Flowery Elizabethan English: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
The immense popularity of [[William Shakespeare]] and the King James version of [[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]] has made the style in which those works were written very popular. For this reason, [[Flowery Elizabethan English]] is often the first thing that writers turn to when they want to show that a character is ''extremely'' old-fashioned -- generally more so than an ordinary human could be. Their speech will be sprinkled with terms like "prithee" or "forsooth", and use obsolete pronouns like "thee" or "thou".
The immense popularity of [[William Shakespeare]] and the King James version of [[The Bible]] has made the style in which those works were written very popular. For this reason, [[Flowery Elizabethan English]] is often the first thing that writers turn to when they want to show that a character is ''extremely'' old-fashioned -- generally more so than an ordinary human could be. Their speech will be sprinkled with terms like "prithee" or "forsooth", and use obsolete pronouns like "thee" or "thou".


This is often used for immortals or [[Really 700 Years Old|near-immortals]], like [[Our Elves Are Better|elves]] or [[Physical God|gods]], or for characters with a very strong connection to the era (perhaps a hyper-obsessive scholar). It can be used in alternate worlds and [[Fantasy]] works where there never was an Elizabethan England. May also be used by [[Time Travel|time travelers]]. Works written during or set in the Elizabethan era do not qualify, however, as the [[People Sitting On Chairs|purpose there is quite different]].
This is often used for immortals or [[Really 700 Years Old|near-immortals]], like [[Our Elves Are Better|elves]] or [[Physical God|gods]], or for characters with a very strong connection to the era (perhaps a hyper-obsessive scholar). It can be used in alternate worlds and [[Fantasy]] works where there never was an Elizabethan England. May also be used by [[Time Travel|time travelers]]. Works written during or set in the Elizabethan era do not qualify, however, as the [[People Sitting On Chairs|purpose there is quite different]].
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== Anime and Manga ==
== Anime and Manga ==
* In ''[[Ranma ½ (Manga)|Ranma One Half]]'', Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno is fond of speaking this way, particularly in the English dub.
* In ''[[Ranma ½|Ranma One Half]]'', Tatewaki "Blue Thunder" Kuno is fond of speaking this way, particularly in the English dub.
* In ''[[Sekirei (Manga)|Sekirei]]'', Tsukiumi talks like this, most likely as a way of translating her formal Japanese. When she says "Have at thee, villain!", though, it's hard not to imagine her being Thor's [[Distaff Counterpart]].
* In ''[[Sekirei]]'', Tsukiumi talks like this, most likely as a way of translating her formal Japanese. When she says "Have at thee, villain!", though, it's hard not to imagine her being Thor's [[Distaff Counterpart]].




