How do Shakespeare’s plays use verse, prose, and songs for different kinds of characters?

In Shakespeare’s plays, the choice between verse, prose, and song was guided by the principle of decorum, which dictated that a character’s mode of speech should align with their social status and the emotional intensity of the situation.1

Verse

Shakespeare primarily utilized blank verse—unrhymed iambic pentameter—for kings, noblemen, and characters in elevated or tragic circumstances. This form allowed for a controlled, rhythmic expression that could convey complex emotions, grief, or philosophical reflection, particularly in soliloquies where a character reviews their thoughts aloud.213

Prose

Prose was typically reserved for characters of lower social standing, including servants, country bumpkins, and comic figures. While prose was historically associated with the comic stage, Shakespeare used it to provide a contrast to the elevated nature of verse, often reflecting the rhythms of ordinary, idiomatic conversation.13

Songs

Songs were generally assigned to specific character types: clowns, fools, rogues, and romantic heroines, as well as supernatural creatures. Songs served various dramatic functions, such as:41
* Establishing mood or character: Providing insight into a character's mental state, such as Ophelia’s descent into madness or Iago’s feigned soldierly persona.4
* Ritual and magic: Used for charms or blessings, as seen with the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Ariel in The Tempest.4
* Ironic commentary: Offering a layer of meaning that comments on the plot or other characters.4