William Shakespeare’s Life and Theater Introduction to our study of Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare’s Early Life Born in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 26, 1564 The son of a wealthy wool and leather merchant Married Ann Hathaway at age 18 (she was 26)

Shakespeare’s Adult Life Moved to London by 1592 and became known as an actor and a playwright. Formed a company of actors known as The King’s Men Died on or around his birthday in 1616

His Works Wrote 37 plays Genres: Tragedies, Comedies, and Histories Wrote over 157 sonnets and other poems A few of his many notable plays: Hamlet Julius Caesar Much Ado About Nothing MacBeth The Taming of the Shrew Othello

Famous Lines and Expressions It was Greek to me.–Julius Caesar. Love is blind.–The Merchant of Venice Parting is such sweet sorrow.–Romeo and Juliet. To thine own self be true.–Hamlet. To be, or not to be: that is the question.–Hamlet. Come what may.–Macbeth. Dish fit for the gods.–Julius Caesar. Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble.–Macbeth.

Shakespeare’s Theater: The Globe Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe in London beginning in 1598

Facts about The Theater Set: No lighting—performances in the afternoon No sets were used like today’s plays; description of the setting written into dialogue Actors: All male; boys played female roles Required to memorize lines and rehearse the play in less than a week. Audience: Groundlings—lower class people who sat in the floor Royals and Nobles—upper class sat in the balcony

Our feature presentation… Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy in the 14th Century Tragedy Story of two feuding families (Capulets and Montagues) whose children are caught up in a young, forbidden love

Romeo and Juliet by Anthony Falbon Act IV, scene V engraving by G.S. and J.G. Facius Romeo and Juliet by Anthony Falbon Romeo and Juliet by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky