Welcome to Lesson 59 of the Elizabethan English course. This lesson examines how, one of the most versatile interrogative adverbs in Early Modern English, serving to inquire about manner (”In what way?”), degree (”To what extent?”), and state (”In what condition?”).
In Shakespeare’s era, how functioned precisely as in Modern English, yet its deployment in rhetorical questions, exclamations, and philosophical inquiries carried particular weight. The word appears in some of the most memorable lines of the period: “How now, spirit! Whither wander you?” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), “How all occasions do inform against me” (Hamlet), and “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” (King Lear).
The pronunciation of how in Elizabethan English was /haʊ/, essentially identical to modern pronunciation, as this word had already completed the Great Vowel Shift changes that affected long vowels. The diphthong /aʊ/ was fully established by Shakespeare’s time.
Note on Period Pronunciation: Throughout this lesson, IPA transcriptions reflect Elizabethan norms. Key differences from Modern English include: -tion endings pronounced /siən/ rather than modern /ʃən/; rhotic pronunciation of all /r/ sounds; and certain vowels retaining “continental” qualities from before the Great Vowel Shift’s completion.
Link to course index: Latinum Institute Index
Frequently Asked Question: How did Elizabethans use the word “how”?
Elizabethans employed “how” in direct questions about manner or degree, in exclamatory sentences expressing surprise or intensity, and in indirect questions embedded within larger statements. The phrase “how now” served as a common greeting or expression of surprise, functioning similarly to “what’s happening?” today.
Key Takeaways: -
How interrogates manner, degree, method, or condition -
The exclamatory “how” intensifies adjectives and adverbs -
“How now?” served as an all-purpose Elizabethan greeting/exclamation -
Indirect questions with “how” create subordinate clauses -
How combines with auxiliaries for complex interrogatives
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1.1a How fares the king this morning?
1.1b How /haʊ/ in-what-manner · fares /fɛːrz/ does-fare · the /ðə/ the · king /kɪŋ/ king · this /ðɪs/ this · morning /ˈmɔrnɪŋ/ morning
1.2a How now, what news from France?
1.2b How /haʊ/ what-is-it · now /naʊ/ now · what /ʍat/ what · news /njuːz/ news · from /frɒm/ from · France /fraːns/ France
1.3a Tell me how the battle ended.
1.3b Tell /tɛl/ tell · me /miː/ me · how /haʊ/ in-what-manner · the /ðə/ the · battle /ˈbatəl/ battle · ended /ˈɛndɪd/ ended
1.4a How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
1.4b How /haʊ/ how-very · sweet /swiːt/ sweet · the /ðə/ the · moonlight /ˈmuːnlɪçt/ moonlight · sleeps /sliːps/ sleeps · upon /əˈpɒn/ upon · this /ðɪs/ this · bank /baŋk/ bank
1.5a I know not how to answer thee.
1.5b I /ɪç/ I · know /nɔː/ know · not /nɒt/ not · how /haʊ/ in-what-way · to /tuː/ to · answer /ˈaːnsər/ answer · thee /ðiː/ thee
1.6a How many summers shall we see before the harvest cometh?
1.6b How /haʊ/ how · many /ˈmɛni/ many · summers /ˈsʊmərz/ summers · shall /ʃal/ shall · we /wiː/ we · see /siː/ see · before /bɪˈfɔːr/ before · the /ðə/ the · harvest /ˈharvist/ harvest · cometh /ˈkʊməθ/ comes
1.7a Canst thou tell me how the poison worketh?
1.7b Canst /kaːnst/ can · thou /ðaʊ/ thou · tell /tɛl/ tell · me /miː/ me · how /haʊ/ in-what-manner · the /ðə/ the · poison /ˈpɔɪzən/ poison · worketh /ˈwʊrkəθ/ works
1.8a How infinite in faculty, how like an angel in apprehension!
1.8b How /haʊ/ how · infinite /ˈɪnfɪnɪt/ infinite · in /ɪn/ in · faculty /ˈfakəlti/ faculty · how /haʊ/ how · like /lɪːk/ like · an /an/ an · angel /ˈeɪnʤəl/ angel · in /ɪn/ in · apprehension /aprɪˈhɛnsiən/ apprehension
1.9a She asked how long the siege would last.
