Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Minds-On https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfKhlJIAhew I want you to watch this video. I’m not expecting you to become experts; however, I want you to get the sense of how the English language developed. Questions to Consider: Think of this question, why do we study Shakespeare? 2. Were there any surprising pieces of information from the video that you didn’t know before? Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
What is Shakespearean Tragedy? To know what Elizabethan theatre is. To understand how a tragedy is performed and structured in Elizabethan theatre. To be able to reflect on how the tragedy of Othello would have been staged in Elizabethan theatre. Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre The Elizabethan Era Queen Elizabeth I embodied power and beauty It was an extravagant and brutal age The first theaters in England appeared William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson. 1562-1642 (roughly) Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Drama in the Elizabethan Age - After defeating the Spanish Armada, England became intensely Interested in the past. Playwrights were practical men bent on making a living Once a playwright sold his manuscript, he had no personal right to it Plays were written to be acted , not read Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Playhouses Private – small, roofed buildings for the wealthy people Public – usually the backyards of inns Famous theaters – the Rose, the Swan, the Globe (which was Shakespere’s), and the Fortune Theatres were loud places filled with alcohol, prostitutes and fights. Audience participation occurred. Does that make sense to you? How do you see theatres today? How have things changed? Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
The Globe – I’ve been there!
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre The Globe Theater Built in 1599 by Cuthbert Burbage Shakespeare put on most of his plays in there and acted in some of them In 1642 the theater was completely destroyed Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Dialogue The playwright used poetic dialogue to: paint a picture of the scene establish the time and the place of the action familiarize the audience both with the characters’ identities and their physical appearances Soliloquies and asides were also used to compensate for the absence of an elaborate stage. A lot of sexual innuendos and puns were used. A sword wasn’t only a sword! Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Costumes Elaborate and colorful costumes Communicate the message of the character, show his/her social status, profession Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Acting Companies Before the theaters were built performances were put on by traveling troupes They had the reputation of being vagabonds Many people gathered and sometimes behaved disorderly Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre The typical Elizabethan acting company comprised of: shareholders salaried actors apprentices Actors were expected to be able to: sing clown fence perform acrobatic feats dance Actors Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre To be able to reflect on how the tragedy of Othello would have been staged in Elizabethan theatre. First: Look at the characters list and play map. Which characters do you think would have the most soliloquys? Which characters do you think would wear the most elaborate costumes? Describe the actors. Who would play the male characters and female characters? Second: Answer the questions regarding the play and the main ideas of the play. Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
BACKGROUND TO OTHELLO: Othello was written during Shakespeare’s great tragic period, which also included Hamlet (1600), King Lear (1604–5), Macbeth (1606), and Antony and Cleopatra (1606–7). Othello is set against the backdrop of the wars between Venice and Turkey that raged in the latter part of the sixteenth century. Cyprus, which is the setting for most of the action, was a Venetian outpost attacked by the Turks in 1570 and conquered the following year. Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre OTHELLO THE MOOR The word Moor now refers to the Islamic Arabic inhabitants of North Africa who conquered Spain in the 8th century, but the term was used rather broadly in the period and was sometimes applied to Africans from other regions. Othello’s darkness or blackness is referred to many times in the play, but people who were brunette or darker than average Europeans were often described as black. The idea of race and racism can also be analyzed in the play. Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Black and White Motif The opposition of black and white imagery that runs throughout Othello certainly shows the difference between Othello and his European peers. However, some academics say that the difference is not as linked to race as a modern reader might imagine it to be. It is debated. In terms of a Westernized concept, what is the symbolism of the colour white? What is the symbolism of the colour black? Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Theme; Elizabethan Theatre Homework Read and highlight the handouts on Aristotle’s Ideas About Tragedy. There are important keywords that you must learn on the handout. Only highlight and underline important words or phrases on each handout. Tragedy; Flaw; Theme; Elizabethan Theatre
Sources http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-age.htm http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeares-globe-theater http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/Springfield/eliz/artsarchitecture.html
Thank you for your attention! Presenters: Dessislava Georgieva Aneliya Stoyanova