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The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere
The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Delia Salter Bacon • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.
THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;
OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'
JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.
I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere is here in full — 108 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.
Line 2
THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;
Line 3
OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'
/ɔːr ðə ˈkɑːmən ˈduːti ʌv ˈevəri mæn æz ə mæn ɔːr ˈmembər ʌv ə steɪt dɪˈfaɪnd ənd ˈɪləstreɪtəd ɪn ˈneɡətɪv ˈɪnstənsəz ənd ˈɪnstənsəz ʌv ˈprezəns/
Line 4
JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.
Line 5
I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

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.

defined adjective US /dɪˈfaɪnd/

clearly characterized or delimited

From this reading “OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
diseases noun US /dɪˈziːzəz/

plural of “disease” — an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

From this reading “JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
empirical adjective US /ˌemˈpɪrɪkəl/

derived from experiment and observation rather than theory

From this reading “JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
illustrated verb US /ˈɪləstreɪtəd/

past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of

From this reading “OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
instances noun US /ˈɪnstənsəz/

plural of “instance” — an occurrence of something

From this reading “OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
negative adjective US /ˈneɡətɪv/

characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features

From this reading “OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Prerogative noun US /prɪˈrɑːɡətɪv/

a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

From this reading “I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tyranny noun US /ˈtɪrəni/

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

From this reading “I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 34

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.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ASconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CAESARnounUS /ˈsiːzər/

conqueror of Gaul and master of Italy (100-44 BC)

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
COMMONadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
COMMON-WEAL

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

From this reading THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

Pending verification
CORIOLANUS

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

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.

Pending verification
CUREverbUS /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DeathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DEFINEDadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/

clearly characterized or delimited

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DISEASESnounUS /dɪˈziːzəz/

plural of “disease” — an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DUTYnounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EMPIRICALadjectiveUS /ˌemˈpɪrɪkəl/

derived from experiment and observation rather than theory

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EVERYdeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
EXAMINEDverbUS /ɪɡˈzæmənd/

past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IInoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ILLUSTRATEDverbUS /ˈɪləstreɪtəd/

past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INSTANCESnounUS /ˈɪnstənsəz/

plural of “instance” — an occurrence of something

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JULIUS

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

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.

Pending verification
MANnounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MEMBERnounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NEGATIVEadjectiveUS /ˈneɡətɪv/

characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
PrerogativenounUS /prɪˈrɑːɡətɪv/

a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right)

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PRESENCEnounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
QuestionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SCIENTIFICadjectiveUS /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/

of or relating to the practice of science

From this reading THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STATEnounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading OR, 'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TREATMENTnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/

care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)

From this reading JULIUS CAESAR; OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TyrannynounUS /ˈtɪrəni/

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

From this reading I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere by Delia Salter Bacon holds 108 sentences, grouped into 22 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, 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 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere contain?

Chapter 1 holds 108 sentences of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere by Delia Salter Bacon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 108 sentences, grouped into 22 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 1 of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere

Common questions about reading The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere by Delia Salter Bacon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere?

Yes. All 7510 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8207 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8207, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1502 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere section by section

How to work through The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    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 The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Julius
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Caesar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Coriolanus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Scientific
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.