| Most Shakespearean kinship terms look the same as their modern counterparts. The chief exceptions are the terms for grandparents, grandam (KJ II.i.159) and grandsire (MW I.i.54) alongside grandmother and grandfather; stepdame (Cym I.vii.1) alongside stepmother; and sire and dam are also used as a contemptuous |
way of referrring to a father and mother, as in Queen Margaret’s insult to Richard, ‘thou art neither like thy sire nor dam’ (3H6 II.ii.135). But the familiar terms regularly have a wider range of application. |
Same-generation
Brother and sister are used to include in-laws and step-siblings
| Example |
People involved |
Text |
Relationship |
| KL IV.ii.15 |
Gonerill of Cornwall |
my brother |
Cornwall is her brother-in-law |
| R3 V.iii.96 |
Derby to Richmond |
thy brother, tender George |
George is his step-brother |
| R2 II.ii.90 |
York of the Duchess of Gloucester |
my sister Gloucester |
the Duchess is his sister-in-law |
Generation above
Mother and father are used to include in-laws and step-parents, though daughter-in law (AW I.iii.162), father-in-law (R3 I.iv.49), and stepmother (Cym I.ii.2) also occur.
| Example |
People involved |
Text |
Relationship |
| Cym V.v.270 |
Cymbeline to Innogen of the Queen |
thy mother |
the Queen is her stepmother |
| R3 V.ii.5 |
Richmond of Stanley |
our father Stanley |
Stanley is his stepfather |
In the following case, father-in-law is itself being used in a broader sense.
| Example |
People involved |
Text |
Relationship |
| R3 V.iii.82 |
Richmond to Derby |
noble father-in-law |
Derby is his stepfather |
Generation below
Son and daughter are used to include in-laws and step-children.
| Example |
People involved |
Text |
Relationship |
| Cym I.ii.1 |
Queen to Innogen |
you shall not find me, daughter |
Innogen is her stepdaughter |
| 2H4 II.iii.1 |
Northumberland to Lady Percy |
gentle daughter |
Lady Percy is his daughter-in-law |
| R3 II.i.19 |
King Edward to Lord Dorset |
son Dorset |
Dorset is his stepson |
| KLI i.41 |
Lear to Cornwall |
our son of Cornwall |
Cornwall is his son-in-law |
Nephew and niece includes other relatives alongside the modern use.
| Example |
People involved |
Text |
Relationship |
| TC I.ii.13 |
Alexander to Cressida, of Ajax |
nephew to Hector |
Ajax is Hector’s first cousin |
| R3 IV.i.1 |
Duchess of York of Lady Margaret |
my niece Plantagenet |
Lady Margaret is her granddaughter |
Cousin has the widest application of all: 
COUSIN