Exploring Words with AY Ending in Shakespeare’s Iconic Rhymes and Verse

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” These immortal words from Sonnet 18 instantly evoke the beauty and musicality of William Shakespeare’s poetry. But have you ever paused to consider why so many of his most memorable lines end with that bright, resonant “ay” sound? Words with ay ending—such as day, way, stay, may, pray, and away—appear repeatedly throughout his sonnets, plays, and verses, creating rhymes that linger in the ear and deepen emotional impact.

In Shakespeare’s time, the “ay” sound (pronounced as the long /eɪ/ diphthong) was one of the most versatile and frequently used rhyme sounds in English poetry. It provided a sense of openness, lightness, and resolution that perfectly suited the themes of love, time, mortality, and fate that dominate his work. This comprehensive exploration delves into why Shakespeare favored these words, lists the most common ones with examples from his canon, analyzes their role in famous sonnets and plays, and offers insights for modern readers, students, and writers seeking to appreciate or emulate his masterful rhyming technique.

Drawing from authoritative sources such as the First Folio, modern scholarly editions (including the Riverside Shakespeare and Arden series), and linguistic studies of Early Modern English pronunciation, this article uncovers the phonetic and poetic power of “ay”-ending words in the Bard’s iconic rhymes and verse.

Why the “Ay” Sound Dominates Shakespeare’s Rhyming

Shakespeare wrote during a period of rapid linguistic evolution known as Early Modern English (roughly 1500–1700). The Great Vowel Shift was reshaping how English speakers pronounced long vowels, making certain sounds more prominent and flexible for rhyming.

The Phonetics of “Ay” in Shakespeare’s Time

In Elizabethan English, the “ay” spelling typically represented the diphthong /eɪ/, similar to modern “day” or “say.” However, regional variations and ongoing sound changes made it even more open and versatile than today. Linguists like David Crystal, in works on Original Pronunciation (OP), note that this sound was brighter and more forward in the mouth, contributing to the musical quality of Shakespeare’s verse when performed aloud.

Unlike some vowel sounds that were shifting unpredictably (e.g., the “prove/love” rhyme that worked in Shakespeare’s era but not now), the /eɪ/ sound remained stable and abundant in everyday vocabulary. Words ending in “ay” were common in themes central to Shakespeare’s writing: time (day, decay), direction (way, away), permission (may), and supplication (pray). This natural abundance made “ay” an ideal anchor for rhymes, providing emotional uplift or poignant closure.

Rhyme Schemes That Favor “Ay” Words

The English (or Shakespearean) sonnet form—ABAB CDCD EFEF GG—lends itself perfectly to “ay” rhymes. The final couplet (GG) often delivers a volta, or thematic turn, and Shakespeare frequently placed “ay”-ending words here for maximum memorability and impact.

In his plays, rhyming couplets mark exits, soliloquies, or moments of high emotion. Early romantic comedies like Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are rich in rhyme, while later tragedies shift toward blank verse—but even there, strategic “ay” rhymes punctuate key speeches.

The “ay” sound’s openness contrasts beautifully with closed sounds, creating a sense of resolution or longing. As scholar Helen Vendler observes in her analyses of the sonnets, these rhymes often underscore themes of transience: beauty fades like a summer’s day, love must find its way, or youth cannot stay.

The Most Common Words with AY Ending in Shakespeare’s Works

Shakespeare’s canon contains over 884,000 words (per Open Source Shakespeare statistics). Among them, words spelled with “ay” endings (or pronounced similarly) appear thousands of times. Using concordances like Martin Spevack’s A Complete and Systematic Concordance to the Works of William Shakespeare and digital tools such as Open Source Shakespeare, we can identify the most frequent and impactful ones.

Here is a curated list of the top “ay”-ending words, ranked approximately by frequency, with examples from key works:

Other notable “ay” words include nay (denial), decay (mortality), betray (treachery), delay (procrastination, as in Hamlet), display, array, obey, and convey.

