Welcome to Lesson 79 of the Elizabethan English course. This lesson explores world (/wɜːrld/ in Original Pronunciation), one of the most philosophically rich words in Shakespeare’s vocabulary. In the Early Modern period (c. 1550–1650), world carried layers of meaning that modern usage has partly lost: the terrestrial sphere, the domain of human affairs, mortal existence as opposed to spiritual eternity, and the social realm of fashion and reputation.
Course Index:
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FAQ: What does “world” mean in Elizabethan English?
In Elizabethan English, world (spelled variously as world, worlde, or vvorld) functions primarily as a noun denoting the earth, human society, mortal life, or a great quantity (”a world of troubles”). Shakespeare employed world over 900 times across his works, using it to invoke theatrical metaphors (”all the world’s a stage”), philosophical meditations on mortality, and explorations of social ambition.
Pronunciation Note (Original Pronunciation): This lesson employs reconstructed Early Modern English pronunciation following David Crystal’s scholarship. Key features include: the -tion suffix pronounced as /sɪən/ rather than Modern English /ʃən/; rhotic /r/ sounded in all positions; and vowel values still transitioning through the Great Vowel Shift. The word world itself was pronounced /wɜːrld/ with a clearly sounded /r/.
Key Takeaways: -
World functions as both concrete noun (the earth) and abstract noun (mortal existence, society) -
Elizabethan world frequently contrasts with heaven in theological contexts -
The theatrical metaphor of “world as stage” pervades Shakespeare’s usage -
Period pronunciation features rhotic /r/ and distinct vowel qualities -
Worldly and worldling were common derivations for secular concerns
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79.1a All the world’s a stage 79.1b All (/ɔːl/) all the (/ðə/) the world’s (/wɜːrldz/) world-POSS a (/ə/) a stage (/steɪdʒ/) stage
79.2a What a world of troubles thou hast seen 79.2b What (/hwɒt/) what a (/ə/) a world (/wɜːrld/) world of (/ɒv/) of troubles (/ˈtrʊblz/) troubles thou (/ðaʊ/) thou hast (/hæst/) have-2SG seen (/siːn/) seen
79.3a The world doth turn upon fortune’s wheel 79.3b The (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world doth (/dʊθ/) does-AUX turn (/tɜːrn/) turn upon (/əˈpɒn/) upon fortune’s (/ˈfɔːrtʃənz/) fortune-POSS wheel (/hwiːl/) wheel
79.4a I hold the world but as the world 79.4b I (/ʌɪ/) I hold (/hoʊld/) hold the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world but (/bʊt/) only as (/æz/) as the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world
79.5a This wide world containeth many wonders 79.5b This (/ðɪs/) this wide (/wʌɪd/) wide world (/wɜːrld/) world containeth (/kənˈteɪnəθ/) contains-3SG many (/ˈmɛni/) many wonders (/ˈwʊndərz/) wonders
79.6a Thy world and mine are sunder’d quite 79.6b Thy (/ðʌɪ/) thy-POSS world (/wɜːrld/) world and (/ænd/) and mine (/mʌɪn/) mine are (/ɑːr/) are sunder’d (/ˈsʊndərd/) sundered quite (/kwʌɪt/) completely
79.7a The fashion of this world passeth away 79.7b The (/ðə/) the fashion (/ˈfæʃɪən/) fashion of (/ɒv/) of this (/ðɪs/) this world (/wɜːrld/) world passeth (/ˈpæsəθ/) passes-3SG away (/əˈweɪ/) away
79.8a No worldly treasure shall endure beyond the grave 79.8b No (/noʊ/) no worldly (/ˈwɜːrldli/) worldly-ADJ treasure (/ˈtrɛʒər/) treasure shall (/ʃæl/) shall-FUT endure (/ɪnˈdjʊər/) endure beyond (/bɪˈjɒnd/) beyond the (/ðə/) the grave (/greɪv/) grave
79.9a How weary stale flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world 79.9b How (/haʊ/) how weary (/ˈwɪəri/) weary stale (/steɪl/) stale flat (/flæt/) flat and (/ænd/) and unprofitable (/ʊnˈprɒfɪtəbl/) unprofitable seem (/siːm/) seem to (/tuː/) to me (/miː/) me all (/ɔːl/) all the (/ðə/) the uses (/ˈjuːzɪz/) uses of (/ɒv/) of this (/ðɪs/) this world (/wɜːrld/) world
