1. Widely regarded as the greatest writer in English Literature
William Shakespeare
Widely regarded as the greatest writer in English Literature

2. Shakespeare 1563-1616 Stratford-on-Avon, England wrote 37 plays
about 154 sonnets
started out as an actor

3. Stage Celebrity Actor for Lord Chamberlain’s Men (London theater co.)
Also > principal playwright for them
1599> Lord Chamberlain’s company built Globe Theater where most of Shakespeare’s plays were performed

4. Shakespeare wrote:
Comedies
Histories
Tragedies

5. Romeo and Juliet Written about 1595 Considered a tragedy
West Side Story (Movie) based on R&J

6. The Theater Plays produced for the general public Roofless - open air
No artificial lighting
Courtyard surrounded by 3 levels of galleries

7. Spectators Wealthy got benches
“Groundlings” - poorer people stood and watched from the courtyard (“pit”)
All but wealthy were uneducated/
illiterate
Much more interaction than today

8. Staging Areas Stage - platform that extended into the pit
Dressing/storage rooms in galleries behind & above stage
second-level gallery - upper stage - famous balcony scene in R & J
Trap door – used for ‘ghosts’
“Heavens” - angelic beings

9. Differences (from today)
No scenery
Settings - references in dialogue
Elaborate costumes
Plenty of props
Fast-paced, colorful - 2 hours!

10. Actors Only men and boys
Young boys whose voices had not changed played women’s roles
Would have been considered indecent for a woman to appear on stage

11. Elizabethan (QE1) Words
An,and: If
Anon: Soon
Aye: Yes
But: Except for
E’en: Even
E’er: Ever

12. QE1 Words (cont’d.) Haply: Perhaps Happy: Fortunate
Hence: Away, from her
Hie: Hurry
Marry: Indeed

13. QE1 Words (cont’d.) Whence: Where Wilt: Will, will you
Withal: In addition to
Would: Wish

14. Blank Verse Much of R & J is written in it: unrhymed verse
iambic (unstressed, stressed)
pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line)
ends up to be 10 syllable lines

15. Prose Ordinary writing that is not poetry, drama, or song
Only characters in the lower social classes speak this way in Shakespeare’s plays
Why do you suppose that is?

16. The sequence of events in a literary work
Plot
The sequence of events in a literary work

17. Exposition The plot usually begins with this:
introduces>>>>
setting
characters
basic situation

18. Inciting Moment Often called “initial incident”
the first bit of action that occurs which begins the plot
Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the party

19. Conflict The struggle that develops man vs. man man vs. himself
man vs. society
man vs. nature

20. Crisis
The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse
protagonist>good guy
antagonist>bad guy

21. Climax
The turning point of the story>everything begins to unravel from here
Thus begins the falling action

22. Resolution
The end of the central conflict

23. Denouement The final explanation or outcome of the plot
If this is included in literature, it will occur after the resolution.

24. Tragedy (Shakespearean)
Drama where the central character(s) suffer disaster/great misfortune
In many tragedies, downfall results from -
Fate
Character flaw/Fatal flaw
Combination of the two

25. Theme
Central idea or …
Insight about life which explains the downfall

26. Metaphorical Language
Comparison of unlike things -
Paris standing over the “lifeless body” of Juliet, “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew…”
“Thou detestable maw…”Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth…” Romeo

27. Dramatic Foil
A character whose purpose is to show off another character
Benvolio for Tybalt
look for others in R & J

28. Round characters
Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.

29. Flat Characters One-dimensional, embodying only a single trait -
Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic relief even in a tragedy

30. Static Characters
Characters within a story who remain the same; they do not change; they do not change their minds, opinions or character.

31. Dynamic Character
Characters who change somehow during the course of the plot; they generally change for the better.

32. Monologue
One person speaking on stage - may be other characters on stage, too
ex > the Prince of Verona commanding the Capulets and Montagues to cease feuding

33. Soliloquy
Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage.
In R & J, Romeo gives a soliloquy after the servant has fled and Paris has died.

34. Aside
Words spoken, usually in an undertone, not intended to be heard by all characters

35. Puns Shakespeare loved to use them!!!
Humorous use of a word with two meanings - sometimes missed by the reader because of Elizabethan language and sexual innuendo

36. Direct Address Words that tell the reader who is being addressed:
“A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.”
“Ah, my mistresses, which of you all/ Will now deny to dance?”

37. Dramatic Irony
A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader/
audience knows to be true

38. Verbal Irony
Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant

39. Situational Irony
An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience

40. Comic Relief
Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness
In R & J, look for moments of comic relief that help “relieve” the tragedy of the situation