Modal Verbs in Marlowe and Shakespeare

Book excerpt: This book provides a historical insight into the use and meanings of modal verbs in the language of the Early Modern English period. It investigates how William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe employ these verbs in their tragedies and history plays dating back to the end of the 16th century. Comparative analyses add to the clarity of the book and fill a gap in the research on Marlovian language, which so far has been under-investigated in contrast to the language of William Shakespeare. The findings offered here shed light on the history of modal verbs and constitute a valuable contribution to contemporary Early Modern English studies. As such, the book represents an important resource for students, teachers, and researchers involved in the study of Early Modern English language and language change.