Файл: Шекспиризмы вчера и сегодня (The Notion and Classification of English Idioms).pdf

Jewelled with moisture, it now had pride of place in my fridge. (Cooper, Fiona, I believe in angels, 1993)

Glancing at the table, she saw that the girl had done everything just as she had shown her…the big brown teapot had pride of place in the centre of the table, with the pretty rose-patterned milk jug and sugar bowl beside it. (Cox, J. London, Don't cry alone, 1992)

There are also some idioms which nowadays are used mainly in their figurative meaning. Thus, to be hoist with one's own petard ("Hamlet") literally means ‘to be blown up with his own mine’. More generally, a "petard" is a hat-shaped device which can be charged with gunpowder. In modern English it is used in its figurative meaning which is to be harmed or disadvantaged by an action of one's own which was meant to harm someone else.

  As elsewhere, a too zealous objector is hoist by his own petard. (Honderich, Ted, Mind and brain, 1990)

Then we're hoist with our own petard.(Goddard, Robert, Hand in glove, 1993)

It's nice to find the Church hoisted by its own petard for once.( Greenwood, D M., Unholy ghosts, 1991)

The phrase a pound of flesh ("Merchant of Venice") has entered the lexicon as slang for ‘a particularly onerous or unpleasant obligation, a harsh demand or spiteful penalty—the consequences of defaulting on a desperate bargain’. However, in the play "Merchant of Venice" Shylock demands a literal pound of flesh as security when the merchant Antonio comes to borrow money for a friend.

When nightly he begs his rightful pound of flesh from Antonio (James Reese, The Dracula Dossier, 2008)

That: a pound of flesh, as a scripted by the bard (James Reese, The Dracula Dossier, 2008)

Another idiom from "Merchant of Venice" with bated breath is also used by Shylock when he asks whether, after the treatment he's received, he should now servilely bow, whisper like a "bondman" (slave), and put himself at Antonio's disposal. He mocks the idea that he ought to respond "with bated breath"—a much misunderstood phrase. "To bate," like "to abate," means to diminish, reduce, or blunt. "With bated breath," therefore, means "in a hushed voice," with reduced "breath" (force of speech). We have adopted the phrase to mean, most often, "with one's breath held."

Then, there was nothing else to be done except get back to work in the cutting room at Paramount where he was working around the clock on The Two Jakes , for which the world of movie entertainment was waiting with bated breath; because even though all of the above makes fascinating reading for everyone intrigued by Hollywood's pop royalty, especially one so colourful and mercurial as Nicholson, it is the mere trivia, the overcoat of gloss and glitz, that hides the real Jack Nicholson…( Parker, John, The joker's wild: biography of Jack Nicholson, 1991)

The adults, in the way that grown-ups have, forgot that my ears were listening and talked with bated breath of the murder that had taken place on those very sands earlier that year. (Maidment, Arthur, I remember, I remember, 1990)

From July onwards the town of Whaddon had waited with bated breath.(Gist, M., Life at the tip, 1993)

For a few moments she imagined the scene as dark-suited managers with grim faces waited with bated breath for the one man who could step in and save the company…(Rees, Eleanor, Hunter's harem, 1992)

Seamy side ("Othello") were used by Shakespeare figuratively in Othello: "Thatturn'dyourwittheseamysidewithout."This term refers to the wrong side of a garmen,revealing the stitched seams. The sordid or base aspect of something.

She was a tough girl with an abrasive manner, and seemed very knowledgeable about the seamy side of life. (Murphy, E., A nest of singing birds, 1993)

‘I don't share your desire to skirt the seamy side of life.’ (Neil, Joanna, The waters of Eden, 1993)

The idiom lay it on with the trowel ("As You Like it") was known before Shakespeare, but its metaphorical and proverbial forms are his contribution to the language. The protagonist young lady Celia uses the figure to describe language that is plastered on, not with workmanlike care, but with unsubtle force. While Celia refers to Touchstone's crude linguistic workmanship, modern use of the phrase is slightly different. Le Beau's sort of "polite" language, a little too elegant and weighty for the situation, is the usual object of the phrase "laid on with a trowel"—eagerly flattering speech.

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I really laid your crimes on with a trowel.’(Howard, Stephanie, Battle for love, 1991)

A lot of shakespearisms have broadened their connotation and as a result can be used in different contexts with a slightly different meaning. For example, trifles light as air ("Othello") means ‘silly trifles’. Shakespeare wrote it about jealousy: "Trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ." A trifle light as air presupposes something totally innocent which to the jealous man looking for the worse in everything seems to be something dangerous and treacherous. These trifles become the confirmation of his jealous thoughts, and they are as strong as holy writ (scriptures), which in those days, was a strong comparison, as the word of the bible was as much law, as the law of the land. Nowadays, we can come across this idiom in different contexts.