79.10a The world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch 79.10b The (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world is (/ɪz/) is grown (/groʊn/) grown so (/soʊ/) so bad (/bæd/) bad that (/ðæt/) that wrens (/rɛnz/) wrens make (/meɪk/) make prey (/preɪ/) prey where (/hwɛər/) where eagles (/ˈiːglz/) eagles dare (/dɛər/) dare not (/nɒt/) not perch (/pɜːrtʃ/) perch
79.11a From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell 79.11b From (/frɒm/) from this (/ðɪs/) this vile (/vʌɪl/) vile world (/wɜːrld/) world with (/wɪθ/) with vilest (/ˈvʌɪləst/) vilest-SUPL worms (/wɜːrmz/) worms to (/tuː/) to dwell (/dwɛl/) dwell
79.12a Speak the speech I pray you as I pronounced it to you trippingly on the tongue for all the world 79.12b Speak (/spiːk/) speak the (/ðə/) the speech (/spiːtʃ/) speech I (/ʌɪ/) I pray (/preɪ/) pray you (/juː/) you as (/æz/) as I (/ʌɪ/) I pronounced (/proʊˈnaʊnst/) pronounced it (/ɪt/) it to (/tuː/) to you (/juː/) you trippingly (/ˈtrɪpɪŋli/) trippingly on (/ɒn/) on the (/ðə/) the tongue (/tʊŋ/) tongue for (/fɔːr/) for all (/ɔːl/) all the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world
79.13a He hath brought many captives home to Rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill throughout the world 79.13b He (/hiː/) he hath (/hæθ/) has-3SG brought (/brɔːt/) brought many (/ˈmɛni/) many captives (/ˈkæptɪvz/) captives home (/hoʊm/) home to (/tuː/) to Rome (/roʊm/) Rome whose (/huːz/) whose ransoms (/ˈrænsəmz/) ransoms did (/dɪd/) did-PAST the (/ðə/) the general (/ˈdʒɛnərəl/) general coffers (/ˈkɒfərz/) coffers fill (/fɪl/) fill throughout (/θruːˈaʊt/) throughout the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world
79.14a The contemplation of the world beyond these mortal bounds bringeth comfort 79.14b The (/ðə/) the contemplation (/ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪsɪən/) contemplation of (/ɒv/) of the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world beyond (/bɪˈjɒnd/) beyond these (/ðiːz/) these mortal (/ˈmɔːrtəl/) mortal bounds (/baʊndz/) bounds bringeth (/ˈbrɪŋəθ/) brings-3SG comfort (/ˈkʊmfərt/) comfort
79.15a O brave new world that has such people in’t 79.15b O (/oʊ/) O-EXCL brave (/breɪv/) brave new (/njuː/) new world (/wɜːrld/) world that (/ðæt/) that has (/hæz/) has such (/sʊtʃ/) such people (/ˈpiːpl/) people in’t (/ɪnt/) in-it-CONTR
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79.1 All the world’s a stage. “All the world is a stage.”
79.2 What a world of troubles thou hast seen. “What a great quantity of troubles you have witnessed.”
79.3 The world doth turn upon fortune’s wheel. “The world turns upon fortune’s wheel.”
79.4 I hold the world but as the world. “I regard the world as merely the world, nothing more.”
79.5 This wide world containeth many wonders. “This vast world contains many wonders.”
79.6 Thy world and mine are sunder’d quite. “Your world and mine are completely separated.”
79.7 The fashion of this world passeth away. “The ways of this world pass away.”
79.8 No worldly treasure shall endure beyond the grave. “No earthly treasure shall last beyond death.”
79.9 How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world. “How tiresome, dull, lifeless, and worthless all the activities of this world seem to me.”
79.10 The world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch. “The world has become so corrupt that small birds hunt where great ones fear to land.”
79.11 From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell. “To depart from this wretched world to live among the basest creatures.”
79.12 Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue, for all the world. “Deliver the lines, I beg you, exactly as I spoke them to you, fluently, as if performing for all humanity.”
