English IV Mrs. Ringkob, BHHS Certain materials in this presentation are included under the Fair Use exemption of the US Copyright Law and are restricted from further use.

Background of the Bard  Born April, 1564 in Stratford on Avon  Parents John & Mary Shakespeare  Educated at Stratford Grammar School  Learned business as an apprentice for his father  Married Anne Hathaway November 28, 1582  She was 8 years his senior and 3 months pregnant when they married

 William and Anne had three children  Susanna, 1583  Twins Hanmet & Judith, 1585  The Lost Years, : There is no record of Shakespeare’s activities between these years. For more information on the speculations of other scholars, click on the link below:  A Shakespeare Timeline A Shakespeare Timeline  Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page

 Shakespeare relocates to London sometime after the birth of the twins.  It is not known why he left his family or his subsequent relationship with his wife and children  theaters closed due to the Black Plague  Shakespeare used this time to write sonnets which were published in 1609  Became good friends with Southampton aristocracy  Bought a share of the company Lord Chamberlain’s Men  This investment led to his most productive years The Great Playwright

The Great Globe  Built in 1599  The most magnificent theater in London  Shakespeare was 1/5 owner  He earned 10% of the total profit, approximately £ a year  The Bard retired to Stratford and lived on the profits he earned from the Globe  June 19, 1613 the Globe burned to the ground during a performance of Henry VIII  Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page

The Plays  Early plays, 1590’s, were mainly comedy  Comedy (and this could be extended to most of Shakespeare's history plays as well) is social-- leading to a happy resolution (usually a marriage or marriages) and social unification.  Shakespeare began to focus on tragedy/dramatic themes in the early 1600’s  Tragedy is individual, concentrating on the suffering of a single, remarkable hero--leading to individual torment, waste and death  1608 marks a change in tone from tragedy to romance, light, magic, and reconciliation

Comedy of Errors 1592 The Taming of the Shrew Love's Labor's Lost Two Gentlemen of Verona A Midsummer Night's Dream The Merchant of Venice Much Ado About Nothing As You Like It Twelfth Night Merry Wives of Windsor Troilus and Cressida All's Well That Ends Well Measure for Measure

Titus Andronicus Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Othello The Tragedy of King Lear Macbeth Timon of Athens 1607-(?) Cymbeline The Winter's Tale Tempest

Henry VI parts I, II, III Richard III King John Richard II 1597-(?) King Henry IV part I, part II Henry V (1599) Julius Caesar Henry VIII 1613-(?) Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus  Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page

Part 1: What did he just say? A brief overview of Shakespearian language, word meanings, unusual word order, and omissions Part 2: What just happened? Developing a reading log

Did people really talk this way? Prose- language without metrical structure Verse- poetic language and style Blank Verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter. Iambic Pentameter: five beats of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables; ten syllables per line. 'So fair / and foul / a day / I have / not seen'

Shakespeare will be some of the most difficult reading you will ever attempt BE PATIENT! Middle English vs. Modern English Reading Tips 1.Read the Introduction 2.Read everything twice 3.First time- try reading without looking at footnotes, mark any interesting or difficult items 4.Try reading aloud

5.Look up words you don’t know 6.Keep a list of characters Rasmussen's Rule: If you cannot understand a particular passage, it is probably about sex. McGuire's Dictum: Always remember you are reading play scripts intended to be spoken, not read silently. If you don’t understand me the first time, try again.  Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page

Unusual Word Order I ate the sandwich.I the sandwich ate. Ate the sandwich I.Ate I the sandwich. The sandwich I ate.The sandwich ate I. Shakespeare uses unusual word order to emphasize an action, a word, an emotion, or just to create a rhyme. Tips for deciphering unusual word orders  Find the subject of the sentence  Find the verb in the sentence  Find the object of the sentence  Rearrange the sentence to make it easier to understand

Word Meanings For a complete glossary of Shakespearian words, try this link: Shakespeare 101 ~ page 3  Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page Mrs. Ringkob’s Home Page

Developing a Reading Log Follow these simple steps to create a reading log that will help you gain a deeper understanding of the play: Step 1 ~ Reading for Understanding a. Read each scene at least once. b. Record any new words or phrases you looked up during reading. Be sure to include the definitions in your reading log. c. Write a summary of the scene in a dark ink/font. d. Record any questions you may have about the scene.

Step 2 ~ Discussing the Scene/Play a. Discuss the scene/play with your classmates. b. Ask the questions you wrote down in your reading log. Step 3 ~ Adding Answers to Your Reading Log a. Use a different colored pen or font. Write the answers to your reading log questions in the margins.

Step 4 ~ Reading for Pleasure a. Use a different colored pen or font. b. Now that you have a basic understanding of the plot and unusual words or phrases, it is time to read the play again. c. Record your personal reactions to each scene. Step 5 ~ Discuss the Play a. Your rereading will probably create new questions, so go back to class or the online discussion and continue discussing the play. b. Record any new answers or insights you gain in your reading log (be sure to use a different color font or ink).

But just in case she missed something, I should check out the following link: Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet Everything I need to know about Shakespeare I learned from Mrs. Ringkob!