1.9b She /ʃiː/ she · asked /aːskt/ asked · how /haʊ/ how · long /lɒŋ/ long · the /ðə/ the · siege /siːʤ/ siege · would /wʊld/ would · last /laːst/ last
1.10a How say you, my lords? Shall we to war?
1.10b How /haʊ/ what · say /seɪ/ say · you /juː/ you · my /mɪː/ my · lords /lɔːrdz/ lords · shall /ʃal/ shall · we /wiː/ we · to /tuː/ to · war /wɔːr/ war
1.11a Consider how the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin.
1.11b Consider /kənˈsɪdər/ consider · how /haʊ/ how · the /ðə/ the · lilies /ˈlɪliz/ lilies · of /ɒv/ of · the /ðə/ the · field /fiːld/ field · neither /ˈniːðər/ neither · toil /tɔɪl/ toil · nor /nɔːr/ nor · spin /spɪn/ spin
1.12a How stand things with the Duke of Gloucester?
1.12b How /haʊ/ in-what-state · stand /staːnd/ stand · things /θɪŋz/ things · with /wɪð/ with · the /ðə/ the · Duke /djuːk/ Duke · of /ɒv/ of · Gloucester /ˈglɒstər/ Gloucester
1.13a How can the servant judge the master’s wisdom?
1.13b How /haʊ/ by-what-means · can /kaːn/ can · the /ðə/ the · servant /ˈsɛrvənt/ servant · judge /ʤʊʤ/ judge · the /ðə/ the · master’s /ˈmaːstərz/ master’s · wisdom /ˈwɪzdəm/ wisdom
1.14a How ill this taper burns! Some spirit walks abroad.
1.14b How /haʊ/ how · ill /ɪl/ badly · this /ðɪs/ this · taper /ˈteɪpər/ candle · burns /bʊrnz/ burns · some /sʊm/ some · spirit /ˈspɪrɪt/ spirit · walks /wɔːks/ walks · abroad /əˈbrɔːd/ abroad
1.15a Mark how the blood of Caesar followed Brutus’ blade.
1.15b Mark /maːrk/ observe · how /haʊ/ how · the /ðə/ the · blood /blʊd/ blood · of /ɒv/ of · Caesar /ˈsiːzər/ Caesar · followed /ˈfɒloːd/ followed · Brutus’ /ˈbruːtəsɪz/ Brutus’s · blade /bleɪd/ blade
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1.1 How fares the king this morning? In what condition does the king find himself this morning?
1.2 How now, what news from France? What is happening? What tidings arrive from France?
1.3 Tell me how the battle ended. Relate to me the manner in which the battle concluded.
1.4 How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! How very sweet the moonlight rests upon this bank!
1.5 I know not how to answer thee. I do not know in what manner to reply to you.
1.6 How many summers shall we see before the harvest cometh? What number of summers shall pass before the harvest arrives?
1.7 Canst thou tell me how the poison worketh? Are you able to explain the manner in which the poison operates?
1.8 How infinite in faculty, how like an angel in apprehension! To what degree infinite in ability, to what degree resembling an angel in understanding!
1.9 She asked how long the siege would last. She inquired as to the duration the siege would continue.
1.10 How say you, my lords? Shall we to war? What say you, my lords? Shall we proceed to war?
1.11 Consider how the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin. Reflect upon the manner in which the field lilies labor not nor weave.
1.12 How stand things with the Duke of Gloucester? In what state are matters with the Duke of Gloucester?
1.13 How can the servant judge the master’s wisdom? By what means might the servant evaluate the master’s wisdom?
1.14 How ill this taper burns! Some spirit walks abroad. How badly this candle burns! Some ghost wanders nearby.
1.15 Mark how the blood of Caesar followed Brutus’ blade. Observe in what manner Caesar’s blood pursued Brutus’ sword.
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How fares the king this morning? -
How now, what news from France? -
Tell me how the battle ended. -
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! -
I know not how to answer thee. -
How many summers shall we see before the harvest cometh? -
Canst thou tell me how the poison worketh? -
How infinite in faculty, how like an angel in apprehension! -
She asked how long the siege would last. -
How say you, my lords? Shall we to war? -
Consider how the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin. -
How stand things with the Duke of Gloucester? -
How can the servant judge the master’s wisdom? -
How ill this taper burns! Some spirit walks abroad. -
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed Brutus’ blade.
