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LINGUISTIC REPRESENTATION OF PARENTAL AND FILIAL RELATIONS IN
SHAKESPEARE’S TRAGEDIES
Khalilova Muhtarama Inayatullayevna
English teacher of Navoiy innovations university
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17283539
Abstract.
This article examines the linguistic representation of parental and filial relations
in William Shakespeare’s tragedies. The study focuses on the interplay between parental authority
and filial obedience or rebellion, emphasizing the role of semantic choices, pragmatic functions,
and stylistic devices. By analyzing examples from “Romeo and Juliet”, “King Lear”, and
“Hamlet”, the paper highlights how Shakespeare employs vocabulary, speech acts, and figurative
language to dramatize the complexities of family relationships in Renaissance culture.
Keywords:
Shakespeare, tragedy, family, parent, child, pragmatics, semantics, stylistics,
linguistic analysis
The family, as a social institution, has long been central to human identity, shaping values,
duties, and conflicts. In Shakespeare’s tragedies, parental and filial relations form the core of
dramatic conflict, reflecting both the patriarchal authority of Renaissance society and the
individual desires of younger generations. This article aims to investigate the linguistic means
through which these relationships are represented, focusing on semantic, pragmatic, and stylistic
dimensions. The analysis draws upon key passages from “Romeo and Juliet”, “King Lear”, and
“Hamlet” to illustrate how Shakespeare dramatizes the tensions between parental control and filial
autonomy.
Shakespeare employs a wide range of family-related lexemes such as “child,” “daughter,”
“son,” “kin,” and “blood.” These words extend beyond biological meaning to connote loyalty,
honor, and obligation. For example, in “King Lear”, the word “child” acquires symbolic meanings
of gratitude and betrayal: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!”
(Act I, Scene IV). Similarly, in “Romeo and Juliet”, Lady Capulet addresses Juliet with the
possessive phrase “my child,” emphasizing both affection and authority. The semantic field of
family thus reveals the ambivalence of kinship as a source of love and conflict.
Parental and filial dialogues in Shakespeare often illustrate asymmetrical power relations.
Lord Capulet’s speech to Juliet demonstrates the use of directive and threatening speech acts:
“Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!” (“Romeo and Juliet”, Act III, Scene V). This
utterance exemplifies the patriarchal expectation of obedience, where disobedience is equated with
dishonor. Conversely, Juliet’s responses reveal indirect strategies of resistance, ranging from
polite deferral to open rebellion. In “Hamlet”, filial duty is expressed through complex speech acts
of loyalty and doubt. Hamlet’s conversation with the Ghost of his father highlights both obedience
(“Speak; I am bound to hear”) and the burden of revenge, showing the pragmatic tension between
parental authority and individual will.
Shakespeare amplifies the drama of parental and filial relations through stylistic
foregrounding. In “King Lear”, the antithesis between Cordelia’s silence and Goneril and Regan’s
flattery highlights the contrast between genuine love and hypocrisy. Lear’s address to Cordelia,
“Nothing will come of nothing” (Act I, Scene I), dramatizes the linguistic failure of paternal
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expectations. In “Romeo and Juliet”, metaphors of “blood” and “house” extend the meaning of
family from kinship to collective identity. The phrase “ancient grudge” (Prologue) metaphorically
encodes the feud as a transgenerational curse, linking family loyalty with inevitable tragedy.
The linguistic representation of family in Shakespeare reflects Renaissance cultural norms,
particularly patriarchal authority and the prioritization of lineage. Expressions such as “my blood”
highlight the continuity of heritage, while filial disobedience is equated with social disorder.
Cross-cultural comparison shows parallels with other languages and traditions; for instance, the
Uzbek notion of “qarindosh-urug‘” similarly emphasizes extended kinship and collective identity.
This universality suggests that Shakespeare’s linguistic portrayal of family resonates beyond its
historical context.
The linguistic representation of parental and filial relations in Shakespeare’s tragedies is
multifaceted. Semantic analysis reveals the ambivalent meanings of family-related vocabulary,
while pragmatic analysis demonstrates the asymmetry of authority in speech acts between parents
and children. Stylistic devices, including metaphor, antithesis, and epithet, dramatize the
emotional intensity of these relationships. Ultimately, Shakespeare presents the family as both a
source of identity and a site of conflict, showing how language itself embodies the struggle
between tradition and personal freedom.
References:
1.
Shakespeare, W. (1997). “Romeo and Juliet”. Cambridge University Press.
2.
Shakespeare, W. (1997). “Hamlet”. Cambridge University Press.
3.
Shakespeare, W. (1997). “King Lear”. Cambridge University Press.
4.
Bloom, H. (2008). “William Shakespeare’s Tragedies”. Infobase Publishing.
5.
Leech, G. (1983). “Principles of Pragmatics”. Longman.
6.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). “Metaphors We Live By”. University of Chicago Press.
