Why Shakespeare loved iambic pentameter - David T. Freeman and Gregory Taylor
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TEDEd Animation
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Shakespeare sometimes gets a bad rap in high schools for his complex plots and antiquated language. But a quick peek into the rhythm of his words reveals a poet deeply rooted in the way people spoke in his time — and still speak today. Why do Shakespeare’s words have such staying power? David T. Freeman and Gregory Taylor uncover the power of iambic pentameter.
Try to have a conversation with a partner exclusively in iambic pentameter. You can write a dialogue with each other, alternating lines. Or you can speak back and forth, keeping track of syllables on your fingers. Count your syllables and stresses carefully! Remember that you can’t change the normal stress on a word just to fit the meter. (For instance, you must say com-PU-ter and not COM-pu-ter). See how long you can go in perfect pentameter. It’s harder than it looks!
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Meet The Creators
- Educator David T. Freeman, Gregory Taylor
- Director Brad Purnell
- Sound Designer Ross Allchurch
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Narrator Dan Simpson