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How in Early Modern English functions as an interrogative adverb with several distinct uses:
1. Interrogative of Manner (”In what way?”) When how opens a direct question, it typically inquires about the method or manner of an action: -
“How did he escape?” (By what means?) -
“Tell me how thou camest hither.” (In what manner?)
2. Interrogative of Degree (”To what extent?”) How combines with adjectives and adverbs to ask about degree: -
“How long?” (What duration?) -
“How far?” (What distance?) -
“How often?” (What frequency?)
3. Exclamatory How In exclamations, how intensifies the adjective or adverb that follows, expressing surprise, admiration, or strong emotion: -
“How sweet!” (Very sweet indeed!) -
“How like a god!” (So very like a god!) This construction requires no question mark, as it makes a statement rather than asking for information.
4. The Greeting “How now?” This ubiquitous Elizabethan expression serves multiple purposes: -
As greeting: “How now, good fellow?” -
As expression of surprise: “How now! What meanest thou?” -
As mild rebuke: “How now, sirrah!” The phrase functions similarly to modern “What’s up?” or “What’s this?”
5. Indirect Questions How introduces indirect questions as subordinate clauses: -
“I know not how he prospers.” (I don’t know the manner of his prospering.) -
“She wondered how such things could be.” (She pondered the means.)
6. How + Verb of Perception A common construction pairs how with verbs like mark, see, behold, and consider: -
“Mark how he trembles.” -
“See how the heavens frown.” This directs attention to the manner of the observed action.
Period Pronunciation Note: Words ending in -tion (such as apprehension, question, consideration) retained a clearer pronunciation of the ti element in Elizabethan English, rendered as /siən/ rather than the modern /ʃən/. Thus apprehension sounded closer to “appre-HEN-see-on” /aprɪˈhɛnsiən/ rather than modern “appre-HEN-shun.”
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The word how appears at critical moments throughout Elizabethan literature, serving not merely as a grammatical tool but as a philosophical instrument for probing the nature of existence, knowledge, and human action.
Hamlet’s “How” Questions Shakespeare’s philosophical prince employs how repeatedly in his famous meditations. “How all occasions do inform against me” opens a soliloquy examining the disparity between thought and action. The question is not merely interrogative—it is existential, asking how the world itself seems to conspire against human purpose.
How Now—The Elizabethan “What’s Up?” The phrase “How now” pervades Elizabethan drama as a social lubricant. It could be affectionate, suspicious, surprised, or commanding depending on tone. When Hamlet greets the players with “How now! What news?” he extends professional courtesy. When Claudius demands “How now, Hamlet?” the same phrase carries royal authority and implied threat.
The Rhetoric of How Elizabethan rhetoricians recognized how as a powerful tool for erotema (rhetorical questioning). By asking how something occurs, the speaker invites the audience to contemplate method, cause, and consequence. Preachers asked congregations “How then shall we live?” Lawyers asked juries “How can such testimony be credited?” The question form engages listeners more directly than declarative statements.
How in Religious Discourse The King James Bible (1611), though slightly after Shakespeare’s major works, reflects contemporary usage. Christ’s question “How can Satan cast out Satan?” employs how to expose logical contradiction. The construction “Consider how the lilies grow” uses how to direct spiritual attention to divine providence manifested in natural processes.
Social Hierarchy and How Questions beginning with how could reinforce social relationships. A servant asking “How shall I serve your lordship?” acknowledges subordinate position. A master asking “How dare you speak thus?” asserts authority through the interrogative. The word itself was neutral, but its framing revealed power dynamics.
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From William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2:
“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god!”
In this famous passage, Hamlet employs how five times in rapid succession, each instance amplifying the wonder of human capacity even as the speech ultimately collapses into disillusionment. The anaphoric repetition of how creates a rhetorical crescendo—the word functioning not as genuine question but as exclamatory praise, only to have that praise undercut by Hamlet’s admission that to him, man appears merely “this quintessence of dust.”
The construction how + adjective (noble, infinite, express, admirable) followed by prepositional phrases creates parallel structures that build upon each other. Shakespeare exploits how to express degree with increasing intensity, moving from reason to faculty to form to action to apprehension—a progression from the rational to the nearly divine.
The period pronunciation would have made these phrases particularly musical: “How noble in REA-son, how IN-fi-nit in FA-cul-ty!”
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The following narrative demonstrates how in various constructions within a connected story of political scheming at an Elizabethan court.
