The History of English Podcast Episode 172: Succession Release Date: November 20, 2023 Host: Kevin Stroud

Introduction to Succession and Linguistic Evolution

In Episode 172 of The History of English Podcast, host Kevin Stroud delves into the multifaceted concept of succession, exploring both its political implications in late 16th-century England and France and its linguistic transformations within the English language. Contrary to popular media references, Stroud focuses on the real-life challenges of royal succession and the rise of William Shakespeare as a dominant playwright. Additionally, he examines the phonetic evolution of words like "succession," highlighting the shift from pronunciations ending in “-sion” and “-tion” to the modern “-shun” (00:00).

Etymology and Origins of "Succession"

Stroud begins by tracing the origin of words such as "success," "successful," and "succession" back to their Indo-European roots. These terms originally conveyed meanings related to moving forward or yielding. He explains how the Latin transformation softened the initial hard “k” sound to an “s,” leading to variations like "sed" or "sess" (00:00). Stroud notes the persistence of these roots in English through words like "seed" and "sis," which encapsulate the original sense of yielding or moving aside. The evolution continued with the addition of prefixes such as "pro-" (forward), "re-" (backward), "ex-" (out), and "sub-" (under), forming words like "proceed," "recede," "exceed," and "succession" (00:00).

Political Succession in England and France

The episode transitions to the political landscape of the late 1500s, where both England and France faced precarious succession issues. Queen Elizabeth I of England and King Henry III of France were childless, raising fears of civil war and religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants. In England, Elizabeth’s intended successor was her cousin James, the Protestant King of Scotland, as indicated in a series of letters (00:00). Conversely, in France, the situation was more complex due to King Henry III's Catholic allegiance and his Protestant heir, Henry of Navarre, from the Bourbon family. Religious tensions exacerbated the succession crisis, leading to significant unrest (00:00).

The Day of the Barricades and Henry of Navarre's Rise

Stroud recounts the events of May 1588, known as the Day of the Barricades, where Duke of Guise led a Catholic faction in Paris against King Henry III. This public uprising, involving the use of barricades—a term borrowed into English from French barriques (00:00)—foreshadowed the intense conflicts of the French Revolution. Despite King Henry’s temporary victory and the assassination of Guise, opposition persisted. Henry of Navarre's eventual conversion to Catholicism in 1593 enabled him to secure the throne, becoming Henry IV and establishing the Bourbon dynasty. Stroud connects these historical events to the linguistic shifts occurring in English during the same period (00:00).

Shakespeare's Early Plays and Linguistic Influence

Stroud explores how the political turmoil influenced Shakespeare’s work, particularly during the closure of London theaters from 1592 to 1594 due to the plague. During this hiatus, Shakespeare wrote significant plays such as The Comedy of Errors, Richard III, and Titus Andronicus. These plays not only reflected the era's succession struggles but also incorporated the evolving English language. For example, in The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare uses words like "succession" in ways that illustrate the phonetic changes of the time (00:00).

Phonetic Shifts: From "-sion" and "-tion" to "-shun"

A central focus of the episode is the phonetic transformation of certain consonant sounds in English. Stroud explains that during the Elizabethan period, sounds like "s," "z," "t," and "d" began to shift when followed by vowels such as "u" or "i" combined with another vowel. This led to pronunciations like "succession" (00:00). He provides examples from both contemporary English and Shakespeare’s works:

• Music shifted from "mu-sic" to "mu-shic."
• Soldier changed from "sol-dier" to "sol-jur."

Stroud highlights how these changes were driven by the Y-glide present in the vowels that followed the affected consonants, making pronunciation more fluid and quicker (00:00).

Illustrative Examples from Shakespeare’s Plays

To demonstrate these linguistic shifts, Stroud analyzes specific lines from Shakespeare's plays. In The Comedy of Errors, he points out the altered pronunciations within the play’s dialogue:

"For slander lives upon succession, for air housed where it gets possession." (00:00)

This line showcases how "succession" and "possession" were transitioning in their pronunciation, reflecting contemporary changes in spoken English. Additionally, in Love's Labor's Lost, Stroud identifies the use of malapropisms and neologisms that mirror the linguistic experimentation of the time (00:00).

Legacy of Linguistic Changes in Modern English

Stroud discusses the enduring impact of these Elizabethan phonetic shifts on modern English. Words like "barricade," "question," and even "sugar" retain traces of their historical pronunciation changes. He also notes how some of these shifts led to variations in today's pronunciation, as seen in words like "creature" (krēt-yur vs. krēch-yur) and "pronunciation" (ˌprō-nən-sē-ˈā-shən vs. prə-nən-sē-ˈā-shən) (00:00).

Influence on Shakespeare’s Craftsmanship

The linguistic evolution provided Shakespeare with creative flexibility in his writing, particularly in maintaining the iambic pentameter structure essential to his verse. Stroud illustrates how the reduction of syllables in certain words allowed Shakespeare to adhere to the meter without compromising the play's rhythm or meaning. This adaptability is evident in the seamless integration of contemporary linguistic trends into his works (00:00).

Conclusion: The Interplay of Politics, Language, and Literature

In wrapping up the episode, Stroud emphasizes the intricate relationship between the political events of the late 1500s, the evolving English language, and Shakespeare’s literary genius. The successful resolution of the French succession crisis with Henry of Navarre's ascension not only stabilized France but also influenced English-speaking perceptions and linguistic practices. Shakespeare, situated at the crossroads of these developments, captured the essence of an English language in transition, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to resonate today (00:00).

Teaser for Next Episode

Stroud concludes by previewing the subsequent episode, which will explore Shakespeare's shift towards Italian settings with plays such as Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Merchant of Venice. He promises to examine the Italian influence on Shakespeare’s works and its subsequent impact on the English language in the early modern era (00:00).

Notable Quotes:

• Kevin Stroud [00:00]: "When one thing succeeds another, it can be part of an ongoing process or it can be the final step in a series."

• Kevin Stroud [00:00]: "In other words, a bad reputation often survives you and lives with your children. And Successors as well."

• Kevin Stroud [00:00]: "The word barricade popped up in English documents for the first time. With Guise now in control of the capital..."

• Kevin Stroud [00:00]: "I openly admit that I pronounce 'controversial' both ways..."

• Kevin Stroud [00:00]: "In the play, Holofernes is a pedant... He is ridiculously pompous."

These selected quotes exemplify the depth and detail with which Stroud interweaves historical context, linguistic analysis, and literary critique to provide a comprehensive understanding of the episode's themes.