opposites are put together, like hot and cold or light and dark. Characters also often end speeches with rhyming couplets, which are two lines written in iambic pentameter that end in the same sound, or a rhyme.

Prose

The style of writing you might find in a book.

Take another look at the prose & verse definitions

Structure

Another word for organise or lay out.

Take another look at Nia’s definition of verse

Iambic

This words comes from the Latin word iam meaning beat.

Take another look at the iambic pentameter definitions

heartbeat

The rhythm you feel in your chest, like a pulse.

Take another look at Nia’s definition of iambic pentameter

five

The Latin word for this number is ‘pent’.

Take another look at the definition of iambic pentameter

opposites

Another word for completely different things.

Take another look at Nia’s definition of antithesis

Dark

The total opposite of light.

Take another look at the definition of antithesis

Couplets

Another word for when two lines are coupled together.

Take another look at the definition of rhyming couplets

Iambic Pentameter

The name for the rhythm Shakespeare writes in.

Take another look at your third answer and take another look at the definitions.

Sound

Another word for something you hear.

Take another look at Nia’s definition of rhyming couplets

Teacher Notes

You can use the activities in the videos on this page with students to explore the language in the play as you work through it. The activity which is used to explore iambic pentameter will be very useful in understanding rhythm and structure.