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* In the ''[[Belgariad]]'', Arendish folks talk like this, particularly the Mimbrates...though the Asturians deliberately change accents out of their contempt for the Mimbrates. One (non-Arendish) character trying to [[TV Genius|sound intelligent]] speaks like this for a few pages, before being explicitly told that she sounds ridiculous. Thoroughly and hilariously [[Lampshaded]] in ''The Malloreon'' when Poledra remarks that if they stick around the Arends long enough, everyone will be doing it. For his part, Eddings not only does the style grammatically, but (in ''The Rivan Codex'') is highly critical of those who try but get it wrong.
* In the ''[[Belgariad]]'', Arendish folks talk like this, particularly the Mimbrates...though the Asturians deliberately change accents out of their contempt for the Mimbrates. One (non-Arendish) character trying to [[TV Genius|sound intelligent]] speaks like this for a few pages, before being explicitly told that she sounds ridiculous. Thoroughly and hilariously [[Lampshaded]] in ''The Malloreon'' when Poledra remarks that if they stick around the Arends long enough, everyone will be doing it. For his part, Eddings not only does the style grammatically, but (in ''The Rivan Codex'') is highly critical of those who try but get it wrong.
* Appears several times in ''[[The Elenium]]''. All the speaking dead, whether they died centuries before or a few days before. A man playing a ressurected dead hero speaks this way, plagiarizing an old play. Also {{spoiler|Bhelliom speaks this way}}.
* Appears several times in ''[[The Elenium]]''. All the speaking dead, whether they died centuries before or a few days before. A man playing a ressurected dead hero speaks this way, plagiarizing an old play. Also {{spoiler|Bhelliom speaks this way}}.
* In the ''[[Retief (Literature)|Retief]]'' short story, "Ballots and Bandits", the natives of the planet Oberon all speak this way, for no apparent reason beyond [[Rule of Funny]]. (The name of the planet is a reference to the character from Shakespeare's ''[[A Midsummer Nights Dream]]''.)
* In the ''[[Retief]]'' short story, "Ballots and Bandits", the natives of the planet Oberon all speak this way, for no apparent reason beyond [[Rule of Funny]]. (The name of the planet is a reference to the character from Shakespeare's ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''.)
* In Steven Brust's ''[[To Reign in Hell]]'', most of the angels speak modern English, but Beelzebub speaks in a flowery Elizabethan flavor due to being injured by chaos:
* In Steven Brust's ''[[To Reign in Hell]]'', most of the angels speak modern English, but Beelzebub speaks in a flowery Elizabethan flavor due to being injured by chaos:
{{quote| "Rumors do fly about the land, milord. These have little truth in them. Whoso they light on taketh the worst o' the lie and sends that forth; whoso that lights on them doth likewise. 'Tis a most potent distillation of falsehood; milord, it will fall like the dew and make every angel drunk unawares."}}
{{quote| "Rumors do fly about the land, milord. These have little truth in them. Whoso they light on taketh the worst o' the lie and sends that forth; whoso that lights on them doth likewise. 'Tis a most potent distillation of falsehood; milord, it will fall like the dew and make every angel drunk unawares."}}
* In [[Roger Zelazny]]'s novel, ''Creatures of Light and Darkness'', a fantasy set far in the future, the immortal Prince Who Was A Thousand tends towards this style of speech, especially when conversing with his bodiless love, Nephytha. Other immortals and gods speak normal modern English, for the most part.
* In [[Roger Zelazny]]'s novel, ''Creatures of Light and Darkness'', a fantasy set far in the future, the immortal Prince Who Was A Thousand tends towards this style of speech, especially when conversing with his bodiless love, Nephytha. Other immortals and gods speak normal modern English, for the most part.
* In ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' a number of immortals, particularly [[The Sidhe]], have a tendency to use "thee" and "thou" in casual speech.
* In ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' a number of immortals, particularly [[The Sidhe]], have a tendency to use "thee" and "thou" in casual speech.
* [[JRR Tolkien (Creator)|JRR Tolkien]] was fond of writing in an archaic style like that of the King James Bible.
* [[J. R. R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]] was fond of writing in an archaic style like that of the King James Bible.




== [[Live Action TV]] ==
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* On ''[[Star Trek the Original Series]],'' the aged Vulcan matriarch T'Pau talks this way—presumably to show that, even by Vulcan standards, she's very old.
* On ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]],'' the aged Vulcan matriarch T'Pau talks this way—presumably to show that, even by Vulcan standards, she's very old.




