Shakespeare Ever heard of him? could spit rhymes like no other invented 1700 words (e.g. bedroom, bloodstained, noiseless) Shakespeare makes audience laugh, cry, scream Ever heard of him? made some mad $$: owned 2nd largest house in Stratford; today’s heirs would receive ~ $15 mil/yr a true “Renaissance man”: act, write, produce, prob other stuff had his OWN ideas

Unit 4: Romeo and Juliet In the end multiple choice over Shakespeare info, plot, characters, dramatic lit terms, and basic archaic vocab In-class essay on one of the following prompts: Whose fault is it? What is Shakespeare saying about destiny? How does Shakespeare use motif to enhance his theme? Character analysis

Destiny What is it? What do you believe? What does Shakespeare believe? Dictionary says, “a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency”

Astrology What is it? History What does Shakespeare believe? Read for homework What does Shakespeare believe?

Star-Crossed “Lovers whose relationship is doomed to fail are said to be “star-crossed” (frustrated by the stars), because those who believe in astrology claim that the stars control human destiny.” -The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

Pyramus & Thisbe Narrator Cartoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RifH-r9dqGs Cartoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SpUgDvEuDQ

Hero and Leander Hero and Leander are crazy in love. Every night, Hero fires up a light in her tower so Leander can see the way and swim to her across the Hellespont. But one night, a storm blows in and the currents of the narrow strait get all kinds of crazy. To make matters worse, the wind blows out Hero's light, and Leander gets totally turned around in the dark and stormy waters. When Hero finds Leander's dead body on the beach the next morning, she just can't take it. Overcome with grief, she throws herself from the top of her tower to be with her lover in death.

Helen and Paris Helen, considered to be the most-beautiful woman in the late-bronze-age world, was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta. Her beauty, it is said, was known far and wide. Not bothered by the queen's marital status, Paris fell in love with Helen during a diplomatic mission to Sparta.  Wasting little time, Paris abducted her. (Some accounts say they eloped.) Thus began the Trojan War. Menelaus, later in the story, thought he should kill his wife because she had been with a prince of Troy. As he raised his sword to kill her, however, Menelaus stopped himself when he saw Helen’s great beauty.

Antony and Cleopatra After Caesar's assassination, Cleopatra set her sights on the dashing Roman general Mark Antony. The two began an affair, resulting in twins in 40 B.C. Antony wed Cleopatra in 36 B.C., and appointed his new wife ruler of Egypt, Cyprus, Crete, and Cyria. This abuse of power so outraged the Roman Senate that they denounced him a traitor. After losing a major battle at sea, Antony and Cleopatra were forced to flee to Egypt in 31 B.C. In desperation, Cleopatra spread rumors of her own suicide. Antony, unaware of her plan, stabbed himself to death. When Cleopatra heard of this, she took her own life by inducing a poisonous snake to bite her.

Dido and Aeneas Dido is a widow and faithful to dead husband. God of love causes her to fall for Aeneas and they hook up in a cave. Gods tell Aeneas he must leave. Dido mad – curses Aeneas’s people – and then kills herself.

Aida and Radames Radames – captain of Egyptian army – captures group of women from enemy land of Nubia which includes Aida, Nubian princess. They fall in love. Radames must marry another woman in order to help Aida’s dad escape Get caught mid escape; Radames and Aida sentenced to death for treason. Buried alive together in same tomb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KGBpb-e-bs

Drama During Shakespeare’s Day The Elizabethan Stage Drama During Shakespeare’s Day

Can you imagine a play performed outdoors in the daytime? with part of the audience standing in front of the stage for the entire production? with male actors playing female roles? with no background scenery?

Early English Theater Before permanent theaters were built, wandering acting companies performed in the courtyards of inns or in other open areas on temporary platform stages with the audience standing around the stage or sitting in chairs on surrounding balconies

The First Permanent Theater Built by James Burbage in 1576 Located outside the city of London Called “The Theater” Dismantled in the middle of the night, moved piece by piece across the river, and rebuilt as the Globe in 1599

Typical Elizabethan Theaters Theaters were three-story circular or polygonal structures with a courtyard open to the sky three tiers of seats for spectators

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The stage jutted out into the yard. “Groundlings” stood in the yard to watch the play.

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The gallery, or balcony, above the stage could be used as part of the play a seating area for musicians a seating area for wealthy spectators

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The trapdoor in the front part of the stage could be used for David Gentleman burial scenes surprise entrances mysterious exits

Typical Elizabethan Theaters The ceiling over the stage, the “Heavens,” contained another trapdoor. Actors could be David Gentleman lowered to the stage below flown over the heads of other actors

Setting the Stage Acting companies did not use artificial lighting—actors carried torches to convey the idea of night. scenery or realistic backdrops—playwrights set the scenes with descriptive dialogue. . . . Look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountaintops. from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Setting the Stage Acting companies did use props—flags, banners, swords, thrones, tables, beds special effects—actors appearing and disappearing through trapdoors, cannons firing sound effects—music, thunder costumes—exquisite suits, robes, and gowns normally reserved (by law) for upper-class citizens and nobility © Archivo Iconografico, S.A./CORBIS

Acting the Part In Shakespeare’s time, all actors were male. Female roles were played by boy actors, who concealed their gender by wearing long, full skirts wearing wigs powdering their faces © Ali Meyer/CORBIS

Capturing the Audience Elizabethan theatergoers came from various social classes, including nobility wealthy merchants tradesmen commoners Playwrights had to include material to appeal to all classes.

Capturing the Audience Elizabethan theatergoers were active and vocal. During a performance, they might eat and drink laugh and shout boo and hiss Actors had to move around, make grand motions, and speak loudly to keep the audience’s attention.

Not Everyone Loved the Theater Puritans, city officials, and others had low opinions of actors, plays, and theaters. They feared that playgoers would catch contagious diseases be morally corrupted They objected to suggestive or obscene language actors (commoners) wearing upper-class clothing scenes depicting rebellion

What Have You Learned? 1. Most Elizabethan theaters were shaped more or less like a. circles b. rectangles c. diamonds 2. Audiences consisted of commoners only. a. true b. false 3. Theater companies used all of the following EXCEPT a. costumes b. artificial lighting c. special effects

Dramatic Lit Terms monologue Monopolize the conversation; 1 person talks for a long time to others dialogue Talking back and forth; conversation soliloquy a “solo”; expressing private thoughts to self or audience aside a “whisper” or quick comment “to the side” dramatic irony audience knows something characters don’t