79.13 He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill throughout the world. “He has brought many prisoners back to Rome, whose ransoms filled the public treasury from across the world.”
79.14 The contemplation of the world beyond these mortal bounds bringeth comfort. “Meditation upon the realm beyond this mortal life brings solace.”
79.15 O brave new world, that has such people in’t! “O wonderful new world that contains such people!”
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79.1 All the world’s a stage.
79.2 What a world of troubles thou hast seen.
79.3 The world doth turn upon fortune’s wheel.
79.4 I hold the world but as the world.
79.5 This wide world containeth many wonders.
79.6 Thy world and mine are sunder’d quite.
79.7 The fashion of this world passeth away.
79.8 No worldly treasure shall endure beyond the grave.
79.9 How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world.
79.10 The world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.
79.11 From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell.
79.12 Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue, for all the world.
79.13 He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill throughout the world.
79.14 The contemplation of the world beyond these mortal bounds bringeth comfort.
79.15 O brave new world, that has such people in’t!
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These are the grammar rules for world in Elizabethan English.
Part of Speech: World functions primarily as a noun (substantive) in Early Modern English. It occasionally appears in compound adjectives (world-weary) and gives rise to derivatives including worldly (adjective), worldling (noun denoting one devoted to worldly pleasures), and worldliness (abstract noun).
Etymology: From Old English weorold, worold, combining wer (man) + eld (age), literally “age of man.” The word cognates with Old High German weralt and Old Norse verǫld. By the Elizabethan period, the spelling had stabilized to world, though printers occasionally used worlde or the double-v form vvorld.
Semantic Range in Shakespeare:
The word world carries multiple interconnected meanings in Elizabethan usage:
First meaning: The terrestrial globe, the earth as a physical entity. “He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill throughout the world.” Here world denotes geographical extent.
Second meaning: Human society, the social realm. “The fashion of this world passeth away” uses world to indicate social customs and temporal trends.
Third meaning: Mortal existence as contrasted with spiritual or eternal life. “From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell” presents world as the domain of mortality and corruption.
Fourth meaning: A great quantity (colloquial intensifier). “What a world of troubles” means “an enormous amount of troubles.” This usage survives into Modern English.
Fifth meaning: The theatrical metaphor. “All the world’s a stage” equates human existence with theatrical performance, a conceit that permeates Shakespeare’s works.
Verb Agreement with Third Person Singular:
Elizabethan English employed the -eth suffix for third person singular present tense, alternating with the emerging -s form. Thus: the world containeth or the world contains; the world passeth or the world passes. The -eth form (/əθ/) was increasingly archaic by 1600, used for formal or solemn registers.
Possessive Formation:
The possessive of world follows standard Early Modern patterns: the world’s stage (with apostrophe-s, though Elizabethan printing was inconsistent with apostrophe usage). The genitive could also be formed periphrastically: the stage of the world.
Common Collocations:
All the world — used as intensifier or universal scope This world — the present mortal realm (often contrasted with the next world) The wide world — the entire earth A world of — great quantity of New world — recently discovered lands (Americas) Old world — Europe, known territories Out of this world — extraordinary, beyond mortal expectation Worldly — pertaining to secular concerns
Pronunciation Notes (Original Pronunciation):
The word world was pronounced /wɜːrld/ with a clearly audible rhotic /r/. Unlike Modern Received Pronunciation, Early Modern English was fully rhotic in all positions.
The -tion suffix throughout Elizabethan English was pronounced /sɪən/ rather than Modern /ʃən/. Thus contemplation sounded like /ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪsɪən/, and fashion retained a distinct /ʃ/ sound as /ˈfæʃɪən/.
Long vowels were mid-shift: stage as /steɪdʒ/ (close to modern), but I as /ʌɪ/ (more open than modern /aɪ/), and new as /njuː/ (with distinct /j/ glide).
Common Mistakes:
Modern readers often misapply contemporary pronunciation, particularly flattening the rhotic /r/ and using modern -tion pronunciation. Reading aloud in Original Pronunciation reveals sound patterns, puns, and rhymes invisible to modern ears.
The distinction between thy and your (familiar vs. formal second person) is often overlooked. Thy world implies intimacy or condescension; your world maintains social distance.
