Scansion Debates of Shakespeare's Famous Lines

     Over the summer, we published a brief guide to scanning Shakespeare's verse. Sometimes in Shakespeare, however, lines can be scanned in multiple, natural-sounding ways. So which way is correct? In short, it could be both or either: it is up to the reader or the actor to decide. So scansion is subjective, not authoritative.

    Below are five Shakespeare's famous lines, and some possible ways to scan them. The stressed syllables are marked in bold, the unstressed syllables in plain font. The highlighted syllables represent changes to the previous scansion. Along with each scansion is an explanation of how that scansion could affect a listener or audience member's understanding of the line.

1. "To be or not to be, that is the question:" (Hamlet, III.1.55)

Scansion #1: Straight Iambs

    "To be or not to be, that is the question:" (Hamlet, III.1.55)

    This uses only iambs, in Shakespeare's most signature style of verse. Reading the line this way suggests that Hamlet was wondering whether or not "To be or not to be" was, in fact, an important "question."

Scansion #2: Iambs with Trochaic Inversion

    "To be or not to be, that is the question:" (Hamlet, III.1.55)

    In this second scansion, the line contains the trochee of "that is": a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. In this reading, Hamlet precisely identifies the "question" he was looking for, as that of "To be or not to be"––rather than any other question he could have posed.

2. "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad." (The Merchant of Venice, I.1.1)

Scansion #1: Straight Iambs

    "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad." (The Merchant of Venice, I.1.1)

    Strict iambs, like in this scansion, are the scansion most readers or actors begin with because Shakespeare mainly wrote in iambic pentameter. Reading the line this way suggests that Antonio is wondering about the reason for his current state: "why" is he feeling "sad"? 

Scansion #2: Iambs with 1 Spondee

    "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad." (The Merchant of Venice, I.1.1)

    A second possible scansion of this line introduces the spondee (two stressed syllables next to one another) "so sad" into the line. Here, Antonio is focused on the question of "why" his emotions are "so" extreme.

Scansion #3: Iambs with 2 Spondees

    "In sooth, I know not why I am so sad." (The Merchant of Venice, I.1.1)

    Yet another possible scansion of this line adds another spondee: this scansion stresses "not" and "why." Rather than questioning the reason behind his emotion and its intensity (as in the first two examples), in this reading, Antonio dwells on his inability to understand his own emotions: he does "not know" why he feels this way, and that is what disturbs him most.

3. "...wherefore art thou Romeo? (Romeo and Juliet, II.2.33)

*The "O" in these lines is sometimes stressed as a moment of emotional release, and sometimes unstressed as a metrical device.

Scansion #1: O + Romeo + Romeo + Trochee + Iamb + Romeo

    "O* Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" (Romeo and Juliet, II.2.33)

    This scansion stresses "thou" but not "art" in addition to the fixed stresses of the words "wherefore" and "Romeo." That stress on "thou" suggests that Juliet laments that she chose a Montague, rather than anyone else, to be her lover.

Scansion #2: O + Romeo + Romeo + 2 Trochees + Romeo

"O* Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" (Romeo and Juliet, II.2.33)

    The second scansion of this line stresses "art" instead of "thou." Stressing "art" suggests that Juliet is now lamenting Romeo's family, rather than his role as her lover. She wishes Romeo to be anything but a Montague––so, longing for what Romeo is not, she puts the emphasis on what he is.

4. "The course of true love never did run smooth;" (A Midsummer Night's Dream, I.1.138)

Scansion #1: Straight Iambs

    "The course of true love never did run smooth;" (A Midsummer Night's Dream, I.1.138)

    The first scansion of this line is, once again, the classic: iambs all the way through. This scansion suggests that Lysander believes that it is specifically "true" love, not all kinds of love, that endure difficulties.

Scansion #2: Iambs with Spondee

    "The course of true love never did run smooth;" (A Midsummer Night's Dream, I.1.138)

    Another possible scansion is the addition of the spondee of "true love." In this reading of the line, Lysander gives "true" and "love" equal amounts of stress. He does not confer extra stress on "true," as in the first scansion, which makes the contrast of true love to other types of love less significant.

5. "If music be the food of love, play on;" (Twelfth Night, I.1.1)

Scansion #1: Straight Iambs

    "If music be the food of love, play on;" (Twelfth Night, I.1.1)

    The first scansion of this line is the classic Shakespearean meter, iambic pentameter. This reading of the line conveys, first and foremost, that Duke Orsino wants music to be the "food of love." The scansion here directs the focus of the listener/audience to the first clause, "If music be the food of love."

Scansion #2: Iambs with Spondee

    "If music be the food of love, play on;" (Twelfth Night, I.1.1)

     This second scansion stresses "play" in addition to the other syllables stressed in the first scansion of the line. In this scansion, the line's intensity builds in the first clause and reaches a climax in the second clause: "play on." That command, "play on," is the motivation for Duke Orsino to speak this line.