William Shakespeare

Background Born on April 23rd ,1564 Stratford-upon-Avon Father-John Glove maker Mother-Mary Arden Good Catholic, wealthy Married Anne Hathaway He was 18 and she was 26 Moved to London in 1592 and became an actor and a playwright

History Elizabeth I was Queen on England England ruled the seas with its navy and was creating colonies all around the world In 1590 the plague came to London and shut down all the theaters. Why? Shakespeare began to write poetry at this time.

Shakespeare’s Theater Company name was Lord Chamberlain’s Men Most popular company for a decade! He had his own theater named “The Globe” Commoners and the wealthy came to plays Wrote many plays between 1599-1608 Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello Plays fall into three categories: histories, tragedies, and comedies

Death Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52 No one knows how he died-mystery!! Alcohol, murder, writer’s cramp!!

The Elizabethan Stage Different than today! Stage was round Audience involved (actors spoke to them and they answered back!) Yelled, laughed, taunted, talked, ate throughout! Politicians and clergy members against theater Took away from religion Theaters banned from London Moved to suburbs Surrounded by pubs and taverns and had thieves and pickpockets

The Globe

Theater Plays began with a raised flag-theme black-=tragedy White=comedy Red=history As you came in you placed money in a box “box office” Then you sat in the galleries on benches, on cushions in front of stage, on the stage itself, or stood in the back. It was stinky in there! Sweat, beer, garlic, etc!

The Globe Called “wooden O” Had 20 sides 3 tiers-heaven, earth, and hell Limited props and scenery Used words to describe No women on stage Few women characters in plays. Smart rather than pretty characters Burned down in 1613 when a prop canon exploded Puritans shut down all theaters in 1642 and in 1644 Globe was destroyed.