Shakespeare’s proverbial expressions of adversity: A significant communication style

Arnest Kharmawlong (), V.M. Berlin Grace (), Abisha A. P (), Shiny Karunya T () and D. David Wilson ()

International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 2025, vol. 14, issue 2, 72-85

Abstract: The theme of adversity is communicated with many proverbial expressions in Shakespeare’s plays, which contain rich linguistic features and significance that form a noteworthy communication style of Shakespeare. This study explores and analyzes the proverbial expressions of adversity and examines their significance to the plays’ characters, to the communication style and their relevance to the socio-cultural contexts of the time. The study uses descriptive analysis of the select proverbial expressions of adversity in three plays of Shakespeare – As You Like It, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet, through the framework of stylistics theory, investigating the communication patterns, the stylistics, and significance. The proverbial expressions of adversity in the plays are carefully chosen and crafted by Shakespeare with a distinguished communication style in diction, syntax, semantics, and rhetoric, which are helpful for the development and transformation of characters in thought and emotion and showcase the stylistic expertise of Shakespeare. The proverbs are a part of the communication style that adds aesthetics of expression in language that can change perception about adversity, to learn lessons of the realities of life, just like the characters in the plays.

Keywords: Adversity; Communication style; Proverbial expression; Shakespeare; Socio-cultural; Stylistics. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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