WARNING! Spoilers for Captain America & Volstagg #1

Thor is one of Marvel's greatest heroes and a vital member of the Avengers, yet his Shakespearean speech patterns continue to confound many readers despite his extraordinary feats. Now, a surprising secret from the God of Thunder's past that influences this defining trait has been revealed, as Marvel sheds light on the origin story behind Thor's iconic - yet ittedly peculiar - form of speech.

In Captain America & Volstagg #1 by J. Michael Straczynski, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, and Joe Caramagna, Steve Rogers is recruited by Volstagg, one of Thor's trusted Warriors Three allies. Donning Asgardian armor to befit his role in defending the world from a threat, Steve takes a moment to ask Volstagg about why he isn't speaking in Asgardians' usual Shakespearean manner.

Volstagg explains that Asgardians learn how to speak a language from whoever instructs them, and he says that Thor learned English from poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer. The knowledge that Chaucer was the one to influence Thor's speech provides critical insight into why the hero sounds the way he does.

Marvel Just Revealed Why Thor Speaks in Shakespearean Dialect

Thor and the Asgardians Learned English from Geoffrey Chaucer

For those unfamiliar with his work, Geoffrey Chaucer was an English writer who spearheaded English literature in notable ways during the 14th century, preceding even Shakespeare as his works were written in his Middle English dialect that is often mistaken for the latter playwright's Early Modern English. His most famous work is The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories that feature various characters as they recount their pilgrimages to the Canterbury Cathedral. Anyone who's read these stories can draw connections between Chaucer's writing and Thor's speech patterns, and Marvel has finally verified the connection after years of speculation.

Since his very first appearance in 1962's Journey into Mystery #83, Thor has spoken in a dialect that's often likened to Shakespeare's prose. However, now Chaucer has been cited as a direct influence upon the God of Thunder's vocabulary, and the comparison tracks in the words he utilizes. For instance, one of Thor's most epic quotes can be found in The Avengers #22 by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez, in which he says, “Ultron. We would have words with thee.” The use of "thee" in that sentence is typical of Middle English and appears frequently throughout Chaucer's work, affirming Volstagg's claim.

One of Thor's Greatest Mysteries Has Been Solved at Long Last

Marvel Has Finally Justified Asgardians' Most Baffling Characteristic

This moment between Volstagg and Captain America is far from the first time that Marvel has addressed Thor's unusual speech pattern, and it's even been criticized by other characters in the comics. In The Incredible Hercules #131 by Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak, Hercules confronts his other half and makes fun of his Shakespearean language and English accent for making "absolutely no sense", indirectly calling out Thor for speaking in a similar manner. Now that Volstagg has revealed Chaucer's connection to Asgard, though, Thor and his fellow Asgardians' vocabulary is far less nonsensical and can finally be explained properly.

Captain America & Volstagg #1 is available now from Marvel Comics!