WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE English 12
SHAKESPEARE ( ) Author of 37 or 38 plays Comedies Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Tragedies Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello Histories Henry IV, Henry V, Richard II Wrote 154 poems and 2 length narrative poems Shakespearean Sonnet
SHAKESPEARE’S YOUNGER YEARS Born in Stratford-on-Avon Baptized April 26, 1564 Born April 23, 1564 Father: John Shakespeare Merchant Once active in the town government – Bailaff (mayor) Controversy and speculation about decline in fortune Mother: Mary Arden Came from a prominent family Attended Stratford grammar school for seven years Educated in Latin, the Bible, and English composition
FAMILY LIFE Got married at the age of 18 Married Anne Hathaway 26 years old Daughter of a farmer They had 3 children Susanna Twins – Hamnet and Judith Daughters grew up and married Son died at the age of 11 Uncertain how he supported his family in the early years – “Lost Years” Possibility he was a teacher for a few years
LIFE IN LONDON Uncertain when he moved to London No evidence his wife ever lived in London with him\ 1592 – evidence he worked as an actor and playwright Gained negative attention from Robert Greene Managing Partner in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men – acting company Changed to King’s Men after the crowning of King James I in 1603 First became famous for the poems Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594)
SHAKESPEARE’S EARLY PLAYS Wrote a variety of plays All 3 genres Immensely popular and often revived and performed Richard III, The Comedy of Errors, Titus Andronicus, The Taming of the Shrew, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet
YEARS OF PROSPERITY Purchased the second largest house in Stratford, New Place, for his family Rarely visited his family In 1599, he joined with a few other members of his company and financed a new theater, The Globe Theater. Now known as a playwright, actor, and shareholder in a theater Regularly associated with the Aristocracy Prospered under Queen Elizabeth Henry IV, Henry V, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Hamlet
YEARS OF PROSPERITY Prospered even more under King James of Scotland Shakespeare took advantage of the Plague in order to perform his plays for the King outside of London King James: Took the company under his patronage Renamed them the King’s Men Gave them permission to perform anywhere within his realm Gave them special clothing for State occasions Increased their salaries Appointed chief members to be grooms of the royal chamber
TRAGIC OR GLORIOUS? Wrote his greatest tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra Wrote two comedies All’s Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure Seems to be a tragic time Relation of written works to personal life? Glorious time for his career
SHAKESPEARE’S LAST YEARS 1610 – Shakespeare decided to retire to home in Stratford Still maintained the management of the King’s Men and their theaters Wrote a variety of plays Pericles, The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest, Henry VIII, Timon of Athens 1613 – fire at the Globe Blackfriars Theater (indoor theater) was used for performances Globe rebuilt and reopened in 1614 Died on April 23, 1616 Buried under Stratford Church Epitaph warned others not to dig him up and transfer him to the graveyard or be cursed
MASTER PLAYWRITE Wrote for his actors No actresses Very few mothers Female characters disguise themselves as men Expectation of music Suited the actors Double/triple casting Small cast Careful planning of scenes
SHAKESPEARE’S LEGACY Depiction of human nature Imaginative Entertainment Racy subject matter?
TAMING OF THE SHREW Comedy Depicts and satirizes unfair social customs and courting practices Satire – use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize people’s stupidity or vices Relies heavily on farce Farce – horseplay, exaggeration, unrealistic or improbable situations Sexism Conflict between Katharina and Petruchio