2.1a The ambassador arrived at midnight, asking how the Queen had received his master’s letter.
2.1b The /ðə/ the · ambassador /amˈbasədɔːr/ ambassador · arrived /əˈrɪːvd/ arrived · at /at/ at · midnight /ˈmɪdnɪçt/ midnight · asking /ˈaːskɪŋ/ asking · how /haʊ/ in-what-manner · the /ðə/ the · Queen /kwiːn/ Queen · had /haːd/ had · received /rɪˈsiːvd/ received · his /hɪz/ his · master’s /ˈmaːstərz/ master’s · letter /ˈlɛtər/ letter
2.2a “How now?” spoke the Chancellor. “What brings thee at such an hour?”
2.2b How /haʊ/ what-is-it · now /naʊ/ now · spoke /spoːk/ spoke · the /ðə/ the · Chancellor /ˈʧaːnsələr/ Chancellor · what /ʍat/ what · brings /brɪŋz/ brings · thee /ðiː/ thee · at /at/ at · such /sʊʧ/ such · an /an/ an · hour /aʊr/ hour
2.3a The visitor explained how his prince desired alliance against the Spanish menace.
2.3b The /ðə/ the · visitor /ˈvɪzɪtər/ visitor · explained /ɪksˈpleɪnd/ explained · how /haʊ/ the-manner-in-which · his /hɪz/ his · prince /prɪns/ prince · desired /dɪˈzɪːrd/ desired · alliance /əˈlɪːəns/ alliance · against /əˈgɛːnst/ against · the /ðə/ the · Spanish /ˈspaːnɪʃ/ Spanish · menace /ˈmɛnəs/ menace
2.4a “How say the Council lords? Do they favor such confederation?” /siən/
2.4b How /haʊ/ what · say /seɪ/ say · the /ðə/ the · Council /ˈkaʊnsəl/ Council · lords /lɔːrdz/ lords · do /duː/ do · they /ðeɪ/ they · favor /ˈfeɪvər/ favor · such /sʊʧ/ such · confederation /kənfɛdəˈreɪsiən/ confederation
2.5a The Chancellor pondered how to advise Her Majesty without revealing his own ambition.
2.5b The /ðə/ the · Chancellor /ˈʧaːnsələr/ Chancellor · pondered /ˈpɒndərd/ pondered · how /haʊ/ by-what-means · to /tuː/ to · advise /ədˈvɪːz/ advise · Her /həːr/ Her · Majesty /ˈmaːʤəsti/ Majesty · without /wɪðˈaʊt/ without · revealing /rɪˈviːlɪŋ/ revealing · his /hɪz/ his · own /oːn/ own · ambition /amˈbɪsiən/ ambition
2.6a “Consider how the French deceived us but three years past,” he warned.
2.6b Consider /kənˈsɪdər/ consider · how /haʊ/ the-manner-in-which · the /ðə/ the · French /frɛnʧ/ French · deceived /dɪˈsiːvd/ deceived · us /ʊs/ us · but /bʊt/ only · three /θriː/ three · years /jiːrz/ years · past /paːst/ past · he /hiː/ he · warned /wɔːrnd/ warned
2.7a How quickly fortune’s wheel doth turn in matters of state!
2.7b How /haʊ/ how-very · quickly /ˈkwɪkli/ quickly · fortune’s /ˈfɔːrʧənz/ fortune’s · wheel /ʍiːl/ wheel · doth /dʊθ/ does · turn /tʊrn/ turn · in /ɪn/ in · matters /ˈmatərz/ matters · of /ɒv/ of · state /steɪt/ state
2.8a The ambassador pressed: “How long must my master wait for answer?”
2.8b The /ðə/ the · ambassador /amˈbasədɔːr/ ambassador · pressed /prɛst/ pressed · how /haʊ/ how · long /lɒŋ/ long · must /mʊst/ must · my /mɪː/ my · master /ˈmaːstər/ master · wait /weɪt/ wait · for /fɔːr/ for · answer /ˈaːnsər/ answer
2.9a “How can I promise what lies not in my power to grant?” the Chancellor replied.
