The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet

1. The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet By William Shakespeare

2. William ShakespeareApril 23, 1564-April 23, 1616

3. About Shakespeare • Considered to be the greatest dramatist of all time • Wrote 37 plays (comedies, tragedies, histories) • Wrote 154 sonnets (14 line poem) • Wrote 2 narratives

4. Family • Born in Stratford-upon-Avon (80 miles outside of London) • Raised in a middle class family • Parents: • John–glovemaker, very active in politics • Mary Arden–daughter of wealthy landowner

5. Education • Attended Stratford Grammar School until he was 12 years old • School lasted 9 hours a day all year • Students mainly studied Latin • Became interested in theater early in life

6. Shakespeare’s Home

7. Adult Life • Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 when he was 18 and she was 26 • Family moved to London and he joined a theater company as a minor actor & editor • Had three children: Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died when he was 11 years old.

8. Career • Was well-known in theatrical circles as an actor & playwright by the time he was 28 • Became member & stockholder of Lord Chamberlain’s Men (an acting company) • Lord Chamberlain’s Men was the most popular company of actors in England

9. More Career • Plague strikes London in 1592 and theaters closed due to 1000’s of deaths • Shakespeare was wealthy landowner and established playwright by 1590’s • Bought the Globe Theatre in 1599 • Retired in 1610 • Died from a fever on his birthday in 1616 • Buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford

10. The Globe Theatre

11. “All the World’s a Stage and Men and Women Merely Players”

12. Shakespearean TheatersLondon, 16th Century • Lots of rivalry amongst theaters • Extremely popular • No roof, no curtains, no stage settings • Daylight shows only • No scenery • No lighting • Atmosphere was created by words & actions

13. Shakespeare’s popularity was at it’s height during Queen Elizabeth’s reign

14. More About Theaters • First public theater (The Theatre) opened in 1576 (owned by James Burbage) • No females allowed to act • Young boys played the female parts (boys your age!!) • Actors often had more than one role

15. Theaters Again! • Plays were always packed • All types of people attended—rich, poor, literate, illiterate, royalty, peasants) • Audience ate & drank throughout performance (fruit, nuts, beer) • If the audience didn’t like the play they would throw their food at actors • Audiences loved excitement and action—especially bloody fight scenes

16. “Groundlings” paid one cent to stand in front of the main stage

17. Romeo & Juliet • Authorized & completed version printed in 1599 • Protagonists • Romeo • Juliet • Antagonists • Montagues vs. Capulets

18. “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life”

19. Romeo & Juliet • Setting • Renaissance (rebirth) • 14th or 15th century • Verona & Mantua (cities in Northern Italy) • Themes • The force of love • Love as a cause for violence • Individual vs. Society • Inevitability of fate

20. Source • Hadd, Cathi. English teacher. Brewer Middle School, 2007.