Student Essay on Shakespeare's Use of Poetry and Prose

Throughout his plays, William Shakespeare displays different tones through his use of poetry blended with his prose. While the prose tells the story, the poetry creates the theme Shakespeare intended to project, giving more emphasis to specific scenes. Examples of this approach include the poetry of the witches in "Macbeth," providing a dark tone; and the poetry of the fairies in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," carrying a lighter tone.

As Shakespeare displays different tones, his use of literary mechanisms varies in all of his plays. He continuously uses prose and poetry to give different moods to the plays, thereby creating themes. The poetry in Macbeth, written as the voices of the witches, helps to give the dark tone, and slightly sinister theme of the play. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the poetry, through the fairies, portrays a lighter tone. Regardless of the story being told, Shakespeare uses poetry and prose to create the different themes.

With the exception of select parts, Macbeth is written in prose. The poetry of the witches gives the play a ritualistic effect, creating a dark theme (Dr. Debora B. Schwartz, Shakespearean Verse and Prose). The dark cloud which follows the witches' prophecies throughout the play is expressed through the poetic.....