... the Bard's censored oaths are; "God's blessing on your beard" Love's Labors Lost, II.i.203 This was a very rude curse because a man's facial hair was a point of pride for him. And "to play with someone's beard" was to insult him. "God's body" 1 Henry IV, II.i.26 Swearing by Christ's body (or any part thereof,) was off limits in civil discourse. "God's Bod(y)kins, man" Hamlet ... , II.ii.529 The word bod(y)kin means "little body" or "dear body," but adding the cute little suffix does not make this ... virgin was almost as rude as swearing by her son, especially when addressing a catholic...

• Word Count: 1988
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... strange eruption to our state." (I.i.69) Because of this confusion, not knowing whether Old Hamlet's ghost was "a spirit of health or goblin damn"d," (I.iv.40) the Elizabethan audience would have supported Hamlet in his choice to be sure before killing Claudius, his father's murderer. This shows how Shakespeare uses the ... religious beliefs. However, Shakespeare's use of religion in Twelfth Night is a bit different. Starting with the plot of the play, Twelfth Night is part of the Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Twelfth Night is January 5th, the last day of the Ch...

• Word Count: 1416
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School