Decoding Shakespearean Language: Vocabulary and Puns

Active learning works because Shakespeare’s language was meant to be performed, not just read. Students need to hear the rhythm and feel the wordplay to truly grasp his meaning. When they move, discuss, and translate together, the language becomes alive and memorable.

• Year 7
• English
• 3 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the function of specific puns and wordplay in Shakespearean comedies and tragedies.
2. Identify context clues within Shakespearean passages to infer the meaning of unfamiliar or archaic vocabulary.
3. Translate selected Early Modern English phrases into modern English equivalents, explaining the shifts in meaning.
4. Explain the impact of vocabulary and wordplay on characterization and plot development in Shakespeare's plays.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Rhythm Hunt

Students use percussion instruments (or just their hands) to tap out the 'da-DUM da-DUM' rhythm of iambic pentameter in a set of lines. They must identify which lines 'break' the rhythm and discuss why the character might be upset.

Prepare & details

Explain why Shakespeare used puns and wordplay in both his comedies and tragedies.

Facilitation Tip: During The Rhythm Hunt, have students physically tap the syllables on their desks to internalize the heartbeat rhythm before analyzing lines.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Pun Puzzle

Pairs are given a list of Shakespearean puns. They must work together to explain the 'double meaning' and then try to create a modern equivalent for a contemporary audience.

Prepare & details

Analyze how we can use context clues to understand words that have changed meaning over time.

Facilitation Tip: In The Pun Puzzle, pause after each pair shares to ask, 'How did the pun change the mood or reveal the character’s personality?'

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Stations Rotation

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Translation Stations

Set up stations with short, famous quotes. At each station, students must use a 'Shakespearean Dictionary' to translate the quote into modern slang or formal English, then explain the main idea to the next group.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between common Elizabethan phrases and modern English equivalents.

Facilitation Tip: Set a strict 3-minute timer at each Translation Station to push students to prioritize meaning over perfect accuracy.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teach rhythm by connecting it to music students know, like hip-hop or pop songs with a strong beat. Avoid over-explaining puns—instead, model curiosity by asking, 'Why would Shakespeare choose these words?' Research shows students learn language best when they connect it to their own experiences, so link Early Modern English to modern slang or idioms they use daily.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently identifying iambic pentameter in lines, explaining puns with evidence, and translating passages without relying on word-for-word dictionaries. They should discuss how word choice reflects character emotion or social status.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During The Rhythm Hunt, watch for students who assume Shakespeare wrote in 'Old English'.

What to Teach Instead

Direct them to compare a line from Beowulf with a line from Shakespeare side by side. Ask, 'Which words do you recognize? How are the sentences structured?' Use this to highlight that Early Modern English is closer to today’s English than Old English.

Common Misconception

During The Pun Puzzle, watch for students who dismiss puns as outdated jokes.

What to Teach Instead

Provide a modern example of a pun (e.g., 'I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.') and ask, 'Why is this funny? How is it similar to Shakespeare’s wordplay?' Have them find a pun in a song lyric to connect the concept to their lives.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After The Rhythm Hunt, give students a short passage with mixed meter and ask them to mark the stressed and unstressed syllables, then explain how the rhythm reflects the character’s emotion or status.

Discussion Prompt

During The Pun Puzzle, facilitate a class discussion where students share their favorite puns from the activity and explain why the wordplay works. Ask, 'How does a pun change the tone of a serious scene?'

Exit Ticket

After Translation Stations, give each student an Elizabethan phrase and ask them to write the modern equivalent and one sentence explaining the difference in tone or usage.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to rewrite a Shakespearean pun in modern slang and perform it for the class.
• Scaffolding: Provide a word bank with modern equivalents for key Early Modern English terms during Translation Stations.
• Deeper: Have students research how one Shakespearean pun has evolved over time and present their findings in a short video.

Key Vocabulary

Archaic Vocabulary	Words or phrases that were once common but are now rarely used in modern English, such as 'hark' or 'alas'.
Wordplay	The clever and often humorous use of words, including puns, that have multiple meanings or sound similar.
Pun	A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.
Context Clues	Hints found within a sentence or paragraph that help a reader understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word or phrase.
Early Modern English	The form of the English language used between approximately 1500 and 1800, characterized by changes in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar from Middle English.