How to Write like Shakespeare
By Fox-Trot-9
Have you ever struggled with how to use old pronouns? You know, those Shakespearean / Elizabethan pronouns, like THOU, THEE, THINE, THY, THYSELF, and YE? Time and again, I have seen many a writer butcher the use of these pronouns, and it makes me face-palm myself. For the interests of clarity, I will concentrate on the basics. (Don't worry! I'll use examples to illustrate what I mean.)
* * *
First, THOU, THEE, THINE, THY / THINE, and THYSELF are all 2nd-person singular pronouns, usually used in the informal or intimate sense. As in, between close friends, lovers, family members in informal or intimate occasions. Verbs have -st / -est / -lt / -rt at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) thou hast (you have), thou goest (you go), thou doest / thou dost (you do), thou beest (you be), thou art (you are), thou wilt do (you will do), thou shalt do (you shall do), thou must do (you must do), thou mightest do / thou might'st do (you might do), thou bringest / thou bring'st (you bring), thou broughtest / thou brought'st (you brought), thou walkest / thou walk'st (you walk), thou walked'st thyself (you walked yourself).
Second, YOU, YOU, YOURS, YOUR, and YOURSELF are all 2nd-person singular pronouns, usually used in the formal or polite sense. As in, between first-time acquaintances, strangers, business partners in the formal, public or polite occasions. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) you have, you go, you do, you be, you are, you will, you shall, you must, you might, you bring, you brought, you walk, you walked yourself.
Third, YE and YOURSELVES are 2nd-person plural pronoun, usually used in the formal or polite sense in formal occasions. As in, a speaker addressing a crowd (small or big, it doesn't matter). There is an exception, though, in which YE can also be a 2nd-person singular pronoun, used in the informal or intimate sense. As in, between two lovers or very close friends. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) ye have, ye go, ye do, ye be, ye are, ye will, ye shall, ye must, ye might, ye bring, ye brought, ye walk, ye walked yourselves.
Fourth, I, ME, MINE, MY / MINE, and MYSELF are all 1st-person singular pronouns, used in formal or informal occasions. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) I have, I go, I do, I be, I am, I will, I shall, I must, I might, I bring, I brought, I walk, I walked myself.
Fifth, WE, US, OUR, OURS and OURSELVES are all 1st-person plural pronouns, used in formal or informal occasions. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) we have, we go, we do, we be, we are, we will, we shall, we must, we might, we bring, we brought, we walk, we walked ourselves.
Sixth, HE / SHE / IT, HIM / HER / IT, HIS / HER / ITS, HIS / HERS / ITS, and HIMSELF / HERSELF / ITSELF are all 3rd-person singular pronouns, used in formal and informal occasions. Verbs have -eth / -th at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense.
ex) he hath (he has), she goeth (she goes), it doeth / doth (it does), he is, she is, it will (it will), he shall, it must, he mighteth / he might (he might), she bringeth / she brings (she brings), it broughteth (it brought), he walketh (he walks), she walked'th herself / she walked herself (she walked herself).
Seventh, THEY, THEM, THEIR, and THEIRS, and THEMSELVES are all 3rd-person plural pronouns, used in formal and informal occasions. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense. Verbs have none of the above at the end for past tense, present tense and future tense (or at least I don't think so).
ex) they have, they go, they do, they be, they are, they will, they shall, they must, they might, they bring, they brought, they walk, they walked themselves.
You will observe that I set up a pattern here in the arrangement of the old 2nd-person pronouns with the contemporary 2nd-person pronouns and the 1st-person pronouns, as well as give examples. This is deliberate! I want you to notice this pattern, so let's break it down. (Don't worry! I'll use examples to illustrate further what I mean.)
* * *
In the first set:
(1) THOU is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject).
ex) Thou art small / Thou'rt small. Thou hast stollen it / thou'st stollen it.
(2) THEE is an objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) I love thee. Thou hast taken thee away to another place.
(3) THINE is a possessive (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) This work is thine. These are not thine. Thine are ugly.
(4a) THY is a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence when the word after THY begins with a consonant sound.
ex) He took thy virginity! Thy love is great.
(4b) THINE is also a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence when the word after THINE begins with a vowel sound.
ex) Thine art is awesome. I'm thinking of thine artistic genius!
(5) THYSELF is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) Thou shook'st the jars thyself. Shouldst thou hate thyself?
* * *
In the second set:
(1, 2) YOU is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject) and an objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) You are an idiot! I have you now! Fuck you!
(3) YOURS is a possessive (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) This is yours. Yours is nuts!
(4) YOUR is a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) Your car is at the impound. Your pencil is broken. I can't believe your impudence!
(5) YOURSELF is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) Go fuck yourself! You'll take yourself to hell and back!
* * *
In the third set:
(1) YE is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject) and an objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) Ye men are swarthy folks! I do respect ye.
(2) YOURSELVES is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) Go fuck yourselves! Buy yourselves some ice cream.
* * *
In the fourth set:
(1) I is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject).
ex) I am a genius. I ripped off that person.
(2) ME is a objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) Take me with you! I will shoot you.
(3) MINE is a possessive (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) This toy is mine! Mine is bigger than yours!
(4a) MY is a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence when the word after MY begins with a consonant sound.
ex) My love life is boring. I hate my life!
(4b) MINE is also a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence when the word after MINE begins with a vowel sound.
ex) Mine art is awesome. I'm thinking of Mine artistic genius!
(5) MYSELF is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) I shot myself in the foot. I need a break myself.
