An Introduction to William Shakespeare and the Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet

This presentation will… inform you about the life and work of the mysterious William Shakespeare. provide you details about Elizabethan society and theater. define basic terminology related to Shakespearean poetry and drama.

April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare. He was the 3rd of 8 children.

Much of Shakespeare’s younger years remain a mystery, but there are rumors about what jobs he may have worked. Schoolmaster Lawyer Butcher Apprentice

1582: According to church records, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. At the time of their marriage, William was eighteen and Anne was twenty-six.

William and Anne have three children together (Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith). Shakespeare left his family in 1591 to pursue writing in London. August 1596: young Hamnet died at the age of eleven. The cause of his death is unknown. Susanna Hamnet Judith

In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a reputation as an actor and playwright. As theatres were beginning to grow in popularity, it is probable that Shakespeare began earning a living writing plays (adapting old ones and working with others on new ones).

1594: William became involved with a company of actors named “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group later (1603) changed their name to “The King’s Men”.

In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration with other actors, designed and built The Globe. This circular theatre was the first of its kind, breaking away from the traditional rectangular theatres.

1612: Shakespeare moved back to Stratford where he retired both rich and famous.

1616: William Shakespeare dies on his birthday.

At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have contributed over two thousand words to the English language. Sniffledorfen

Shakespeare is also known to have written around 884 words throughout all of his works.

Shakespearean Theater “The Globe” Romeo, Romeo…Where for art thou Romeo?

Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts The First Elizabethan Theater: “The Wooden O” Built in 1576, first permanent stage in London Built by James Burbage Shaped in form of a tavern 1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeare’s company used it to build The Globe Theatre

Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts The Globe Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard No artificial light Three stories high – upper levels were for the weathy The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the floor in front of the stage (800 people) Elaborate costumes but no props Young boys played the parts of women; women weren’t allowed to be actors

Fire and Rediscovery Shakespeare’s Globe burned down, but its foundation was discovered in 1990. It gave us many clues to the Elizabethan experience such as hazelnut shells! A replica has since been rebuilt. You can visit it and see a play today.

Dramatic Terminology The play is broken up into acts and the acts are broken up into scenes. Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character alone on stage, inaudible to other characters Aside: A short speech given by one character, traditionally the other characters cannot hear. Give out Handout

Dramatic Terminology Comic Relief: a humorous scene, incident, character, or speech in a serious literary work Pun: A humorous play on words After that poisonous snake struck at me in the Arizona Desert I was really rattled. Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery. He who farts in church sits in his own pew.

Poetic Terminology Blank Verse: Unrhymed meter; unrhymed iambic pentameter specifically. Iambic Pentameter: A poetic line using five verse feet, that is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable five times. Couplets: Two consecutive lines that rhyme (aa bb cc). Usually followed when a character leaves or a scene ends. Sonnet: A fourteen line poem using iambic pentameter and the following rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg.

Shakespeare’s 5 Part Storytelling Pattern: Act III: Crisis/Turning Point A series of complications Act IV: Falling Action Results of the turning point; characters locked into deeper disaster Act II: Rising Action A series of complications Act I: Exposition Establishes setting, characters, conflict, and background Act V: Climax/Resolution/Denouement Death of the main characters and then the loose parts of the plot are tied up

Tips for Understanding Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is based on Arthur Brooke’s long narrative poem the Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562). The play has a highly moral tone: disobedience, as well as fate, leads to the deaths of two lovers.

Themes in Romeo and Juliet Power of Love Violence from Passion The Inevitability of Fate

MONTAGUE vs. CAPULET Romeo Juliet Lord Montague (his dad) Lady Montague (his mom) Mercutio (friend) Benvolio (cousin) Juliet Lord Capulet (her father) Lady Capulet (her mother) Tybalt (cousin) Nurse

A Pair of Star Crossed Lovers… “My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown , and known too late!” ~ Juliet; Act I, Scene V

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