The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.1731  Wednesday, 31 July 2002

From:           Peter Groves <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Wednesday, 31 Jul 2002 12:01:25 +1000
Subject: 13.1722 Re: Jacques Pronunciations
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.1722 Re: Jacques Pronunciations

>According to John Barton speaking about Troilus and Cressida, the
>pronunciation of a name changes to match the rhythm of the line - it is
>OK to use different ones within the same production.
>
>Jan Pick

Not so: only the name of the melancholy Jaques occurs within the verse
(the brother can presumably be called /zhak/), and each of the five
occurrences supports a disyllablc version (such as /jay-kwiz/),
producing what used to be called a 'feminine ending' in some cases.  It
would clearly be pointless and distracting to pronounce the word in two
quite different ways if the metre does not require it (note that this is
not the same as the difference between a disyllabic and trisyllabic
<Romeo>, which is just a normal variation (presence of absence of
syneresis):

The melancholy Jaques grieves at that,

Much marked of the melancholy Jaques,

Augmenting it with tears. / But what said Jaques?

And never stays to greet him; 'Ay' quoth Jaques,

Stay, Jaques, stay. / To see no pastime I

Peter Groves

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