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Elizabethan World Picture:
The Elizabethan understanding of world was inseparable from the cosmological model inherited from medieval Christianity and classical philosophy. The world occupied a specific position in the Great Chain of Being: beneath the celestial spheres and heavenly realms, above hell and chaos. Humans stood midway between angels and beasts, and the world was their testing ground.
Theatrical Significance:
The motto of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Totus mundus agit histrionem (”All the world plays the actor”), made the world-as-stage metaphor architectural. When Jaques proclaims “All the world’s a stage,” the physical theatre literalized the comparison. Audience members stood within a structure designed to represent cosmic order: the heavens painted above, hell accessible through trapdoors below, and the world of the stage between.
New World Discovery:
The Elizabethan period witnessed revolutionary expansion of world knowledge. The Americas, encountered by Columbus in 1492, were still being explored and colonized. When Miranda exclaims “O brave new world!” in The Tempest, she voices both wonder at human possibility and dramatic irony about colonial encounter. The “new world” designation distinguished American territories from the “old world” of Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Religious Tension:
World carried heavy theological weight. The Pauline injunction against worldliness (devotion to secular pleasures) pervaded Protestant preaching. “The fashion of this world passeth away” echoes 1 Corinthians 7:31, framing world as transient and spiritually dangerous. Yet the Renaissance also celebrated worldly achievement, creating productive tension in how world was valued.
Idiomatic Expressions:
For all the world — exactly, in every respect (”She looked for all the world like her mother”) The world’s mine oyster — limitless opportunity (Merry Wives of Windsor) In the world — intensifier in questions (”What in the world do you mean?”) World without end — eternally (from the doxology “world without end, amen”)
Regional and Class Variations:
London pronunciation, reflected in theatrical practice, was becoming the prestige standard. Provincial accents retained older vowel values. The word world would have sounded more uniform across regions than many words still undergoing the Great Vowel Shift, as its vowel was relatively stable.
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Source: William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII (c. 1599)
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
All (/ɔːl/) all the (/ðə/) the world’s (/wɜːrldz/) world-POSS a (/ə/) a stage (/steɪdʒ/) stage
And (/ænd/) and all (/ɔːl/) all the (/ðə/) the men (/mɛn/) men and (/ænd/) and women (/ˈwɪmɪn/) women merely (/ˈmɪərli/) merely players (/ˈpleɪərz/) players
They (/ðeɪ/) they have (/hæv/) have their (/ðɛər/) their exits (/ˈɛksɪts/) exits and (/ænd/) and their (/ðɛər/) their entrances (/ˈɛntrənsɪz/) entrances
And (/ænd/) and one (/wʊn/) one man (/mæn/) man in (/ɪn/) in his (/hɪz/) his time (/tʌɪm/) time plays (/pleɪz/) plays many (/ˈmɛni/) many parts (/pɑːrts/) parts
His (/hɪz/) his acts (/ækts/) acts being (/ˈbiːɪŋ/) being seven (/ˈsɛvən/) seven ages (/ˈeɪdʒɪz/) ages
At (/æt/) at first (/fɜːrst/) first the (/ðə/) the infant (/ˈɪnfənt/) infant
Mewling (/ˈmjuːlɪŋ/) mewling-PART and (/ænd/) and puking (/ˈpjuːkɪŋ/) puking-PART in (/ɪn/) in the (/ðə/) the nurse’s (/ˈnɜːrsɪz/) nurse-POSS arms (/ɑːrmz/) arms
F-B: Natural Text with Translation
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
“The entire world is a stage, and all men and women are merely actors; they have their departures and arrivals, and one man during his lifetime plays many roles, his life’s acts consisting of seven ages. First comes the infant, crying and vomiting in the nurse’s arms.”
F-C: Original Text Only
All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
This passage exemplifies Shakespeare’s integration of theatrical terminology with philosophical reflection. The speech is delivered by the melancholy Jaques to Duke Senior in the Forest of Arden.
