Shakespeare: His Life and Times Adapted from

Early Life 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 Sometime between , he moved to London and began working in theatre. Married Life

From: Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

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 Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays Theatre Career

The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

The Globe Theater

The Plays 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare 13 comedies 10 histories 10 tragedies 4 romances Possibly wrote three others Collaborated on several others

Two major poems Venus and Adonis Rape of Lucrece 154 Sonnets Numerous other poems The Poetry

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! (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 Gawain-poet, and Malory: We redeth oft and findeth y-write— And this clerkes wele it wite— Layes that ben in harping Ben y-founde of ferli thing… (Sir Orfeo)

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English.” EME was not very different from “Modern English,” except that it had some old holdovers.

Shakespeare’s Language Shakespeare coined many words we still use today: Critical Majestic Dwindle And quite a few phrases as well: One fell swoop Flesh and blood Vanish into thin air See

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

Elizabethan Era Known for theater, but Elizabethans considered drama a lower form of literature than poetry. English Renaissance called Elizabethan Age ( ), after Queen Elizabeth I (reigned from ). Elizabeth – shrewd and charismatic Controlled religious conflict, helped the nation from foreign enemies, helped the economy grow

Elizabethan Era English women had limited rights. Commoners suffered from poor diet and crowded living conditions. The people were vulnerable to outbreaks of the bubonic plague. In 1564, the plague killed nearly a third of the people in Shakespeare’s hometown. Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, and King James of Scotland assumed the English throne. He was a supporter of the arts and literature. He renamed Shakespeare’s theater company to the King’s Men.

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.

Audience loves to be scared.  Soliloquy  Aside Types of speech  Blood and gore  Use of supernatural

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