Master the art of writing in Shakespearean English with practical tips and advice. Learn how to use thee, thou, thy and write like the Bard himself.
Start Using "Thee," "Thou," and "Thy" – But Get Them Right
The biggest giveaway of Shakespearean English is the old pronouns. Use "thou" when you'd normally say "you" (as the subject), "thee" when it's the object ("I see thee"), and "thy/thine" for "your" (thy is before consonants, thine before vowels). It sounds tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, your writing immediately sounds more authentic. Just remember: these were actually the informal, friendly versions – so use them when characters are close or talking down to someone!
Add "-eth" or "-st" to Your Verbs
When you're writing in third person ("he," "she," "it"), add an "-eth" to most verbs: "he walketh," "she thinketh," "it seemeth." For "thou" (second person), use "-st" or "-est": "thou walkest," "thou knowest." This little change makes everything sound period-appropriate instantly. Just be careful with irregular verbs – "he doth" (does), "she hath" (has), and "thou art" (you are) are special cases you'll need to memorize.
Flip Your Word Order for Drama
Instead of "What are you doing?" try "What dost thou?" or "What doest thou here?" Put adjectives after nouns sometimes ("a thing most strange" instead of "a very strange thing"), or move the verb around ("This I know" vs "I know this"). Don't overdo it, but strategic word-flipping makes your writing sound more poetic and theatrical. It's especially effective when you want to emphasize something important.
Throw in Some Classic Shakespearean Words
Sprinkle in words like "prithee" (please), "methinks" (I think), "anon" (soon/in a moment), "forsooth" (truly/indeed), "hark" (listen), "hence" (away from here), and "hither" (come here). You don't need to use them in every sentence – just one or two per paragraph will add flavor. Think of them like seasoning: a little goes a long way, and too much makes it unreadable.
Make Everything More Poetic and Visual
Shakespeare never just said something plain when he could paint a picture instead. Don't write "I'm sad" – write "My heart is heavy with sorrow" or "Melancholy doth grip my soul." Instead of "the night," try "the velvet night" or "night's dark mantle." Look for chances to turn simple statements into little metaphors or add a descriptive word or two. This is what makes Shakespearean writing feel rich and theatrical.
Use "Dost," "Doth," "Didst," and Other Helper Verbs
These are the old forms of "do" and "did," and they're super useful for questions and emphasis. "Dost thou understand?" means "Do you understand?" "He doth protest too much" means "He does protest too much." For past tense, use "didst": "Didst thou see him?" These words are like the glue that holds Shakespearean sentences together, so get comfortable with them.
Don't Forget About "Ye," "Hither," "Thither," and "Whither"
"Ye" is the old plural or formal "you" (though it's sometimes mixed up with "the" in old texts). "Hither" means "here" or "to this place," "thither" means "there" or "to that place," and "whither" means "where to." So instead of "Come here," you'd say "Come hither!" or "Where are you going?" becomes "Whither goest thou?" These directional words add authenticity and work great in dialogue or dramatic moments.
Read It Out Loud to Test the Rhythm
Shakespeare wrote for actors, so his language needs to sound good when spoken. Read your writing out loud – does it flow? Does it sound too choppy or too much like a modern person pretending? Shakespearean English has a natural rhythm and music to it. If something feels clunky when you say it, rework it. Sometimes you'll need to add or remove a word just to make the sentence sing, and that's totally fine – Shakespeare did it all the time!