Shakespeare's Use of Vernacular LanguageThe evolution of written vernacular language began approximately in the 16th century and continues to change with each generation it sees. Profanity is recognized in many Shakespearean works and has continually evolved into the profane language used today. Some swear words have somehow retained their original meaning over hundreds of years, while many others have completely changed meaning or simply fallen out of use. William Shakespeare, although not widely taught, was not a very clean writer. In fact, he had a somewhat banal mouth. His works contained many things that some people wish they didn't have. “This includes its fair share of sex, violence, crime, horror, politics, religion, anti-authoritarianism, anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, sexism, jealousy, profanity, satire, and controversy of all kinds” (Macron 6). In his time, religious and moral curses were more offensive than biological curses. Most of Shakespeare's original works (before they were censored) contain very offensive profanity, mostly religious, which is probably one of the many reasons why his works were and are so popular. "Shakespeare pushed a lot of buttons in his day, and that's one of the reasons he was so extraordinarily popular. Despite what they tell you, people like to have their buttons pushed" (Macron 6). Because his works contained so many of these profane words or phrases, they were censored to protect the innocent minds of teenagers who are expected to read them, and also because they were blasphemous and offensive. Almost all the vulgarity was removed, and there was no reason for that anymore. Some of the Bard's censored oaths are: "God's blessing upon thy beard" Love's Labors Lost, II.i.203 This was a very unkind curse because a man's facial hair was a point of pride to him. and "playing with someone's beard" meant insulting him. “The Body of God”1 Henry IV,II.i.26Rating on the body of Christ (or any part of it) was forbidden in civil discourse. kinsmen, man"Hamlet, II.ii.529The word bod(y)kin means "little body" or "dear body," but adding the little suffix nice does not make this curse any more acceptable."By the [blessed] mother of God !"2 Henry VI, II.i;3 Henry VI, III.ii;Henry VIII, V.iSwearing on the virgin was almost as rude as swearing on the son, especially when addressing a Catholic cathedral as Gloucester did in 2 Henry VI, II.