* * *
In the fifth set:
(1) WE is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject).
ex) We are the champions! We hate math.
(2) US is an objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) Who screwed us over? He is messing with us.
(3) OURS is a possessive (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) Ours is a brooding century. This is ours.
(4) OUR is a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) Our love is greater. What is our plan?
(5) OURSELVES is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) We screwed ourselves over. We need to get ourselves out of here!
* * *
In the sixth set:
(1) HE / SHE / IT are nominatives used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject).
ex) He took it. She shook it. It exploded.
(2) HIM / HER / IT are objectives used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) I shot him. You shot her. We all shot it to smithereens!
(3) HIS / HERS / ITS are possessives (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) This is his motorcycle. Hers can't keep up. This is its job.
(4) HIS / HER / ITS are genitives (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) His bike broke. Her bike still works. It borrowed its wrench.
(5) HIMSELF / HERSELF / ITSELF are reflexives used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) He hung himself. She did it herself. That dog is all by itself.
* * *
In the seventh set:
(1) THEY is a nominative used in the subject of the sentence (usually as the subject).
ex) They are not human. They are clowns.
(2) THEM is an objective used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object).
ex) Shoot them! He took them out.
(3) THEIRS is a possessive (expressing possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) Theirs is a small house by the sea. I hate theirs! Theirs sucks!
(4) THEIR is a genitive (indicating possession of an object) used in the subject or predicate of the sentence.
ex) I took their money. They took their time. Their dog is ugly.
(5) THEMSELVES is a reflexive used in the predicate of the sentence (usually as the object) and an intensive used for emphasizing the subject.
ex) They sat by themselves. They helped themselves to ice cream.
* * *
Whew! That's all lot of typing and going back and forth between sets! I need to rest my eyes a bit . . .
Now that that's settled (hopefully), look at this poem, "Prayer," by Ella Wheeler Wilcox:
Lean on THYSELF until THY STRENGTH is tried;
Then ask God's help; IT WILL not be denied.
Use THINE OWN sight to see the way to go;
When darkness falls ask God the path to show.
Think for THYSELF and reason out THY PLAN;
GOD HAS His work and THOU HAST THINE.
Exert THY WILL and use for self-control;
GOD GAVE THEE jurisdiction of THY SOUL.
All THINE IMMORTAL powers bring into play;
Think, act, strive, reason, and look up and ray.
Now look at this sonnet, "Sonnet 123," by William Shakespeare:
No, Time, THOU SHALT not boast that I DO change:
THY PYRAMIDS built up with newer might
To ME are nothing novel, nothing strange;
THEY ARE but dressings of a former sight.
OUR DATES are brief, and therefore WE ADMIRE
What THOU DOST foist upon US that is old;
And rather make THEM born to OUR DESIRE
Than think that WE before HAVE heard THEM told.
THY REGISTERS and THEE I both DEFY,
Not wondering at the present nor the past,
For THY RECORDS and WHAT WE SEE DOTH lie,
Made more or less by THY CONTINUAL haste.
THIS I DO vow and THIS SHALL ever be;
I WILL be true despite THY SCYTHE and THEE.
Now look at this sonnet, "Sonnet 30," by William Shakespeare:
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I SUMMON up remembrance of things past,
I SIGH the lack of many a thing I SOUGHT,
And with old woes new WAIL MY DEAR time's waste:
Then CAN I DROWN an eye, unused to flow,
For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,
And WEEP afresh love's long since cancelled woe,
And MOAN the expense of many a vanished sight:
Then CAN I GRIEVE at grievances foregone,
And heavily from woe to woe TELL o'er
The sad account of fore-bemoanèd moan,
Which I NEW PAY as if not paid before.
But if the while I THINK on THEE, dear friend,
All LOSSES ARE restored and SORROWS END.
Now look at this excerpt from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe:
Then this ebony bird beguiling MY SAD fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance IT WORE,
"Though THY CREST be shorn and shaven, THOU," I SAID, "ART sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shoreâ
TELL ME what THY LORDLY name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
QUOTH THE RAVEN, "Nevermore."
Pay attention to the uppercase words, and see where the examples listed above are used. It's all a matter of getting familiar with it, if you're still having a hard time . . . I know I did when I first tackled this years ago. I've had to read Shakespeare's Sonnets twice over, as well as John Milton's Paradise Lost and several of the Romantic and Renaissance poets' works to let these things sink into my head.
Which brings me to the last three pointers in this article. First, if you want to be familiar with using these old pronouns, read the old stuff! In the end, reading is the bridge to understanding and eventually writing like the old writers in the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romantic, Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian eras, or whatever other eras you're interested in. Read and practice writing. That's the name of the game. Well . . . part of it.
Second (and this comes from a cogent observation from MatthewRWyatt), make sure to keep the proper context when using these pronouns. What I mean by context is that you must keep it reasonable within the bounds of the subject of your poem, and must have a good reason for using it. Don't use antiquated pronouns in your poem if you're only intending to make it sound old or classy; more often than not, it might sound ridiculous if the context of the poem doesn't match the antiquated language.
Lastly, remember that these observations on old pronouns are only the tip of the iceberg, when it comes to Early Modern English. In using these pronouns, our goal is not to duplicate the language of times past in our poems, but to only give a flavor of nostalgia to our modern poetic interpretations. Imitation need not be slavish, only grammatically understandable. Less is more, in this case.
(The End...)
A/N: I hope this article untangles at least some of the difficulties of using archaic pronouns in your poetry... It's tough at first, believe me, but you'll get the hang of it when you stick to it long enough... Anyway, was this article helpful or insightful? What do you think?