2.9b How /haʊ/ by-what-means · can /kaːn/ can · I /ɪç/ I · promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ promise · what /ʍat/ what · lies /lɪːz/ lies · not /nɒt/ not · in /ɪn/ in · my /mɪː/ my · power /ˈpaʊər/ power · to /tuː/ to · grant /graːnt/ grant · the /ðə/ the · Chancellor /ˈʧaːnsələr/ Chancellor · replied /rɪˈplɪːd/ replied
2.10a He knew not how the Queen’s faction would respond to such overtures.
2.10b He /hiː/ he · knew /njuː/ knew · not /nɒt/ not · how /haʊ/ in-what-manner · the /ðə/ the · Queen’s /kwiːnz/ Queen’s · faction /ˈfaksiən/ faction · would /wʊld/ would · respond /rɪˈspɒnd/ respond · to /tuː/ to · such /sʊʧ/ such · overtures /ˈoːvərʧʊrz/ overtures
2.11a How cunningly the Secretary had positioned himself between all parties!
2.11b How /haʊ/ how-very · cunningly /ˈkʊnɪŋli/ cunningly · the /ðə/ the · Secretary /ˈsɛkrətɛri/ Secretary · had /haːd/ had · positioned /pəˈzɪsiənd/ positioned · himself /hɪmˈsɛlf/ himself · between /bɪˈtwiːn/ between · all /ɔːl/ all · parties /ˈpaːrtiz/ parties
2.12a “Mark how he speaks fair to both sides yet commits to neither,” whispered a courtier.
2.12b Mark /maːrk/ observe · how /haʊ/ the-manner-in-which · he /hiː/ he · speaks /spiːks/ speaks · fair /fɛːr/ fair · to /tuː/ to · both /boːθ/ both · sides /sɪːdz/ sides · yet /jɛt/ yet · commits /kəˈmɪts/ commits · to /tuː/ to · neither /ˈniːðər/ neither · whispered /ˈʍɪspərd/ whispered · a /a/ a · courtier /ˈkɔːrtiər/ courtier
2.13a The question remained: how to preserve the peace whilst preparing for war.
2.13b The /ðə/ the · question /ˈkwɛstiən/ question · remained /rɪˈmeɪnd/ remained · how /haʊ/ by-what-means · to /tuː/ to · preserve /prɪˈzɛrv/ preserve · the /ðə/ the · peace /piːs/ peace · whilst /ʍɪlst/ while · preparing /prɪˈpɛːrɪŋ/ preparing · for /fɔːr/ for · war /wɔːr/ war
2.14a How different the morning seemed when news arrived of the King of Spain’s death!
2.14b How /haʊ/ how-very · different /ˈdɪfərənt/ different · the /ðə/ the · morning /ˈmɔrnɪŋ/ morning · seemed /siːmd/ seemed · when /ʍɛn/ when · news /njuːz/ news · arrived /əˈrɪːvd/ arrived · of /ɒv/ of · the /ðə/ the · King /kɪŋ/ King · of /ɒv/ of · Spain’s /speɪnz/ Spain’s · death /dɛːθ/ death
2.15a And thus all learned how Providence ordereth the affairs of princes beyond mortal calculation.
2.15b And /and/ and · thus /ðʊs/ thus · all /ɔːl/ all · learned /ˈlɛrnɪd/ learned · how /haʊ/ the-manner-in-which · Providence /ˈprɒvɪdəns/ Providence · ordereth /ˈɔːrdərəθ/ orders · the /ðə/ the · affairs /əˈfɛːrz/ affairs · of /ɒv/ of · princes /ˈprɪnsɪz/ princes · beyond /bɪˈjɒnd/ beyond · mortal /ˈmɔːrtəl/ mortal · calculation /kalkjʊˈleɪsiən/ calculation
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This course employs the Latinum Institute methodology, using construed interlinear text to make Elizabethan English accessible to modern autodidacts. The approach allows learners to absorb vocabulary and grammatical structures through repeated exposure to authentic-style sentences with complete glossing.
Period Pronunciation Guide: The IPA transcriptions throughout this lesson reflect reconstructed Elizabethan pronunciation based on research by David Crystal and other scholars of Original Pronunciation (OP). Key features include: -
-tion endings: /siən/ rather than modern /ʃən/ -
Rhotic r: All /r/ sounds fully pronounced -
wh- words: Distinguished from w- words as /ʍ/ (voiceless labial-velar fricative) -
Long vowels: Some retain pre-shift or mid-shift values -
Unstressed syllables: Generally fuller than in modern Received Pronunciation
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