Shakespeare’s theater An Introduction Renaissance culture, Shakespeare’s theater and main characters

Dominant Renaissance World Views Great Chain of Being Belief structure from middle ages Came from Ptolemaic system with earth at the center Hierarchical system with God and angels above, man in the middle, and animals, plants, minerals on the bottom. Within each species, same hierarchy, with King on the top, then nobles, moneyed middle-class, then peasants

Dominant Renaissance World Views Great Chain of Being System of Order, corresponding with belief in predestination, God has plan for world Order can be thrown into chaos if hierarchy not adhered to, if subjects rebel against monarch, sons against fathers Suggests everyone has purpose or role in life, should use reason and/or to find and fulfill purpose

Dominant Renaissance World Views Humanist views To the Christian belief system, the Renaissance added the Humanist beliefs of self-determinism. There was still an Ideal beyond the world as we know it, but we were to strive to reach that Ideal (or at least be worthy of it) Thus two supposed opposites, predestination and free will, were combined in the Renaissance Christian Humanist belief system The Renaissance Christian Humanist’s purpose was to make of himself his ideal Self

Dominant Renaissance World Views Christian Humanist History as moral lesson Overarching plan Great Chain of Being Nature understood through Bible language: metaphor Machiavellian History as natural cycle Chance or fortune Man makes own place Nature understood by logic, reason language: scientific

Dominant Renaissance World Views Language Renaissance Christian Humanist -- poetry Metaphoric or figurative language used to illustrate place in hierarchies Since Sun and King are on top of their respective groups, they are joined together through metaphor Metaphoric or figurative language used to illustrate place in hierarchies Machiavellian – prose Scientific, logical language used to show importance of reason

Dominant Renaissance World Views Christian Humanist State microcosm of Divine world Divine Right of Kings Time and change moving toward perfection; vertical concept of time Identity is temporal role moving toward spiritual essence (Ideal Self). Machiavellian State/politics based on power not right (privilege or correctness) Time and change cyclical, not advancing Identity plural, who we are in which situation or time, we can play many roles

The Great Chain of Being derived from Ptolemaic view of earth at center orderly universe, everything has place and purpose the hierarchies used in metaphoric language king associated with sun, lion, head, air antagonist associated with moon, snake, feet, earth reality tied with moral truth, what ought to be man’s place in the world determined by birth belief in the guiding hand of Providence

Characters often found in Shakespeare plays the Fair past as heroic myth ideal world world of heroic action advice giving and tradition the Foul present as corrupt society unweeded garden world of Machiavellian intrigue spying and conflict

Characters often found in Shakespeare plays the Fair innocence and idealism belief and trust ideal character remembered past the Foul experience and cynicism suspicion and doubt malcontent, deceiver experienced present

Staging No set design -- actors must establish setting, time Few props -- actors must bring on throne, table, chair, then take them off stage again Stage has trap door, two entrances, balcony area

Staging If a character dies, Shakespeare must find a way to get the body off the stage Shakespeare must invent reason for characters to exit the stage The stage is a fixed place, so certain areas can be associated with a character

Reading the plays No Act, scene divisions originally, editors added Use of 5 acts is an editor’s choice could see all plays in three acts Act 1 -- introduces issues, ends in instigating event Act 2-4 -- develops issues and characters includes midpoint pivotal event includes second turning point Act 5 -- climax, resolves conflicts No stage directions (“enter Hamlet”), dialogue used

Reading the plays Conventionally important scenes Act 1, scene 2 (+ or -) Court scene Introduce main characters, issues, themes Act 3, scene 2 (+ or -) Court scene Climax, direction of plot turns toward inevitable end Act 5, scene 2 (+ or -) Court scene Ending, all issues / themes resolved

Characters Primary dynamic, change complex, are revealed Protagonist Antagonist Secondary static, don’t change simpler, stereotyped Reflective, reveal something about main characters

Plot structures Rise and Fall external / condition gaining/losing power internal / character become more aware become more complex less formal, fixed to “role” more analytical of self language less formal

Plot structures Main plot/subplot Main plot Subplot Main plot protagonist/antagonist court world/macrocosm major actions Subplot reflective characters, comment on main actions foiling with main characters private world/microcosm Main plot Subplot Main Sub Main