The reputation of Hamlet as one of Shakespeare's greatest plays often times overlooks one of the greatest achievements of the play. While many scholars acknowledge the play as the birth of the modern man, few seem to place as much significance on the language of the play as they do elements such as theme and character. This appears to be oversight, given the fact that the play is one of the single greatest examples of creative use of language in not only Shakespeare's works, but perhaps all works in the English language. This article examines Hamlet from a linguistic perspective to enhance our appreciation of Shakespeare's genius.
An etymological study of a word or term is one that traces its development and usage throughout the past. These studies are often interesting because language always develops and changes for reasons. This article is a basic etymological study of the English adjective "strapping". It traces its path throughout time and examines the reasons why the meanings behind the word have changed.