William Shakespeare Background Information For Romeo and Juliet

Well-known Facts about Will Great writer of England Great writer of England Plays translated into all languages, musicals, ballets Plays translated into all languages, musicals, ballets Born Stratford-upon-Avon Born Stratford-upon-Avon Well-to-do, affluent while alive Well-to-do, affluent while alive Most quoted, other than the Bible Most quoted, other than the Bible

Lesser-known Facts Teen father: married pregnant 26 year old Anne Hathaway when he was 18 Teen father: married pregnant 26 year old Anne Hathaway when he was 18 Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for London stage career Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for London stage career Father of twins Father of twins Elizabethan rapper: uses rhythm and rhyme Elizabethan rapper: uses rhythm and rhyme “Plagiarism” ? “Plagiarism” ?

Did Shakespeare really write his plays? Many Many believe it is impossible for Shakespeare to have written his plays Lacks Lacks heights and depths of passion could could not learn aristocratic sports and manners lacked lacked schooling

Life during the Elizabethan Period

The Competition Bear-baiting Bear-baiting Races Races Gambling Gambling Music Music Drinking/socializing Drinking/socializing Prostitution Prostitution Public executions Public executions

Conditions in London-BAD! Thames River polluted with raw sewage Thames River polluted with raw sewage Trees used up for fuel Trees used up for fuel Poverty Poverty

Personal hygiene/health Bathing considered dangerous Bathing considered dangerous Body odor strong Body odor strong Childhood diseases Childhood diseases Children often died before 5 years Children often died before 5 years Small Pox Small Pox Bubonic Plague Bubonic Plague

Living Conditions No running water No running water Chamber Pots Chamber Pots Open Sewers Open Sewers Crowded Crowded

Clothes One set used all year long, rarely washed One set used all year long, rarely washed Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed Clothes handed down from rich to poor Clothes handed down from rich to poor

Arts and Entertainment During the Elizabethan Period

Theater in London Performed in courtyards of inns Performed in courtyards of inns The Theater-first public theater-1576 The Theater-first public theater-1576 Daytime/open air Daytime/open air Limited set design Limited set design Relied on music, sound, costumes, props and great description Relied on music, sound, costumes, props and great description Round, wooden, roofless building Round, wooden, roofless building Three galleries of seats Three galleries of seats

The groundling Poor audience member Poor audience member Stood around stage in “the pit” Stood around stage in “the pit” Women not allowed (had to dress up as men to attend) Women not allowed (had to dress up as men to attend) Threw rotten vegetables at bad performances Threw rotten vegetables at bad performances

Actors All men All men Female parts played by young boys Female parts played by young boys No actual kissing or hugging on stage No actual kissing or hugging on stage

Shakespearean Play Terminology

Important Terms Tragedy: A serious play or drama typically dealing with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending brought on, as in ancient drama, by a fate and a tragic flaw in this character, or in modern drama, usually by moral weakness, psychological maladjustment or social pressures. Tragedy: A serious play or drama typically dealing with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending brought on, as in ancient drama, by a fate and a tragic flaw in this character, or in modern drama, usually by moral weakness, psychological maladjustment or social pressures.

Tragic Hero: A person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his/her character. Tragic Hero: A person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his/her character. Example: Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his ambition which leads him into a series of bloody and increasingly indefensible acts. Example: Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his ambition which leads him into a series of bloody and increasingly indefensible acts.

Aside: Character’s quiet remark to the audience or another character that no one else on stage is supposed to hear. Aside: Character’s quiet remark to the audience or another character that no one else on stage is supposed to hear. Purpose: to reveal a character’s private thoughts and feelings and to further the plot Purpose: to reveal a character’s private thoughts and feelings and to further the plot

Soliloquy: A long speech given by a character while alone (or supposed to be alone) on stage. Soliloquy: A long speech given by a character while alone (or supposed to be alone) on stage. Purpose: to reveal his or her private thoughts or intentions Purpose: to reveal his or her private thoughts or intentions

Motif: A recurring image, word, phrase, or action Motif: A recurring image, word, phrase, or action Purpose: To create mood, tone, characterization, and theme Purpose: To create mood, tone, characterization, and theme Examples: Light, dark, love, hate, time, death, destiny/fate, youth, age, innocence, experience, reason/logic, emotions Examples: Light, dark, love, hate, time, death, destiny/fate, youth, age, innocence, experience, reason/logic, emotions

Comic Relief Comic Relief A humorous scene, incident or speech that relives the overall emotional intensity. A humorous scene, incident or speech that relives the overall emotional intensity.

Allusion Allusion A brief reference, within a work, to something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know. For example, the write might allude to a historical or current event or to a line from another work of literature. Shakespeare’s plays often contain allusions to ancient Greek and Roman mythology and to the Bible. A brief reference, within a work, to something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know. For example, the write might allude to a historical or current event or to a line from another work of literature. Shakespeare’s plays often contain allusions to ancient Greek and Roman mythology and to the Bible.

Foil Foil A character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work. By using a foil, the writer highlights the other character’s traits or attitude. A character whose personality or attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work. By using a foil, the writer highlights the other character’s traits or attitude. Ex. Aunt Alexandra is a foil to Atticus Finch Ex. Aunt Alexandra is a foil to Atticus Finch

Blank Verse Blank Verse Shakespeare’s plays are written largely in blank verse, a form of poetry that uses unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, lines that ideally have five unstressed syllables, each followed by a stressed syllable. Shakespeare’s plays are written largely in blank verse, a form of poetry that uses unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, lines that ideally have five unstressed syllables, each followed by a stressed syllable.