What is a 'short line' in Shakespearean drama?
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Correct answer: A line of verse containing fewer than ten syllables
Short lines are often used to indicate a significant pause, a dramatic reaction, or a character's exit. They invite the actor to fill the 'missing' beats with silence or stage business.
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More Blank Verse questions
- Which of the following best defines 'Blank Verse' as used in Shakespearean drama?
- How many 'feet' are contained in a standard line of Shakespearean blank verse?
- Which English poet and playwright is credited with first popularizing blank verse on the public stage before Shakespeare?
- What is a 'feminine ending' in a line of blank verse?
- In Shakespeare’s plays, which group of characters is most likely to speak in prose rather than blank verse?
- What is the term for a pause or break in the middle of a line of blank verse?