English 2034 Renaissance & Shakespeare

Roots of the Renaissance 1348: The Black Plague kills about 1/3 of European citizens. Early 1400s: Gutenberg's printing press begins to produce books. 1453: The Eastern Roman Empire ends as Muslim Turks occupy Constantinople (Istanbul). 1470: Leonardo da Vinci begins work as a professional artist in Florence as the Italian Renaissance gathers pace. 1492: Columbus discovers America.

The Renaissance A flow of new humanist ideas and newly-found Roman ideas and technology flows into Europe via Byzantine scholars and the printing press. Beginning in Italy around 1400, the “rebirth” of society flowers. England: Growing naval power and confidence, especially after the Spanish Armada is defeated (1588), brings a “golden age” to England. Elizabeth I The rise of London in dialect, power, and culture The growth of capitalism and urbanization with increasing trade

Medieval Mystery / Miracle Plays (1400s- 1500s) - Grew out of church skits about biblical narratives - Performed by amateurs, but sometimes touring actors - Performed in churchyards or public areas - Religious themes, but often rough humor or jokes - Their growth leads to ticketed, private, secular plays - Best known is Everyman (c. 1510)

William Shakespeare Widely considered the greatest writer in the English language - Author of 38 plays and 154 sonnet poems - From Stratford-upon-Avon

- Son of an alderman and glove maker - Married Anne Hathaway at 18; three children - Moved to London around Member of a playing company; part owner of the Globe theater

Did he write his own plays? - About 40 historical documents describing him - Few medieval plays or stories were ‘invented.’ Most had traditional origins Did Walt Disney “write” Snow White, Cinderella, or Beauty & the Beast?

Shakespeare’s 14 th great-niece, Suzana Shakespeare (February 2014)

The Globe (Replica). Theaters were first built in 1575.

An Elizabethan Theatre

An Elizabethan Audience -Typically 3 tiers -Capacity Little artificial light -Noisy and not always sober!

Many of the stage and acting conventions of a Shakespearean play are still done

Hamlet - Possibly based on chronicle history of Vita Amleth by Saxo Grammaticus in Gesta Danorum, early 1200s - No surviving authorial manuscripts - First Quarto (Q1, 1603), the Second Quarto (Q2, 1604), and the First Folio (F1, 1623)

Hamlet - Early versions may have been performed by Dated to approximately Highly popular for 400 years on stage and in film and television productions

Central Themes Supernaturalism (the ghost) Revenge Love Indecision and procrastination Misogyny (is the play anti- women?) Suicide