All these things, and other trifles light as air, took their place in the murder investigation that was to begin at Burleigh School on Thursday night. (Barnard, Robert, Little victims, 1993)

An interesting example of a broad connotation of shakespearisms is good men and true ("Much Ado About Nothing"). It means dependable men, of rank and honour. The phrase was adapted later to 'twelve good men and true', indicating the twelve (originally all men, now both sexes) of a criminal jury.

You will be amazed to know that these six good men and true found me guilty, although without the uproar that the producers had rather hoped for.(Fowler, Norman, Ministers decide, 1991)

She was not going to say or do anything that would make John Major's task more difficult: the Cabinet, here she indicated them with a sinuous wave of her hand, was the most brilliant since Herbert Asquith's and, as for Central Office, and she looked directly at Sir Charles, who was mopping his brow, they were good men and true who strove mightily in the interests of the Party, and for precious little reward. (Critchley, Julian, The floating voter, 1993)

But just as important as the token of gift was the witnessing of a transaction by good men and true. (M K. Harlow, Cnut. Lawson, 1993)

The phrase more sinned against than sinning ("King Lear") belongs to King Lear and is related to ungrateful children. In examples from modern literature the idiom can be used not just relating to ungrateful children, but to a person, who, thoughhemaybeguiltyofwrongdoing,thinkshimselfthevictimof amoreseriouswrong.

And the story finished up: perhaps he was "more sinned against than sinning".

"More sinned against than sinning", she said, looking at him again in concentration and puzzlement.

To be more sinned against than sinning. He suggested when she told him.

Is year minister more sinned against than sinning? (B. Hambly, Those Who Hunt the Night, 1993)

The idiom salad days ("Antonius and Cleopatra")originally referred to a youthful time, accompanied by inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion that one associates with a young person. Nowadays it can be also found in the context about a person who is at the peak of his or her abilities—not necessarily in that person's youth.

Oh I'm there, I'm there in Salad Days, or outside Hank's Hardware World, or on the patch of grass by the white town hall, with my chest thrust out and hands on hips and a kind of silent ho-ho-ho.(Amis, Martin,Time's arrow, 1991)

Nevertheless, even in my green and salad days (Master Shakespeare has asked to borrow this phrase), Hampton Court was a diamond of a residence.(Clynes, Michael, The poisoned chalice, 1993)

And when he and Hugh Paddick joined together for their Julian and Sandy routine — bravely supposedly using the names, and names only, of Julian Slade and Sandy Wilson (writers of The Boy Friend and Salad Days)— Williams and Paddick were giving new meaning to that word ‘gay’, especially when they talked about the figure-hugging black number they had bought in Carnaby Street.(Freeland, Michael, Kenneth Williams: a biography, 1990)

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The idiom to be all and end all was coined by William Shakespeare in"Macbeth". He gives these lines to Macbeth, when he is contemplating assassinating King Duncan of Scotland and taking the throne to himself. In modern literature it can be found in several meanings which are close to each other: the whole thing; the last word; something that so entirely suitable as to eliminate the need for a search for an alternative. In everyday speech we now use this expression less so than in the past, but it has not become archaic yet. Examples from literature prove it.

But look at it... her be all and end all... we can't do this to her. (Katheleen Eagle, Mystic Horseman, 2008)

But it's his final wishes that are the be all and end all of this case... (Iris Johansen, Stalemate, 2006)

It is not the be all and end all. (Alexandra Ripley, Scarlett, 1991)

The phrase fancy free ("Midsummer Night's Dream") was used in the play in the meaning "not in love". Nowadays it can be also found in the meaning " Having no commitments or restrictions; carefree".

Not that I had a single iota of a plan for what to do with my fancy free, beyond the couple of add-on summer school courses the district administration had agreed to, at my request.(Bradford Morrow, The Diviner's Tale, 2011)

Nor his anxiety that Woodrow, being too foot loose and fancy free, might light out for the bottom and never put a vote in a ballot box. (The best laid plans.(Short Story) The Mississippi Quarterly, 2001)

The idiom out of house and home ("King Henry IV"), which means ‘in a manner that deprives one of dwelling or some aspect thereof’, refers to the Shakespearian phrasehe hath eaten me out of house and home. Nowadays it is used not only with the verb eat, however this connotation is the most popular as it was in Shakespearian times. The formula "out of house and home" itself dates from about the thirteenth century. It has never been clear whether "home" is being distinguished from "house" or whether the phrase is just a piece of poetry. It implied that somebody consumed not only provisions, but furthermore domestic comfort.

And finally, only a year or so later, turned them out of house and home — put them on the street, as women who failed to be properly grateful to the fathers had been put for centuries.(Maitland, Sara, Three times table, 1990)

In those times, a poet could descend on you with all his retinue and eat you out of house and home. (Kerridge, Roy, Jaunting through Ireland, 1991)

Then in a matter of days, or even one day, are they not up and about again eating us out of house and home?(Hammond, Christopher, How to use homeopathy, 1991)

‘You must eat your wife out of house and home,’ commented Duncan.(Shah, Eddy, Ring of red roses, 1992)

Matey was bustling about, doing some of the chores which McAllister had neglected while drinking coffee with him, and on opening the biscuit tin she complained bitterly that Dr Neil would eat them out of house and home if he continued to run through biscuits at his present rate — a judgment which amused McAllister, but also made her feel vaguely guilty.(Marshall, Paula, An American princess, 1993)

There are also examples of shakespearisms which retained their meaning. For instance, the idiom midsummer madness ("Twelfth Night") means foolishorextravagant behavior which is supposedtooccurduringthesummer. This meaning coincides with the meaning of this phrase in the play.