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* In ''[[Legacy of Kain]]'', most of the dialog is Shakespearian speech, laden with archaisms and florid language.
* In ''[[Legacy of Kain]]'', most of the dialog is Shakespearian speech, laden with archaisms and florid language.
** It should be mentioned that this series is an example of [[Tropes Are Not Bad|this trope working absolutely beautifully]]. The faux-Shakespearian script, highlighted by some of the best voice acting in video game history, is considered by many to be one of the best aspects of the series.
** It should be mentioned that this series is an example of [[Tropes Are Not Bad|this trope working absolutely beautifully]]. The faux-Shakespearian script, highlighted by some of the best voice acting in video game history, is considered by many to be one of the best aspects of the series.
* Grahf from ''[[Xenogears (Video Game)|Xenogears]]'' has a tendency to do this, along with a more general tendency to be a ridiculously [[Large Ham]] whenever he makes an appearance. "Dost thou desire the power?"
* Grahf from ''[[Xenogears]]'' has a tendency to do this, along with a more general tendency to be a ridiculously [[Large Ham]] whenever he makes an appearance. "Dost thou desire the power?"
* This was one of many, many jarring changes made to the [[King's Quest]] series by ''[[King's Quest Mask of Eternity (Video Game)|King's Quest Mask of Eternity]]''. For seven games everyone's talk was very plain and modern, and then out of nowhere it's pseudo-Shakespeare city, even though this is supposed to be happening a decade or two ''later''.
* This was one of many, many jarring changes made to the [[King's Quest]] series by ''[[King's Quest: Mask of Eternity|King's Quest Mask of Eternity]]''. For seven games everyone's talk was very plain and modern, and then out of nowhere it's pseudo-Shakespeare city, even though this is supposed to be happening a decade or two ''later''.
* Frog in the original English release of ''[[Chrono Trigger (Video Game)|Chrono Trigger]]'' on the SNES speaks with an Elizabethan dialect. In subsequent releases of the game, he speaks normally.
* Frog in the original English release of ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' on the SNES speaks with an Elizabethan dialect. In subsequent releases of the game, he speaks normally.
* Cyan from ''[[Final Fantasy VI (Video Game)|Final Fantasy VI]]'', while his speech isn't quite as fancy as Frog's (see above), also speaks in an old-fashioned manner, earning him the nickname "Mr. Thou" from Gau (which Gau sometimes mistakenly calls Sabin due to having met him at the same time as Cyan thus causing him to confuse the two).
* Cyan from ''[[Final Fantasy VI]]'', while his speech isn't quite as fancy as Frog's (see above), also speaks in an old-fashioned manner, earning him the nickname "Mr. Thou" from Gau (which Gau sometimes mistakenly calls Sabin due to having met him at the same time as Cyan thus causing him to confuse the two).
* The Great Deku Tree from ''[[The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time|The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' uses flowery words and phrases such as "Thou hast verily demonstrated thy courage."
* The Great Deku Tree from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'' uses flowery words and phrases such as "Thou hast verily demonstrated thy courage."
* Intriguing example in ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]''. [[Sdrawkcab Name|Dormin]] speaks a fictional language, but his lines are translated into English as verses peppered with 'thees' and 'thous'.
* Intriguing example in ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]''. [[Sdrawkcab Name|Dormin]] speaks a fictional language, but his lines are translated into English as verses peppered with 'thees' and 'thous'.




== Webcomics ==
== Webcomics ==
* In ''[[Shortpacked (Webcomic)|Shortpacked]]'', the Marvel Comics version of ''[[The Mighty Thor]]'' is parodied at the end of [http://www.shortpacked.com/blog/comic/book-4/08-the-gospel-of-faz/cap/ this strip].
* In ''[[Shortpacked]]'', the Marvel Comics version of ''[[The Mighty Thor]]'' is parodied at the end of [http://www.shortpacked.com/blog/comic/book-4/08-the-gospel-of-faz/cap/ this strip].
* The demon Skeezicks in ''[[Dandy and Company (Webcomic)|Dandy and Company]]'' talks in bad pseudo-Elizabethan English. The cartoonist specifically made reference to Thor (see above) in describing his speech patterns.
* The demon Skeezicks in ''[[Dandy and Company]]'' talks in bad pseudo-Elizabethan English. The cartoonist specifically made reference to Thor (see above) in describing his speech patterns.
* Hibachi and the other [[Our Dragons Are Different|dragons]] in ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]]''.
* Hibachi and the other [[Our Dragons Are Different|dragons]] in ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]]''.
* Minnie Mandy from ''[[Grim Tales From Down Below]]'' consistently speaks this way.
* Minnie Mandy from ''[[Grim Tales from Down Below]]'' consistently speaks this way.




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'''Doris''': Whatever. }}
'''Doris''': Whatever. }}
* Mr. Pricklepants from ''[[Toy Story]] 3''. He is a ''thespian''.
* Mr. Pricklepants from ''[[Toy Story]] 3''. He is a ''thespian''.
* Dinobot from ''[[Beast Wars (Animation)|Beast Wars]]''.
* Dinobot from ''[[Beast Wars]]''.
* Princess Luna from ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' speaks this way in "Luna Eclipsed", having been [[Sealed Evil in A Can|imprisoned in the moon]] for the last thousand years. Surprisingly for a kids' show, [[Shown Their Work|it's all grammatically correct]] -- not a stray "-eth" in sight.
* Princess Luna from ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' speaks this way in "Luna Eclipsed", having been [[Sealed Evil in a Can|imprisoned in the moon]] for the last thousand years. Surprisingly for a kids' show, [[Shown Their Work|it's all grammatically correct]] -- not a stray "-eth" in sight.




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