William Shakespeare Actor, Playwright, Poe t

History - born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England and was baptized on April 26, father was a glove maker and wool merchant and his mother, Mary Arden, the daughter of a well-to-do local landowner -Records suggest that he only completed grammar school and would have studied the classics and Latin -Married Anne Hathaway in 1582, he was 18 and she was 26. The couple wed because Anne was pregnant -The had three children: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith -The Lost Years (1582 – 1592): there is no record of Shakespeare in this time, some scholars believe that he was on the run from the law while others believe that he was a teacher

History continued … - Shakespeare reappeared as a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Company, a theater group which was later renamed the King’s Company to please King James - Wrote and acted for the company, most notably at the Globe theater, until Shakespeare spent the last 5 years of his life in Stratford

Poetry and Plays -Shakespeare published at least 154 poems -He is best known for his sonnets -One of his most famous sonnets is Sonnet 130 -Shakespeare also published about 38 plays -Some of his most well-known plays are: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, and The Tempest -Shakespeare wrote tragedies and comedies

Shakespearean Theater -Shakespearean theater was based off the the theater productions of ancient Greece -Shakespeare largely performed at The Globe Theater in London -The Globe presented theater-in-the-round, an open air theater in the shape of a circle or crescent, the shape lends itself to dramatic productions and audience participation -Shakespeare opened his production to all classes, royalty had designated seats, nobility and the wealthy sat while peasants or the poor stood near the stage

The Globe Theater

Controversy -Some scholars believe that Shakespeare was not educated enough to author the work that was published under his name -However, these scholars cannot agree on who the real Shakespeare may be -One candidate is: Edward de Vere, Lord Chamberlain - educated in poetry and the classics, raised with the theater from an early age, would have used a pen name because acting and writing plays would have been considered inappropriate

In your groups, write any questions that you have about Shakespeare so far. Be prepared to share.

The Bubonic Plague -T he Bubonic Plague (Black Plague) occurred at least 3 times in Europe – in the 6 th and 7 th centuries and killed 40 percent of Constantinople, between 1348 and 1350 when it killed between 30 – 60 percent of Europe, and in 1890 in China -The Black Plague causes sores which become infected, high fever and vomiting and death in about a week -The Plague was carried throughout Europe by fleas and poor hygiene

The Plague continued … -Shakespeare, like others, was terrified of the plague -He lost his sisters Joan, Margret, and Anne to the plague when they were children, his brother Edmund when he was 27 and his son, Hamnet, when he was 11 -The theaters were shut down three times during Shakespeare’s life time due to plague – 1593, 1603 and Theaters encouraged the spread of the disease because of the close proximity of people

Julius Caesar -July 100 BC – March 15 th 44 BC -Roman general, statesman, Consul (second in command under the Emperor) and author -Shakespeare would have read some of Caesar’s writings while in school -Played a critical role in the downfall of the Roman Republic (like a democracy) and the rise of the Roman Empire (autocracy like Animal Farm)

Julius Caesar -Invaded modern day France and Britain to increase the size of the Roman Empire -Is suspected of having an affair with Cleopatra -Declared himself dictator for life -Seen as too powerful but members of Roman politics, assassinated by a group of senators on the Ides of March (March 15 th on the Roman calendar)

Julius Caesar Important Themes: -Fate vs. Free Will -Public Self vs. Private Self -Misinterpretations and misreadings of important symbols -Language and Power