Merely — purely, nothing more than (not the modern sense of “only, just”) Players — actors (theatrical term) Exits and entrances — technical stage directions made metaphorical In his time — during his lifetime Parts — theatrical roles, but punning on “portions” Acts — theatrical divisions and actions, punning on “deeds” Seven ages — referring to the medieval tradition of dividing human life into seven stages Mewling — crying weakly, like a cat (onomatopoeic) Puking — vomiting (the word was not vulgar in Elizabethan usage)
The passage employs iambic pentameter with variations. “All the world’s a stage” scans as trochee-iamb-iamb-iamb, the opening stress emphasizing All.
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The following fifteen examples form a coherent dramatic soliloquy in the Elizabethan manner, exploring world through the lens of a contemplative speaker.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
79.16a What is this world but a passing shadow 79.16b What (/hwɒt/) what is (/ɪz/) is this (/ðɪs/) this world (/wɜːrld/) world but (/bʊt/) but a (/ə/) a passing (/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/) passing shadow (/ˈʃædoʊ/) shadow
79.17a I have walked through this world as a stranger 79.17b I (/ʌɪ/) I have (/hæv/) have walked (/wɔːkt/) walked through (/θruː/) through this (/ðɪs/) this world (/wɜːrld/) world as (/æz/) as a (/ə/) a stranger (/ˈstreɪndʒər/) stranger
79.18a The world hath shown me its fairest face and its foulest 79.18b The (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world hath (/hæθ/) has-3SG shown (/ʃoʊn/) shown me (/miː/) me its (/ɪts/) its fairest (/ˈfɛərəst/) fairest-SUPL face (/feɪs/) face and (/ænd/) and its (/ɪts/) its foulest (/ˈfaʊləst/) foulest-SUPL
79.19a In my youth the world did seem a garden of delights 79.19b In (/ɪn/) in my (/mʌɪ/) my youth (/juːθ/) youth the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world did (/dɪd/) did-PAST seem (/siːm/) seem a (/ə/) a garden (/ˈgɑːrdən/) garden of (/ɒv/) of delights (/dɪˈlʌɪts/) delights
79.20a Now the world appeareth but a wilderness of thorns 79.20b Now (/naʊ/) now the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world appeareth (/əˈpɪərəθ/) appears-3SG but (/bʊt/) only a (/ə/) a wilderness (/ˈwɪldərnəs/) wilderness of (/ɒv/) of thorns (/θɔːrnz/) thorns
79.21a Wherefore should I love a world that loveth not me 79.21b Wherefore (/ˈhwɛərfɔːr/) wherefore should (/ʃʊd/) should I (/ʌɪ/) I love (/lʊv/) love a (/ə/) a world (/wɜːrld/) world that (/ðæt/) that loveth (/ˈlʊvəθ/) loves-3SG not (/nɒt/) not me (/miː/) me
79.22a The world’s affection is a fickle mistress 79.22b The (/ðə/) the world’s (/wɜːrldz/) world-POSS affection (/əˈfɛksɪən/) affection is (/ɪz/) is a (/ə/) a fickle (/ˈfɪkl/) fickle mistress (/ˈmɪstrəs/) mistress
79.23a She doth bestow her favours upon fools and flatterers 79.23b She (/ʃiː/) she doth (/dʊθ/) does-AUX bestow (/bɪˈstoʊ/) bestow her (/hɜːr/) her favours (/ˈfeɪvərz/) favours upon (/əˈpɒn/) upon fools (/fuːlz/) fools and (/ænd/) and flatterers (/ˈflætərərz/) flatterers
79.24a While honest men are left to wander through this cold world without reward 79.24b While (/hwʌɪl/) while honest (/ˈɒnəst/) honest men (/mɛn/) men are (/ɑːr/) are left (/lɛft/) left to (/tuː/) to wander (/ˈwɒndər/) wander through (/θruː/) through this (/ðɪs/) this cold (/koʊld/) cold world (/wɜːrld/) world without (/wɪˈðaʊt/) without reward (/rɪˈwɔːrd/) reward
79.25a Yet the world shall not conquer my spirit 79.25b Yet (/jɛt/) yet the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world shall (/ʃæl/) shall-FUT not (/nɒt/) not conquer (/ˈkɒŋkər/) conquer my (/mʌɪ/) my spirit (/ˈspɪrɪt/) spirit
79.26a I shall stand against the world as a rock against the sea 79.26b I (/ʌɪ/) I shall (/ʃæl/) shall-FUT stand (/stænd/) stand against (/əˈgɛnst/) against the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world as (/æz/) as a (/ə/) a rock (/rɒk/) rock against (/əˈgɛnst/) against the (/ðə/) the sea (/siː/) sea
79.27a Let the world rage and storm I fear it not 79.27b Let (/lɛt/) let-IMP the (/ðə/) the world (/wɜːrld/) world rage (/reɪdʒ/) rage and (/ænd/) and storm (/stɔːrm/) storm I (/ʌɪ/) I fear (/fɪər/) fear it (/ɪt/) it not (/nɒt/) not
