William Shakespeare An Introduction

William Shakespeare Born April 23, 1564 Baptized three days after birth Plague People died by the thousands Third child of John and Mary Shakespeare First two children died in childhood John—leatherworker Became high bailiff

As a Young’n Shakespeare watched “Traveling Players” Traveling theatre Childhood memories inspired plays Did not go to college “Lost Years” – Shakespeare’s 20s No record of Shakespeare during this time

Married Life Married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582 Had three children Hamnet Suzanna Judith Not this Anne Hathaway.

Professional Life Began writing in Stratford Upon Avon Moved to London Became playwright 1592: Actor and Writer “Two Gentlemen of Verona” Became very famous All plays were written and performed in English Blank Verse Poetry written in regular metrical but unrhymed lines Almost always iambic pentameters

Shakespeare’s Writing Wrote vast range of material Sonnets Early comedy History Classical plays Narrative poems and essays Tragedies

Theatre Was always working on a deadline Rehearsed in morning Acted in afternoon Spent time working in Pubs

Plague People with symptoms had a 70% chance of dying. Summer of 1596 Has killed over 25 million people since the 1300s. Summer of 1596 Hamnet died

Globe Theatre Partly owned by Shakespeare Won great acclaim No scenery Open light Simple costumes Relied on imaginations All women’s parts were played by men Was not proper for women to act in public

Later in Life 1603 1604-1607 1613 Became King’s men Now a gentleman “Othello” “Macbeth” “King Lear” 1613 Globe Theatre destroyed Burned to ground End of career Returned to Stratford Wealthy man

April 23, 1616 Died at age of 52 Wrote own epithet Literally, it was his birthday. Wrote own epithet Left everything to Suzanna and her husband Left wife, Anne, the second best bed

List 1 List 2 List 3 Pernicious Augment Covert Grievance Transgression Heretics Disparage Prodigious Consort Cunning Procure Vile Predominant Intercession Sallow Waver Lament Unwieldy Devise Gallant Fray Martial Exile Eloquent Vanished Fickle Pensive

Prologue Original Text Modern Translation Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage— The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. In the beautiful city of Verona, where our story takes place, a long-standing hatred between two families erupts into new violence, and citizens stain their hands with the blood of their fellow citizens. Two unlucky children of these enemy families become lovers and commit suicide. Their unfortunate deaths put an end to their parents' feud. For the next two hours, we will watch the story of their doomed love and their parents' anger, which nothing but the children’s deaths could stop. If you listen to us patiently, we’ll make up for everything we’ve left out in this prologue onstage. © No Fear Shakespeare