Put it down to…to ‘midsummer madness’, or your damned moonlit ghosts!’

‘Midsummer madness’,’ he quoted softly, his gaze on her averted profile. (Ash, Rosalie, Calypso's Island, 1993)

The following shakespearisms also preserve their meaning. Whirligig of time ("Twelfth Night") is used in a sense close to reverses of fortune or vicissitudes of life.

Thus the whirligig of time, etcetera, etcetera.’(Goddard, Robert, Into the blue, 1990)

The idiom neither rhyme nor reason ("Comedy of errors") means without logic, order, or planning.

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‘There's neither rhyme nor reason to Moodie's suicide.’ (Clynes, Michael, The white rose murder, 1992)

The phrase the beginning of the end("Midsummer Night's Dream") which is widely used in modern language in its literal meaning.

That was the beginning of the end for me. (Blake M. Hausman, Riding the Trail of Tears, 2011)

It was the beginning of the end. Why the hell ever go back? (Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, Kiss Her Goodbye, 2011)

Jude would oversee the beginning of the end for the one who had recently been brought to his attention. (Stella Cameron, Out of Body (Court of Angels), 2010)

"The beginning of the end of me!"she had since joked. (Maggie Leffler, The Goodbye Cousins, 2009)

That had been the beginning of the end of their marriage. (Judy Duarte, Mulberry Park Paperback, 2008)

Thus, fromvarious examples above we can see that a lot of modern writers make use of shakespearisms in their works. Analyzing the material from this chapter it should be mentioned that shakespearisms are used in modern literature both in their original form and meaning and with changes which make them more comprehensible for readers.

It should be stressed that literature contains more examples of using shakespearisms than newspapers and magazines. However, as it was demonstrated above Shakespearian idioms are used widely in the modern English language in various contexts and fields. Very often people do not identify them with Shakespeare, because some of these idioms are so common and widespread in the language that people forget their origin and perceive them as sayings or set phrases.

CONCLUSION

Nobody either before or after W. Shakespeare has made such a great contribution into the enrichment of the English phraseology. Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the history of the English-speaking world, and many of his quotations and neologisms have passed into everyday usage in English and other languages.

Shakespearisms are remarkable for their conciseness, figurativeness, richness and expressiveness. His striking, accurate phrases were comprehensible for people and came into use at once. Besides idioms Shakespeare introduced and popularized a number of phrases dating back to ancient authors or sayings which were rare in use before. As shakespearisms grew in popularity and steadiness they became idioms, gradually gatherednew words, broadened their combinability and syntactical functions, got new variants which became a norm with time. In addition new shades of meaning and new stylistic nuancesappeared.

According to various sources the total number of shakespearisms is 170, 50 of them were used by other authors before Shakespeare, but became part of the English language thanks to him. Not all of these 170 idioms are still used in modern language. The majority of those which are in use underwent certain transformations because of their wide use on the one hand and because of the tendency of idioms for constant changes on the other hand. As we can observe from the examples of the second chapter even if shakespearisms kept their original form, lexical composition, meaning and style in modern language, nowadays they are used with a wider range of words and have various syntactical functions due to their appearance in different contexts.

The main changes in shakespearisms are:

• the presence of various determiners before the idiom. They can be different articles, possessive or demonstrative pronouns;
• appearance of lexical variants and synonyms;
• theuse of the idiom in a new syntactical function.

The aim of the work was to prove that shakespearisms are widely used and popular in the modern English language in different spheres and styles. This aim was achieved by means of analysis of the researches devoted to this topic and examining of dictionaries of current idiomatic English concerning shakespearisms. Moreover, in the second chapter60 examples from articles of more than fifteen American and British newspapers and about 80 examples from modern American and British literature reinforce the argument that shakespearisms are up-to-date and widely spread in the language. We appealed to literature and mass media to demonstrate that Shakespearian language is not just a poetic source which can be used by writers to express their ideas in a more expressive way, but it can also be found in everyday speech and in a more formal register of publicist style.

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Shakespeare's influence is summarized by Thomas Carlyle:

“This King Shakespeare does he not shine, in crowned sovereignty, over us all, as the noblest, gentlest, yet strongest of rallying-signs; indestructible; really more valuable in that point of view than any other means or appliance whatsoever? We can fancy him as radiant aloft over all Nations of Englishmen, thousand years hence.” (Thomas Carlyle, The Hero as Poet, 1841).

Though it was written more than 150 years ago these words about Shakespeare and his contribution to the English language are still true.

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