Shakespeare: His Life and Times

Early Life Born April 23, 1564—died 1616 –In Stratford-upon-Avon Parents: John and Mary Arden Shakespeare Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner John—, local politician

Location of Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Probably attended King’s New School in Stratford (Little known about his childhood) Education

From: King’s New School

Married in 1582 to Anne Hathaway (26) He was 18! Had twins in 1585 (Hamnet & Judith) Sometime between , he moved to London and began working in theatre. Married Life

Not this one…

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Conditions in London-BAD! Thames River polluted with raw sewage Trees used up for fuel Poverty

Personal Hygiene/Disease Bathing considered dangerous Body odor strong Childhood diseases Children often died before 5 years

Living Conditions No running water Chamber Pots Open Sewers Crowded

One set used all year long, rarely washed Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed Clothes

Activity #1 Insults

Theater Career Performed in courtyards of inns The Theater-first public theater Daytime/open air Limited set design Relied on music, sound, costumes, props and great description

Member and later part-owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later called the King’s Men Globe Theater built in 1599 by L.C.M. with Shakespeare as primary investor three-stories high and had no roof. could together hold more than 1,500 people Theatre

The Globe Theater

The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

The Globe Theater

Actors All men Female parts played by young boys No actual kissing or hugging on stage

Groundlings Poor audience member Stood around stage in “the pit” Threw rotten vegetables at bad performances

The cost of attending a show 1 shilling to stand 2 shillings to sit in the balcony

The Plays 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare comedies histories Tragedies romances Collaborated on several others

Numerous poems 154 Sonnets The Poetry

Shakespeare’s death The cause of Shakespeare's death is a mystery He was 52. He is buried at Holy Trinity Church in his birthplace of Stratford.

Shakespeare’s epitaph An epitaph is an inscription on or at a tomb or a grave in memory of the one buried there. Shakespeare also wrote his own epitaph

 Use of disguises/ mistaken identity  Multiple marriages (in comedies)  Multiple murders (in tragedies)  Last speaker—highest in rank (in tragedies)

What is the English that Shakespeare used?? It makes no sense…

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare did NOT write in “Old English.” Old English is the language of Beowulf:Beowulf Hwaet! We Gardena in geardagum Þeodcyninga Þrym gefrunon Hu ða æÞelingas ellen fremedon! (Hey! We have heard of the glory of the Spear- Danes in the old days, the kings of tribes, how noble princes showed great courage!)

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare did not write in “Middle English.” Middle English is the language of Chaucer, the author of The Canterbury Tales: Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

The General Prologue Original Middle English: Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Modern Translation When fair April with his showers sweet, Has pierced the drought of March to the root's feet And bathed each vein in liquid of such power, Its strength creates the newly springing flower;

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English.” EME was not very different from “Modern English,” except that it had some old holdovers and omissions Uses prose and poetry A mix of old and very new Rural and urban words/images Understandable by the lowest peasant and the highest noble

A few examples of Shakespearean omissions/contractions follow: 'tis ~ it is ope ~ open o'er ~ over gi' ~ give ne'er ~ never i' ~ in e'er ~ ever oft ~ often e'en ~ even

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare coined many words we still use today: Critical Majestic Dwindle Fashionable Embrace (as a noun) Vulnerable

Activity #2 Looking at Sonnets

Elizabethan Theatrical Conventions

A theatrical convention is a suspension of reality.  No electricity  Women forbidden to act on stage  Minimal, contemporary costumes  Minimal scenery These control the dialogue. Good dialogue is key!

 Soliloquy-.  Aside  Blood and gore  Use of supernatural Types of speech

Activity #3 Elizabethan Commercial