79.28a For there is a world beyond this world where justice reigneth 79.28b For (/fɔːr/) for there (/ðɛər/) there is (/ɪz/) is a (/ə/) a world (/wɜːrld/) world beyond (/bɪˈjɒnd/) beyond this (/ðɪs/) this world (/wɜːrld/) world where (/hwɛər/) where justice (/ˈdʒʊstɪs/) justice reigneth (/ˈreɪnəθ/) reigns-3SG
79.29a In that eternal world the humble shall be exalted 79.29b In (/ɪn/) in that (/ðæt/) that eternal (/ɪˈtɜːrnəl/) eternal world (/wɜːrld/) world the (/ðə/) the humble (/ˈhʊmbl/) humble shall (/ʃæl/) shall-FUT be (/biː/) be exalted (/ɪgˈzɔːltɪd/) exalted
79.30a And this poor world shall pass away like morning mist before the sun 79.30b And (/ænd/) and this (/ðɪs/) this poor (/pʊər/) poor world (/wɜːrld/) world shall (/ʃæl/) shall-FUT pass (/pæs/) pass away (/əˈweɪ/) away like (/lʌɪk/) like morning (/ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/) morning mist (/mɪst/) mist before (/bɪˈfɔːr/) before the (/ðə/) the sun (/sʊn/) sun
Part B: Natural Sentences
79.16 What is this world but a passing shadow? “What is this world but a fleeting shadow?”
79.17 I have walked through this world as a stranger. “I have journeyed through this world as an outsider.”
79.18 The world hath shown me its fairest face and its foulest. “The world has revealed to me both its most beautiful and most hideous aspects.”
79.19 In my youth, the world did seem a garden of delights. “In my youth, the world appeared to be a garden of pleasures.”
79.20 Now the world appeareth but a wilderness of thorns. “Now the world seems only a wasteland of thorns.”
79.21 Wherefore should I love a world that loveth not me? “Why should I love a world that does not love me?”
79.22 The world’s affection is a fickle mistress. “The world’s favour is an inconstant lady.”
79.23 She doth bestow her favours upon fools and flatterers. “She gives her blessings to fools and sycophants.”
79.24 While honest men are left to wander through this cold world without reward. “While truthful men are abandoned to roam through this harsh world unrewarded.”
79.25 Yet the world shall not conquer my spirit. “Nevertheless, the world shall not defeat my soul.”
79.26 I shall stand against the world as a rock against the sea. “I shall resist the world as a boulder resists the ocean.”
79.27 Let the world rage and storm; I fear it not. “Let the world rage and tempest; I do not fear it.”
79.28 For there is a world beyond this world where justice reigneth. “For there exists a realm beyond this one where justice rules.”
79.29 In that eternal world, the humble shall be exalted. “In that everlasting realm, the meek shall be raised up.”
79.30 And this poor world shall pass away like morning mist before the sun. “And this wretched world shall vanish like dawn fog before the rising sun.”
Part C: Elizabethan Text Only
79.16 What is this world but a passing shadow?
79.17 I have walked through this world as a stranger.
79.18 The world hath shown me its fairest face and its foulest.
79.19 In my youth, the world did seem a garden of delights.
79.20 Now the world appeareth but a wilderness of thorns.
79.21 Wherefore should I love a world that loveth not me?
79.22 The world’s affection is a fickle mistress.
79.23 She doth bestow her favours upon fools and flatterers.
79.24 While honest men are left to wander through this cold world without reward.
79.25 Yet the world shall not conquer my spirit.
79.26 I shall stand against the world as a rock against the sea.
79.27 Let the world rage and storm; I fear it not.
79.28 For there is a world beyond this world where justice reigneth.
79.29 In that eternal world, the humble shall be exalted.
79.30 And this poor world shall pass away like morning mist before the sun.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This soliloquy demonstrates key features of Elizabethan dramatic verse:
Auxiliary doth/did for emphasis: “She doth bestow” and “the world did seem” employ do-support for emphatic or metrical purposes, not interrogative or negative functions as in Modern English.