These words often cluster thematically: “day/may/decay” in time sonnets; “way/stay/away” in love and parting scenes.

Shakespeare’s Masterful Use of “Ay” Rhymes in the Sonnets

Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets are a treasure trove of “ay” rhymes, particularly in the Fair Youth sequence (1–126) and Dark Lady (127–154).

Sonnet 18 – “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

The opening line sets the tone with “day,” rhyming later with “May” and resolved in the couplet:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Here, “day/May” evokes seasonal beauty and brevity. The couplet turns triumphant:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Though not directly “ay,” the structure builds toward eternal preservation, contrasting transient “ay” words.

Sonnet 73 – “That time of year thou mayst in me behold”

This meditation on aging uses “day/away” hauntingly:

In me thou see’st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away…

The “day/away” rhyme underscores inevitable loss, amplifying melancholy.

Other Notable Sonnets

• Sonnet 116: “Let me not to the marriage of true minds / Admit impediments” – uses implied direction with “way.”
• Sonnet 130: Parodies Petrarchan ideals: “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” – subversive non-“ay” rhymes highlight realism.
• Sonnet 33: “Full many a glorious morning have I seen” – “day” rhymes with decay themes.

“Ay” Rhymes in Shakespeare’s Plays: From Comedy to Tragedy

While Shakespeare’s sonnets showcase the lyrical precision of “ay” rhymes, his plays deploy them for dramatic effect, marking pivotal moments, exits, or emotional crescendos. The use of rhyme, particularly in early works, reflects the Elizabethan taste for musicality, while later tragedies use “ay” words more sparingly for heightened impact.

Early Comedies and Romantic Plays

In romantic comedies like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet, “ay” rhymes abound in love scenes and playful exchanges. For example, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Act 3, Scene 2), the fairy Puck’s mischievous spells lead to rhymed couplets:

Follow my voice; we’ll try no manhood here. Away, away, for now the moon doth shine.

The “away/shine” pairing (with “away” as a near-rhyme to “ay” sounds) creates a sense of fleeting magic. Similarly, in Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2), the balcony scene uses “day” and “way” to underscore the lovers’ urgency:

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night.

Here, “day” elevates Juliet’s beauty to cosmic proportions, with “ay” sounds reinforcing the lovers’ fleeting time.

Tragedies and Histories: “Ay” as Emotional Climax

In later tragedies, Shakespeare shifts to blank verse but reserves “ay” rhymes for moments of intense emotion or closure. In King Lear (Act 5, Scene 3), Lear’s desperate plea over Cordelia’s body includes:

Pray you, undo this button: thank you, sir.

The word “pray” carries a supplicatory weight, its “ay” sound lingering as a cry of despair. Similarly, in Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5), Macbeth’s reflection on time uses “day” to mark life’s futility:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.

The repetition of “day” (with its /eɪ/ sound) underscores the relentless march toward death.

In histories like Richard II, “ay” words like “way” and “stay” appear in deposition scenes, emphasizing loss of power. These examples show how Shakespeare used “ay” rhymes selectively to amplify emotional stakes.

The Role of “Ay” in Shakespeare’s Songs and Ballads

Shakespeare’s plays often include songs, many of which rely on “ay” rhymes for their lyrical quality. These songs, performed by fools, clowns, or lovers, use simple language and repetitive rhymes to appeal to both groundlings and nobility.

Feste’s Song in Twelfth Night

In Twelfth Night (Act 5, Scene 1), Feste’s closing song includes:

When that I was and a little tiny boy, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, A foolish thing was but a toy, For the rain it raineth every day.

The “day” rhyme, paired with the refrain’s “hey,” creates a folk-like simplicity that masks deeper melancholy. The “ay” sound ties the song to themes of time and endurance.

