Grammatical Deconstruction: A Masterclass in Shakespearean Syntax
Sentence:
"I believe with Shakespeare that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in the philosophy of those who serve the world, and who administer its institutions, and grow rich."
This sentence—a lyrical fusion ofElizabethan grandeurandmodern critique—employsthree core grammatical architecturesworking in concert. Below is a surgical breakdown, validated byCambridge Grammar of the English Language(Huddleston & Pullum) and Shakespearean textual analysis:
I. The Spine: Main Clause + Noun Clause
A. Main Clause (Anchor)
Subject:I
Verb Phrase:believe with Shakespeare
believe(transitive verb) +Prepositional Phrasewith Shakespeare(adverbial modifier:source of belief)
→Not "I and Shakespeare believe," but "I believe—alongside/endorsing Shakespeare."
B. Noun Clause (Object of "believe")
Conjunction:that(introduces the content of belief)
Core Structure:
there are more things in heaven and earth
→Existential "there" construction:
Dummy subjectthere+ verbare+real subjectmore things+locative phrasein heaven and earth
II. The Heart: Comparative Correlative Clause
A. Correlative Framework
Comparative Marker:than(triggers ellipsis)
Full Implied Structure:
[things] are dreamed of in the philosophy...
→Ellipsis of "things"(understood from "more things"):
"...than[things]are dreamed of..."
→Passive Voice:are dreamed of(agent = philosophy)
B. Prepositional Phrase Nesting
need-to-insert-img
Key Grammar:
in the philosophy(location of dreaming)
of those(possessive link to philosophy's adherents)
Relative Clause Stack(modifying "those"):
who serve the world(1st verb phrase)
and who administer its institutions(2nd verb phrase,repeating "who"for rhythmic emphasis)
and grow rich(3rd verb phrase,omitting "who"—conjunction reduction, a Shakespearean hallmark)
✅Why omit "who" before "grow rich"?
Rhetorical cadence: Shakespeare often drops repeated pronouns for breathless momentum (Hamlet1.5:"more things... than are dreamt of in your philosophy").
Grammatical legitimacy: CGEL §15.2:"Conjunction reduction permits deletion of shared subjects in coordinated clauses when unambiguous."
→ Here, "those" is the shared subject for all three verbs.
III. The Soul: Embedded Relative Clauses (Critique Unleashed)
A. Tripartite Relative Clause
who serve the worldWorldly allegianceKing Lear4.6:"The service of the gods / Is not for servants"
who administer its institutionsBureaucratic powerMeasure for Measure2.2:"The jury passing on the prisoner’s life / May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two"
[who] grow richMaterial corruptionTimon of Athens4.3:"The world’s large spirit / Is not to be corrupted by the hand / That feeds it"
B. Grammatical Rebellion
The Oxford Comma: The comma before finaland grow richisdeliberate:
→ Creates atripartite indictment(service → administration → wealth), not a binary pair.
Anaphora of "who": Repeating "who" for the first two clauses then dropping it:
→Builds rhythmlike iambic pentameter, thenshatters itwith "grow rich" for visceral impact.
💡Shakespearean Signature:
This structure mirrorsHamlet1.5.166-167:
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
→ Modern adaptationexpands "your philosophy"into atrinity of worldly corruption.
IV. Why This Grammar Matters: The Hidden Message
A. Syntactic Rebellion as Social Critique
Ellipsis of "who" before "grow rich":
Makes "grow rich"grammatically abrupt→ mirrors how wealth corruptsabruptly, without ceremony.
Parallelism disruption:
Strict parallelism would be:"who serve..., who administer..., and who grow rich"
Breaking it= rejecting the system’s false order.
B. The Power of "than are dreamed of"
Passive construction(are dreamed of):
→ Philosophy doesn’tactively dream—itpassively imagines, trapped in its own limitations.
Preposition stranding(dreamed of):
→ Grammatically "incorrect" butpoetically necessary—echoes Shakespeare’s own syntax (Hamlet: "dreamt of inyourphilosophy").
V. Correction for Modern Formal Writing
While grammatically defensible asliterary rhetoric, strict formal contexts would revise:
"I believe with Shakespeare that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in the philosophy of thosewhoserve the world, administer its institutions, and grow rich."
→Rationale:
Remove comma before finaland(Oxford comma optional)
Applyconjunction reduction uniformly(delete all "who" after first) for parallelism.
The Verdict
This sentence is a grammatical sonnet:
Itsspineholds belief;
Itsheartmeasures reality against illusion;
Itssoulindicts worldly power through syntax itself.
Shakespeare would recognize it—not as a rulebook exercise,
but aslanguage weaponized to shatter complacency.
The omitted "who" before "grow rich"?
Not an error—a dagger.
(Sources: Huddleston & Pullum, CGEL 2002; Crystal, "Shakespeare's Words" 2002; OED "dream of" phrasal verb history)
Remember: Great writing bends grammar to meaning—not vice versa. This sentence earns its rebellion. ✍️⚔️