Third person -eth endings: Loveth, appeareth, reigneth represent the formal, archaic third person singular present. By 1600, -s forms predominated in speech, but -eth persisted in elevated discourse.
Rhetorical questions: “What is this world but...” and “Wherefore should I love...” employ interrogative forms for meditative effect, not information-seeking.
Imperative let: “Let the world rage” forms a third-person imperative, permitting rather than commanding.
World as personified: The soliloquy personifies world as female (”She doth bestow”), following the convention of abstract nouns as feminine.
Antithesis structure: The soliloquy balances youth/age, garden/wilderness, fairest/foulest, humble/exalted, creating dialectical movement characteristic of Renaissance rhetoric.
Eschatological contrast: “This world” versus “that eternal world” reflects Protestant theology’s distinction between temporal and eternal realms.
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Key Original Pronunciation Features:
The -tion Suffix: Pronounced /sɪən/ in Early Modern English, not Modern /ʃən/. Thus: -
contemplation — /ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪsɪən/ -
affection — /əˈfɛksɪən/ -
fashion — /ˈfæʃɪən/ (note: -sion retained /ʃ/)
Rhotic /r/: Sounded in all positions. Modern non-rhotic accents drop post-vocalic /r/, but Elizabethans pronounced: -
world — /wɜːrld/ (not modern RP /wɜːld/) -
stranger — /ˈstreɪndʒər/ -
reward — /rɪˈwɔːrd/
The Great Vowel Shift (Mid-Progress): -
Long i (spelled i, y) — /ʌɪ/ (more open than modern /aɪ/) -
Long a (spelled a-e, ai) — /eɪ/ (similar to modern) -
Long o (spelled o-e, oa) — /oʊ/ (similar to modern)
Wh- Words: The cluster wh- was pronounced /hw/, distinguishing which /hwɪtʃ/ from witch /wɪtʃ/: -
what — /hwɒt/ -
where — /hwɛər/ -
wherefore — /ˈhwɛərfɔːr/ -
while — /hwʌɪl/
Common Pronunciation Errors for Modern Speakers: -
Dropping the /r/ in post-vocalic positions -
Using modern -tion pronunciation /ʃən/ -
Pronouncing wh- as /w/ instead of /hw/ -
Applying modern vowel values to words still mid-shift
Audio Resources: David Crystal and Ben Crystal’s recordings of Shakespeare in Original Pronunciation provide authoritative models. The Shakespeare’s Globe OP productions (2004–2005) are documented online.
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This lesson forms part of the Elizabethan English Historical Language Course, produced using the Latinum Institute methodology for autodidact learners. The Latinum Institute has been creating materials for independent language learners since 2006.
Course Philosophy:
The construed text approach enables learners to absorb Elizabethan grammar and vocabulary through exposure to authentic patterns rather than abstract rule memorization. By providing word-by-word glosses with pronunciation guidance, each sentence becomes immediately accessible while building intuitive understanding of period syntax.
Elizabethan English and Original Pronunciation:
This course incorporates David Crystal’s scholarship on Shakespeare’s Original Pronunciation (OP), allowing learners to encounter Early Modern English as it sounded to its original speakers. Understanding period pronunciation illuminates puns, rhymes, and sound patterns invisible to modern readers.
Why Study Elizabethan English?
Elizabethan English stands at the fountainhead of modern literature. Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser, Sidney, and the King James Bible translators created works that continue to shape English expression. Reading these texts with period awareness reveals layers of meaning obscured by four centuries of linguistic change.
Links:
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Latinum Institute Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Benefits of Construed Text:
The interlinear format accelerates comprehension by eliminating dictionary dependency. Learners can read directly, acquiring vocabulary and grammar through contextual encounter. This method, derived from Renaissance humanist pedagogy, has proven effective across centuries of classical language instruction.
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✓ Lesson 079 Elizabethan English complete
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