Ariel’s Songs in The Tempest

In The Tempest, Ariel’s songs like “Come unto these yellow sands” and “Full fathom five” use “ay” words (play, away) to evoke enchantment. The sprightly /eɪ/ sound mirrors the island’s magical atmosphere, drawing listeners into Prospero’s world.

These songs demonstrate how “ay” rhymes contribute to the oral tradition, making Shakespeare’s works accessible and memorable.

How “Ay” Rhymes Reflect Elizabethan Culture and Language

The prevalence of “ay” words in Shakespeare’s rhymes reflects broader linguistic and cultural trends of the Elizabethan era.

Poetic Conventions and Audience Expectations

Elizabethan audiences prized rhyme as a sign of wit and artistry. Poets like Sir Philip Sidney and Edmund Spenser also used “ay” rhymes in works like Astrophil and Stella and The Faerie Queene, setting a precedent Shakespeare both followed and subverted. By clustering “ay” words in sonnets and plays, Shakespeare met audience expectations while innovating within the form.

Thematic Resonance of “Ay” Words

Many “ay” words align with Shakespeare’s recurring themes:

• Time and Mortality: Day, decay, away evoke the fleeting nature of life (central to Sonnets 18, 73, and Macbeth).
• Love and Desire: May, stay, play suggest possibility and intimacy (Romeo and Juliet, Sonnet 116).
• Power and Betrayal: Pay, betray, obey underscore political and personal conflicts (King Lear, The Merchant of Venice).

This thematic alignment made “ay” rhymes a natural vehicle for Shakespeare’s ideas.

Practical Applications for Modern Readers and Writers

Understanding Shakespeare’s use of “ay” rhymes offers practical benefits for students, educators, performers, and writers.

For Students and Educators

When studying Shakespeare, focus on “ay” rhymes to:

• Trace thematic patterns (e.g., time in Sonnet 73).
• Analyze rhyme schemes for insight into structure.
• Compare original pronunciation (OP) to modern readings for performance authenticity.

For Writers and Poets

Modern writers can emulate Shakespeare by:

• Using “ay” words for lyrical or emotional effect in poetry.
• Experimenting with couplets to close stanzas, mimicking the sonnet’s volta.
• Incorporating “ay” sounds in dialogue for a Shakespearean tone.

For Performers

Actors can emphasize “ay” rhymes in delivery to highlight emotional beats or character intent. Rehearsing with OP resources (e.g., David Crystal’s recordings) can bring out the sound’s musicality.

Expert Insights and FAQs

Expert Insights

Dr. Emma Smith, a Shakespeare scholar at Oxford, notes in This Is Shakespeare that rhymes like “day/May” are “deliberate aural signposts” guiding audiences through complex ideas. Similarly, linguist David Crystal emphasizes that the /eɪ/ sound’s clarity made it ideal for the Globe’s acoustics, ensuring rhymes carried to all spectators.

FAQs

Q: Why did Shakespeare use so many “ay” rhymes? A: The /eɪ/ sound was phonetically versatile, thematically rich, and aligned with Elizabethan poetic conventions. It suited the sonnet form and dramatic couplets.

Q: Are “ay” rhymes pronounced differently today? A: Modern /eɪ/ is close to Shakespeare’s pronunciation, though Elizabethan accents were more open. Original Pronunciation resources can clarify differences.

Q: Which sonnet has the most “ay” rhymes? A: Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee”) is iconic for its “day/May” pairing, but Sonnet 73 (“That time of year”) uses “day/away” for poignant effect.

Words with ay ending are more than a poetic quirk in Shakespeare’s works—they are a window into his artistry, Elizabethan language, and universal themes of love, time, and loss. From the radiant “summer’s day” of Sonnet 18 to the despairing “pray” of King Lear, these rhymes shape some of the most unforgettable moments in English literature. By exploring their phonetic roots, frequency, and dramatic functions, readers can deepen their appreciation of Shakespeare’s genius and even apply his techniques in modern writing and performance.