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Bardolater

Literary Character
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A devotee who idolizes a particular poet to an excessive degree, often uncritically praising their work as infallible or transcendent.

Detailed Definition
A bardolater is an excessive admirer or worshipper of a poet (often Shakespeare, dubbed “the Bard”), treating their work with near-religious reverence; the term, coined by George Bernard Shaw, critiques uncritical veneration that stifles interpretive or critical engagement.
Example
Example in poetry:
A bardolater treats Shakespeare as beyond criticism, echoing George Bernard Shaw’s complaint that “Bardolatry” can replace judgment; A reviewer who dismisses all new drama because it lacks Hamlet’s “universal” genius is a bardolater; In a comic poem, a teacher calls every clever metaphor “pure Shakespeare,” exposing excessive reverence; A student may contrast bardolatry with close reading by admiring Sonnet 18 while still questioning its conventions of beauty
Additional Notes
Excessive admirer or worshipper of bards, especially Shakespeare. Term often used ironically. Related to bardolatry. Shakespeare called "The Bard." Indicates reverence bordering on idolatry. Use with awareness of connotations.
Also Known As
Shakespeare worshipper Bard idolizer Shakespeare devotee Stratford cultist
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