What is blank verse and why has Shakespeare used it for his drama? [British Drama (2018-19) Assignment 1]

Blank verse is a form of poetry that consists of unrhymed iambic pentameter, which means each line has ten syllables with alternating stress patterns (i.e., unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one). This pattern creates a natural rhythm and musicality to the verse.

Shakespeare is known for his masterful use of blank verse in his plays. He wrote most of his plays in blank verse, which gives his works a sense of naturalness and fluidity. The use of blank verse allows Shakespeare to vary the tone, pace, and emphasis of the language to suit the dramatic situation.

One of the reasons Shakespeare used blank verse for his plays is that it was the most appropriate form for his dramatic purposes. Blank verse was flexible and allowed him to create a range of moods, characters, and situations. It was also a popular and prestigious form of poetry in Elizabethan England, used by many other playwrights of the time.

Furthermore, blank verse was an effective way to distinguish the speech of the characters in his plays. Shakespeare used variations in the rhythm and meter of the blank verse to create unique voices and personalities for his characters. This helped to create a more vivid and realistic depiction of human experience on stage.

Overall, Shakespeare's use of blank verse in his plays was an important innovation in English drama, as it elevated the language and form of theater to a new level of artistic expression.