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Shakespeare's First Folio
Shakespeare's First Folio

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio is here in full — 1509 sentences across 302 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Shakespeare's First Folio
Context Illustration Reading 1/301 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Her.
I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.
I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.
If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.
Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.
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Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Shakespeare's First Folio

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio is here in full — 1509 sentences across 302 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/301 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Her.
/hɜːr/
Line 2
I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.
Line 3
I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.
Line 4
If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.
Line 5
Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

argument noun US /ˈɑːrɡjəmənt/

a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true

From this reading “If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.”

chronicled verb US /ˈkrɑːnɪkəld/

past form of “chronicle” — record in chronological order; make a historical record

From this reading “I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.”

counterfeit noun US /ˈkaʊntərfɪt/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading “I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.”

doe noun US /doʊ/

the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the United States; created in 1977

From this reading “I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.”

fare noun US /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading “If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.”

Helena noun US /ˈhelənə/

capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana

From this reading “Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.”

partly adverb US /ˈpɑːrtli/

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading “If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.”

sport noun US /spɔːrt/

an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition

From this reading “I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

argumentnounUS /ˈɑːrɡjəmənt/

a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

backe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

chronicledverbUS /ˈkrɑːnɪkəld/

past form of “chronicle” — record in chronological order; make a historical record

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

counterfeitnounUS /ˈkaʊntərfɪt/

a copy that is represented as the original

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

doenounUS /doʊ/

the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy of the United States; created in 1977

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

excuseverbUS /ɪksˈkjuːs/

accept an excuse for

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

faire

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

farenounUS /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

faultnounUS /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

gentleadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəl/

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

gracenounUS /ɡreɪs/

(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

haue

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

heare

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

Helnoun

(Norse mythology) goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

HelenanounUS /ˈhelənə/

capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Her.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

iest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

lookes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

loue

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

Lys

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

MakeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

mannersnounUS /ˈmænərz/

social deportment

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

meane

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

mouthes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

owne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

partlyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrtli/

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

perseuer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

pittie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

remedie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

soone

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

soule

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

sportnounUS /spɔːrt/

an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

StayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Stay gentle Helena, heare my excuse, My loue, my life, my soule, faire Helena Hel.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

sweete

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

tisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

turne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

vnderstand

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

vp

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

vpon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

WhichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

Winke

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I, doe, perseuer, counterfeit sad lookes, Make mouthes vpon me when I turne my backe, Winke each at other, hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading If you haue any pittie, grace, or manners, You would not make me such an argument: But fare ye well, 'tis partly mine owne fault, Which death or absence soone shall remedie Lys.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I vnderstand not what you meane by this Hel.

Chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio by William Shakespeare holds 1509 sentences, grouped into 302 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio contain?

Chapter 8 holds 1509 sentences of Shakespeare's First Folio, unabridged, divided into 302 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio by William Shakespeare exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 1509 sentences, grouped into 302 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 8 of Shakespeare's First Folio?

Work through the 302 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 302 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Shakespeare's First Folio

Common questions about reading Shakespeare's First Folio by William Shakespeare on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Shakespeare's First Folio?

Yes. All 55059 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2270 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Shakespeare's First Folio is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2270, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Shakespeare's First Folio take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 11012 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Shakespeare's First Folio section by section

How to work through Shakespeare's First Folio section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of Shakespeare's First Folio to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Shakespeare's First Folio

Words and structures a reader meets early in Shakespeare's First Folio, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Paines
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Shakespeare's First Folio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Truely
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Shakespeare's First Folio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thinke
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Shakespeare's First Folio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
You'll
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Shakespeare's First Folio; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.