A Play by William Shakespeare

The Life of the Author William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Author of more than 36 plays and 150 poems Although little is known about Shakespeare’s life, more is known about him than most of his contemporaries.

The Life of the Author The Years in Stratford-upon-Avon born in Stratford-upon-Avon christened on April 26, 1564 father (John) was a merchant mother (Mary Arden) came from wealth married (at 18) Anne Hathaway (26) 3 children 1. Susanna 2. Hamnet and Judith

The Life of the Author Shakespeare probably went to London in 1587 without his family. Robert Greene attacked Shakespeare for Henry VI. Henry Chettle commended Shakespeare. From 1592 evidence exists of Shakespeare’s address, finances and plays – 1613 was a part of the King’s Men.

The Life of the Author Richard III – history play The Comedy of Errors – farce about mistaken identity Titus Andronicus – tragedy The Taming of the Shrew - comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona - comedy Love’s Labor Lost - comedy Romeo and Juliet – tragedy All of these plays are still performed today!

The Life of the Author 1596 – Shakespeare begins to prosper Had a coat of arms Bought New Place in Stratford 1599 – Lord Chamberlain’s Men – finance the Globe 1600 – six of his plays had been given command performances at court of Queen Elizabeth

The Life of the Author During this time period he completed: Richard II Henry IV Henry V Julius Caesar A Midsummer’s Night Dream The Merchant of Venice Much Ado About Nothing As You Like It Twelfth Night Hamlet

The Life of the Author After Elizabeth I, James VI of Scotland – James I of England took over. Shakespeare enjoyed tremendous patronage from the King. Due to the plague, James resided outside of the city and had Shakespeare’s company perform for him. Shakespeare’s company was given special clothing, increased salaries and jobs as grooms of the royal chamber.

The Life of the Author A short, slightly corny video summarizing this information:

Shakespeare’s Tragic Period What is a tragedy? According to Shakespearean scholar David Chandler: “The essence of Shakespeare's tragedies is the expression of one of the great paradoxes of life. We might call it the paradox of disappointment. Defeat, shattered hopes, and ultimately death face us all as human beings. They are very real, but somehow we have the intuitive feeling that they are out of place. They seem to be intruders into life. Tragic literature confronts us afresh with this paradox and we become fascinated by it.”

Shakespeare’s Tragic Period Although the subject matter for these plays is mostly dark and tragic, this is considered to be Shakespeare’s most glorious period. Hamlet Othello King Lear Macbeth (1605 – 1606) Antony and Cleopatra All’s Well that End’s Well Measure for Measure

Make the Connection Do you think that in contemporary society, we are fascinated by tragedy? What evidence from popular culture supports your answer? Break up into small groups of 3-4 and come up with a supported response to this question.

Shakespeare’s Last Days 1610 – Shakespeare retires to Stratford, manages the King’s Men Timon of Athens Coriolanus Pericles Cymbeline The Winter’s Tale The Tempest The Two Noble Kinsmen Henry VIII June 1613 – The Globe burns to the ground & reopens the next year April 23, 1616 – Shakespeare Is buried in Stratford Church There are no letters, diaries, or other private writings containing his personal views.

The Sources for Macbeth Rule of Renaissance tragedy – the play had to be about the lives of real people whose deeds are recorded in history. Raphael Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1577) was the main historical source for the play. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was the backdrop for the play. Several Catholic zealots plotted to blow up James I and his Protestant Parliament.

The Sources for Macbeth Shakespeare seems to have written this play for King James I since he was writing about James’s relatives in Scotland. Macbeth is more about psychological truth than historical accuracy. About real men and women caught up in ambition and power in a web of wants and needs.

Values Voting In order to fully understand Macbeth’s tragic pursuit of power, it is helpful to analyze our own beliefs about power and ambition. Values Voting – an exercise that allows us to express our degree of agreement with a variety of statements by moving around the room. Cannot be neutral or try to persuade anyone to change positions Individuals will be selected at random to explain their stance. We will all have a chance to debrief at the end of the exercise. Remember, vote with your body placement only. Do not talk unless you are asked specifically.

Debriefing What statements did you have the hardest time responding to. Why? What responses surprised you? What responses confirmed your instincts or inclinations? Did you notice any differences in response according to gender? If so, what do you make of that? Were there any other aspects of the exercise that made an impression on you?