Rosaline style of talking is rather sharp. She is quick-witted, so her responses are pretty fast. She might be called a bit shrewish because of the way she talks, but i believe it shows her intelligence and unwillingness to be cowed. I'd also say she's somewhat sarcastic, as well as mocking (her comments are barbed, too). Here's a couple of examples of her style of talking:
"Pray you, do my commendations; I would be glad to see it."
"Is the fool sick?"
"Alack, let it blood."
"The hour that fools should ask."
Princess
The Princess seems to be humble. When Boyet compliments her beauty, she dismisses it as just talk. She also basically says beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not in words. She's also intelligent, quite capable of matching wits with Ferdinand or anyone else. She can also be rather political in her responses, criticizing one minute and apologizing the next. Here's some examples of her language style:
"Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise,
Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance.
I hear your grace hath sworn out house-keeping:
Tis deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord,
And sin to break it.
But pardon me. I am too sudden-bold:
To teach a teacher ill beseemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And suddenly resolve me in my suit."
Boyet
Boyet is the consummate courtier, always flattering. I think he's a bit of a suck-up. A prime example of this is the way he talks to the Princess. I also have to say he's kind of witty (comparing lips to pasture,sheep, etc.) and a bit love obsessed, particularly when he says all that stuff about Ferdinand (the King) looking at the Princess. Here's an example of his style and the main reason i think he's a suck-up:
"And wherefore not ships?
"No sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on on your lips."
"So you grant pasture for me."
"Be now as prodigal of all dear grace
As Nature was in making graces dear
When she did starve the general world beside
And prodigally gave them all to you."
Costard
Costard's style is somewhat humorous and argumentative. He's also rather witty, as seen when he argues that he hasn't broken the oath about not speaking or going near a woman by arguing about the wording of it. Basically, he's the comedic relief. Here's an example:
"I do confess much of the hearing it but little of
the marking of it."
"I was taken with none, sir: I was taken with a damsel."
"This was no damsel, neither, sir; she was a virgin."
"If it were, I deny her virginity: I was taken with a maid."
Ferdinand (King)
Ferdinand's language style is somewhat arrogant at times, as well as being kingly. He is usually polite, though. Like all the characters in this play, he's also witty. He also speaks grandly, like a lot of other characters but then again, this is a Shakespearian play. Here are some examples:
"Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live register'd upon our brazen tombs
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavor of this present breath may buy
That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge
And make us heirs of all eternity."
Biron
His style of talking is humorous and merry, as well as witty and joking. He's incapable of having a straight-forward conversation, too obsessed with witty language. Here's an example:
"This wimpled, whining, purblind, wayward boy;
This senior-junior, giant-dwarf, Dan Cupid;
Regent of love-rhymes, lord of folded arms,
The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malcontents,
Dread prince of plackets, king of codpieces,
Sole imperator and great general
Of trotting 'paritors."
Vocabulary
Prodigally- wastefully or recklessly extravagant.
Votaries- ardent devotee of some aim or pursuit.
Hobby-horse- 1. a stick with a horse's head, or a rocking horse, ridden by children.
2. a figure of a horse, attached at the waist of a performer in a morris dance, pantomime, etc.
Welkin- the sky; the vault of heaven; the sky, heavens, or upper air.
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