Background Information William Shakespeare Background Information

Elizabethan = during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603) Jacobean = during the reign of James I (1603 – 1625)

Childhood little known about childhood born Stratford-upon-Avon 4/23/1564 Father – John Shakespeare, a shopkeeper and property owner held municipal offices (alderman, mayor)

Education probably went to Stratford Grammar School Elizabethan Schools - 1. not like modern schools 2. taught Latin and Greek language, literature, plays, history

Shakespeare the Adult documentation about adult life 1. married Anne Hathaway 1582 2. 3 children, 40+ god-children

Shakespeare the Adult 3. retired to Stratford 1613, purchased the 2nd largest house in Stratford, granted title of gentleman 4. died 4/23/1616 (age 52)

Sh. the Playwright a popular playwright in his lifetime well-known as playwright in 1598 both a shareholder and actor in theater company

Sh. the Playwright doubt about the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays no manuscript exists in Shakespeare’s handwriting Shakespeare made no effort to publish plays

Elizabethan Theater

Actors 1. actors organized into companies under protection of a patron 2. low social status, high popularity (esp. w/king & queen) 3. no actresses – men and boys

Theater Buildings Stage jutted into pit area no curtains at front of stage – need action to clear stage no elaborate moveable scenery balcony above back of stage and at sides of stage

Theater Buildings trap door in stage floor and above standing room around stage tiered seats in galleries around stage

Theater Buildings open roof plays held during the day no electricity - to be heard, loud speeches included

Audience and Others 1. the audience - wide cross-section, but mostly common men and women 2. groundlings – cheap seats around stage, included cheap thrills to keep them under control 3. city officials didn’t approve of plays

English Language History

Old English Period 449-1100 Uses letters no longer used in English language Looks and sounds like another language

Leofan men gecnawað þæt soð is: ðeos worolde is on ofste & hit nealæcð þam ende.

ð eth ð þ thorn þ æ aesh æ

Middle English Period 1100-1500 Uses some letters no longer used in English language Sounds a little like modern-day English

Lauerd me steres, noght wante sal me: In stede of fode þare me louked he

Early Modern English Period 1500-1800 Uses some pronouns and verbs no longer used in English language Words are sometimes spelled differently

…in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare…

Modern English Period 1800 –present At the Society’s annual luncheon in Albuquerque on January 7, President Joan Houston Hall announced…

Shakespeare wrote and spoke Early Modern English!