What do dashes mean in Shakespeare?
Dashes (—) in Shakespeare indicate that the character is changing who s/he is speaking to. The changes for an actor are similar to those needed with parenthetical statements. Always look to understand the new thought in connection to the thru-thought or thought that comes before the dash.
What is the purpose of using dashes?
A dash is a punctuation mark that is used to separate one part of the sentence from another to indicate a break or an abrupt change in the thought flow. On the other hand, a hyphen is used to connect two words to form compound words.
What is the purpose of dashes in literature?
Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: Example: “Help!
What is the purpose of em dashes?
The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.