Ethnic, Class, and Occupational Identities in Shakespeare’s Names
Abstract
The clarity of ethnic, class, and occupational identities in Shakespeare’s names contributes significantly to
the verisimilitude of his art. In contrast to Ben Jonson, and other theatrical rivals, Shakespeare used
relatively few names that are obviously descriptive – such as Frugal, Tradewell, or Stargaze in Jonson’s
The City Madam. Shakespeare’s naming shows that his imagination was focused on stage action rather than
on references that might appear in print. He designated a large percentage of characters actually appearing
on stage in terms of social groups, e.g., “Certaine Commoners” (Julius Caesar), and identified minor
individuals to clarify functional roles (“Messenger”) or for wordplay, e.g., “Cobbler” (Julius Caesar).
Shakespeare drew very clear distinctions in social class in his uses of socially distinctive names and formal
titles. He also made ethnic differences clear in the names where ethnicity seems unimportant to the action
(e.g., the spelling of Alonso in The Tempest), but he seems deliberately to have avoided common ethnic
associations when the names are mentioned frequently by other characters and ethnicity is a major theme –
e.g., Aaron (Titus Andronicus) and Othello (Othello). By avoiding names that are specifically associative
with ethnic minorities, Shakespeare lends these major ethnic characters greater individuality and dignity.
the verisimilitude of his art. In contrast to Ben Jonson, and other theatrical rivals, Shakespeare used
relatively few names that are obviously descriptive – such as Frugal, Tradewell, or Stargaze in Jonson’s
The City Madam. Shakespeare’s naming shows that his imagination was focused on stage action rather than
on references that might appear in print. He designated a large percentage of characters actually appearing
on stage in terms of social groups, e.g., “Certaine Commoners” (Julius Caesar), and identified minor
individuals to clarify functional roles (“Messenger”) or for wordplay, e.g., “Cobbler” (Julius Caesar).
Shakespeare drew very clear distinctions in social class in his uses of socially distinctive names and formal
titles. He also made ethnic differences clear in the names where ethnicity seems unimportant to the action
(e.g., the spelling of Alonso in The Tempest), but he seems deliberately to have avoided common ethnic
associations when the names are mentioned frequently by other characters and ethnicity is a major theme –
e.g., Aaron (Titus Andronicus) and Othello (Othello). By avoiding names that are specifically associative
with ethnic minorities, Shakespeare lends these major ethnic characters greater individuality and dignity.