Shakespeare: His Life and Times Adapted from

Early Life Watch this short biography! 41vbMI 41vbMI Born 1564—died 1616 Stratford-upon-Avon Parents: John and Mary Arden Shakespeare Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner John—glovemaker, local politician

From: Location of Stratford-upon-Avon

As reproduced in William Rolfe, Shakespeare the Boy (1896). Stratford-on-Avon in Shakespeare’s Time

From Stratford’s web site: Stratford-upon-Avon Today

From: Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Probably attended King’s New School in Stratford Educated in: Rhetoric Logic History Latin Education

From: King’s New School

Married in 1582 to Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant at the time with their first daughter Had twins in 1585– Hamnet and Judith Sometime between , he moved to London and began working in theatre. Married Life

From: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

In London he became a shareholder in an acting company called The Lord Chamberlain’s Men as well as the primary playwright, actor, and part owner of the Globe. In Shakespeare’s time, actors were called players. Female roles were commonly played by adolescent boys.

The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

The Globe Theater Take a virtual tour of the Globe! vies/sound_globe.swf

He would often perform at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

The Plays 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare 14 comedies 10 histories 10 tragedies 4 romances Possibly wrote three others Collaborated on several others

The Poetry: During the years of the plague, he would write poetry since the theaters were often closed. It was considered by the Elizabethans to be more important to write poetry than to write plays. He wrote 154 sonnets.

After the plague he wrote about 2 plays a year. Again, Shakespeare wrote a total of 38 plays. This made William a wealthy man.

His first play performed at the Globe Theater was Julius Caesar.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth, her successor King James I licensed Shakespeare and his acting group to be called “The King’s Men”.

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare did NOT write in “Old English.” Old English is the language of Beowulf: Hwaet! We Gardena in geardagum Þeodcyninga Þrym gefrunon Hu ða æÞelingas ellen fremedon! (Translation: “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, who wrote The Canterbury Tales. WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote 11 The droghte 2 of Marche hath perced to the roote,2 And bathed every veyne in swich 3 licour,3 Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth 5 Inspired hath in every holt 4 and heeth4 The tendre croppes, 5 and the yonge sonne5 Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, 66 And smale fowles maken melodye, That slepen al the night with open ye, 10 (So priketh hem nature in hir corages: 77 Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmers for to seken straunge strondes, 88 To ferne halwes, 9 couthe 10 in sondry londes;910 And specially, from every shires ende 15 Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English or Elizabethan English EME was not very different from “Modern English”

Shakespeare’s Language A mix of old and very new Rural and urban words/images Understandable by the lowest peasant and the highest noble

TRAGEDY Tragedy: a play that traces the downfall of a tragic hero; ends unhappily for the hero Tragic hero is noble in many ways but has a flaw to his character Tragedies have scenes of comic relief All Shakespearean plays have 5 acts: two main types include tragedies and comedies. A comedy ends happily for the main character.

 Soliloquy  Aside  Monologue Speech made by one character alone on stage A “side” comment made by a character- not heard by other characters on stage A speech made by one character; other characters may be present Speech made by one character alone on stage A “side” comment made by a character- not heard by other characters on stage A speech made by one character; other characters may be present

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

At the end of his life, Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon to retire. He died in 1616– on his birthday. He is buried at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford.

He is considered the greatest dramatist in the world.

He is considered the greatest English poet.