William Shakespeare (his life and times)

1. William Shakespeare(his life and times)

2. 1485-1625THE RENAISSANCEELIZABETHAN ERA • A time of rebirth for the arts and literature • Named for Queen Elizabeth I • Politics and religion were intertwined • Age of Exploration • Age of Discovery

3. Elizabethan Era –continuedBANN • A notice of intended marriage • A legal, binding contract • Therefore, 1 in 3 brides are pregnant on their wedding day.

4. The Elizabethan Era – Bad Times • #1 Killer – Bubonic Plague • Nearly half of all babies born died of disease, infection, or poor diet. Over 20% of those who survived died before reaching adulthood. • And Yet… London, 1563 – population 93,000 London, 1605 – population 224,000

5. Which is Surprising because… • Toothbrushes won’t be invented for another century. • People rarely bathed. • Many people have stomach pains and sores all over their bodies.

6. Children had to work as soon as they were big enough (6) • Ditches are public toilets • Butchers throw dead carcasses into the streets • Doctors’ primary methods of care: leeches and amputations • 10,000 homeless people wandered the streets of London

7. Working for the Weekend • Theatre • Bear and bull baiting • Cockfighting • Brawling and rioting • Witching burning • Public executions

8. William Shakespeare • Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.

9. Parents • Father: John glove maker, wool merchant, and “High Bailiff” mayor; died 1601 • Mother: Mary Arden, daughter of a successful farmer; died 1608 • 3rd of 8 children • First born son Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon http://www.aboutbritain.com/ShakespearesBirthplace.htm

10. Education • Began at about age 5 • Stratford grammar school • Long days: 6 a.m.-5:30 p.m. • Year-round school (except major holidays) Shakespeare’s School Room, King Edward VI School

11. Marriage – Rock the Cradle of Love • He married Anne Hathaway on Nov. 1582. • He was 18; she was 26 and pregnant Anne Hathaway’s Cottage http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/hathaway.htm

12. Children • Susanna: born May 26, 1583; married Dr. John Hall in 1607; had one child Elizabeth; died 1649 • Hamnet: a twin born February 2, 1585; died at age 11 and buried on August 11, 1596 • Judith: a twin born February 2, 1585; married Thomas Quiney and had 3 children (none lived to be older than 21); died 1662

13. The Lost Years1585-1592 There is no documented record of Shakespeare’s activities from the birth of the twins until 1592. Theories • forced to flee Stratford to escape prosecution for poaching deer • Soldier • Sailor • studied law • studied medicine • worked as an apprentice actor/writer

14. The Theater – In 1592, we the first documented evidence of Shakespeare’s rise to prominence in the London theatre • He was an actor and a playwright • Part owner of the acting company he wrote for, Lord Chamberlain’s Men • LC’sM renamed King’s Men after James was king in 1603 • He became rich from acting company rather than sale of plays

15. The Globe • First opened in 1599 • Destroyed by fire in 1613 • Rebuilt in 1614 • Demolished by the Puritans in 1640s • Reopened in 1997 today 1614 reconstruction

17. More on The Globe • It accommodated an audience of about 3000 people from all social classes. • The Globe was open to the sky. • The groundlings stood on the three sides of the raised stage. • Richer people paid extra money for seats. • The stage is 40 feet across and 27 feet deep. • Scenery was minimal. • Women were forbidden from acting in public.

18. Plays, Sonnets, and More • 37 plays: comedy, history, tragedy • Over 150 sonnets • 2 lengthy narrative poems • Comedy History Tragedy All’s Well That Ends Well Henry IV, pt 1 Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It Henry IV, pt 2 Coriolanus The Comedy of Errors Henry V Hamlet Cymbeline Henry VI, pt 1 Julius Caesar Love’s Labours Lost Henry VI, pt 2 King Lear Measure for Measure Henry VI, pt 3 Macbeth The Merry Wives of Windsor Henry VIII Othello The Merchant of Venice King John Romeo and Juliet A Midsummer Night’s Dream Richard II Timon of Athens Much Ado About Nothing Richard III Titus Andronicus Pericles, Prince of Tyre Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter’s Tale

19. Our Language, Thanks to Shakespeare • Words that first appeared in his plays: • Admirable attorney bedroom • Distasteful fashionable frugal • Laughable mimic successful • Phrases: • “at one fell swoop” or “sick at heart” • Sentences: • “all the world’s a stage” • “to thine own self be true” • “the course of true love never did run smooth”

20. More Words and Phrases . . . • Of the 17,677 words that Shakespeare used in all of his plays and sonnets, he was the first to use over 1,700 of them. He wrote many of the words and phrases that we consider clichés today. Which of the following words and phrases do you think Shakespeare coined? Heartsick Heart of gold One fell swoop Long-haired Naked truth Foregone conclusion Break the ice It’s Greek to me Hot-blooded Eat out of house and home Leapfrog Too much of a good thing Fancy-free Wear one’s hear on one’s sleeve Live-long day The milk of human kindness

21. Even More Words and Phrases • Some of the words we write and speak today in the English language many not have come into use without Shakespeare. The following is a list of some of the words he was first to write: gnarled frugal bump countless lonely eventful dwindle radiance control laughable misplaced impartial amazement obscene generous hurry road critic

22. His Gravesite • Died April 23, 1616 of unknown causes • Shakespeare is buried at Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford • An inscription on his tombstone reads: Good friend, for Jesus´ sake forbeare To digg the dust enclosed here! Blese be y man that spares thes stones And curst be he that moves my bones.

24. Stratford Today

25. William’s Will • Dated March 25, 1616 • 10 pounds to “the poor of Stratford” • Money to 3 actors of his company • 150 pounds to Judith (another 150 pounds 3 years later) • Most to his daughter Susanna • Wife, Anne, afterthought, “Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture”

26. Miscellaneous Notes • Romeo and Juliet is based on a poem. • The play takes place in the 14th century in Verona, Italy. • Most marriages during this time were arranged. • Marriages took place at a younger age. • Romantic love was recognized as a powerful force, but society did not generally view it as the basis of a sound marriage.

27. Drama Terms • Aside: A comment by a character onstage that is intended to be heard by the audience, but not by other characters. • Foreshadowing: Hints to the audience of what will happen later. • Monologue: A lengthy speech addressed to other characters on the stage, not to the audience. • Soliloquy: A relatively long speech in which the character talks to the audience or to no one in particular, expressing the character’s innermost thoughts or providing background information for the audience.

28. Couplet: Two consecutive lines that rhyme Foil:A foil is a person who contrasts with another character in order to highlight various features of the main character's personality

29. Be familiar with… • Imagery • Simile • Metaphor • Dramatic Irony

30. On a piece of binder paper, agree or disagree with the following statements: • I believe in love at first sight. • My parents know more about love and relationships than I do. • I would be willing to die for a friend. • Sometimes it is necessary to disobey your parents. • Older people are more prejudiced than young people. • There is never a good reason to kill someone. • You shouldn’t fight your friends’ fights. *What do you know or think you know about the play Romeo and Juliet?

31. Ongoing assignment for Romeo and Juliet 19 page Studyguide worth 60 points.

32. First Folio • Written by John Heminges & Henry Condell (actors) • Published in 1623 • 36 of his plays included (18 for the first time) • “to keep the memory of so worthy a friend and fellow alive”

33. 1. Please open your books to page 769. Read “Literary Analysis” and “Reading Strategy.2. In your notebook, paraphrase the Prologue on 771. 3. Preview Act I for possible reading parts.