Not too long ago the word “Swagger” echoed in the hallways of many a secondary school and was an extremely familiar term to anyone who listened to popular hip-hop songs. The simple Google search, [“swag OR swagger” lyrics], brings up thousands of hits by artists like 50 Cent, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber and Eminem.

The word “Swagger” is not a relatively new concept, it can be traced all the way back to Elizabethan England. Actually, the first writer to use the word “Swagger” was William Shakespeare! The playwright first had the “shrewd and knavish sprite” Puck use it in this monologue in A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,
So near the cradle of the fairy queen?

Ever wonder what insults people used before dork, loser, and barf-breath? While this list may not tell you exactly what was uttered in the 16th and 17th centuries, it gives you a taste of Shakespeare’s repulsive repertoire. So the next time someone disgusts you, don’t tell them they’re gross, instead say “thou art a boil, a plague sore” (King Lear Act 2, Scene 4).

Read 12 of the Funniest Shakespearean Insults HERE.

Below are a few from the journal of girl named Becky! AND here is a link to 135 phrases coined by William Shakespeare!

Watch the video below and get a closer look at more of Shakespeare’s words, his insults, to understand why he is known as a master playwright whose works transcend time and appeal to audiences all over the world. Use the Shakespeare Insult Kit to get you rolling with the insults.

What are some of things we say today that we owe to Shakespeare? Use Padlet  and post “Things we say today that we owe to Shakespeare.”

 

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