1. The English Renaissance and William Shakespeare
How The Great Bard Was Born

2. Ben Johnson on William Shakespeare
“He was not
of an age,
but for
all time”
Ben Johnson on William Shakespeare

3. William Shakespeare circa 1609
The most famous writer in history was just as influenced by the culture he was born into as he influences modern culture. In learning about his life and reading his works, we learn about ourselves and about human nature. It is no mistake that every high school student in this country studies Shakespeare. He is quite simply the best and you are about to experience the power of his writings.
William Shakespeare circa 1609

4. The Renaissance Period

5. The Renaissance Period
Renaissance literally means “rebirth”
Rebirth of classical literature and art forms
A Renaissance occurs when life is good (people are not fighting for survival)
It is a high time for art and literature

6. Italian Renaissance Occurred from 1300-1550 A.D.
Marked as high time in art (THINK Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles— Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo)
Authors: Petrarch (sonnets) and Castiglione (courtier book)
Influenced the English Renaissance Period

7. English Renaissance Occurred between 1400-1600 A.D.
Began with Henry VIII and ended with King James I
Highest point occurred during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign
High time in literature: Sidney, Spencer, Marlow, Shakespeare
Courtiers (professional kiss- ups) were very important
Social classes were strictly enforced
Theaters thrived but were considered low-class

8. Social Mobility
During this time period, it was nearly impossible to rise above your birth— if you were born a peasant, you died a peasant.
Family name and nobility were very important
One way to try and rise above your birth was through the practice of patronage—though how far you could rise was pre-determined by your family name.

9. The Tudors
English Reformation and Renaissance

10. Henry Viii From the Tudor line
Had SIX wives: Catherine of Aragon(divorced), Anne Boleyn(beheaded), Jane Seymore (died), Ann of Cleves(divorced), Kathryn Howard (beheaded), Katherine Parr (survived)
Divorced the Catholic Church in order to marry his mistress
Wanted a male heir
Fathered two daughters (Mary and Elizabeth) and one son (Edward)
Was Catholic, Protestant, Catholic, Protestant

11. Prince Edward The sole male heir to Henry’s throne
He was Protestant and upheld this faith in the country once in power
Was ill and died shortly after gaining the throne
Left behind no heir (too young to do so)

12. Bloody Mary
After Edward’s short reign and early death, Mary took the English throne.
Devoutly Catholic and looking to vindicate her mother (Henry’s first wife), Mary vowed to wipe out Protestantism.
Ordered the mass execution of Protestants to restore the Catholic faith.
Died of cancer

13. Queen Elizabeth I
“Bastard” Queen, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Was both acknowledged and disowned by her father when he was alive
Devoutly Protestant
“Virgin Queen”—never married, used her feminine wiles to gain and maintain power
The art of flirtation became a lucrative enterprise during her reign
Encouraged poetry and theater
Powerful, wise, and important monarch
Sustained many plots against her life

14. King James I Was Queen Elizabeth’s Godson, inherited her throne.
Patron of theater— Shakespeare’s King’s Men were his favorite acting troupe.
Solidified the Protestant faith with the creation of the King James Bible

15. What does this have to do with Shakespeare????

16. The Italian Renaissance influenced the English Renaissance
Henry VIII is the King at the start of the English Renaissance, his children ruled during most of this period, the era ended soon after all of his children were dead
William Shakespeare was born while Elizabeth was Queen and became wealthy through King James I

17. Brief Biography of William Shakespeare
April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616

18. The Five Provable Facts About Shakespeare
He was baptized on April 26, 1564
There were no such things as birth certificates at this time. However, babies were usually baptized three days after their birth—hence Shakespeare’s birth date of April 23, 1564
He was married at the age of 18 to 26 year old Anne Hathaway (she was pregnant)
He fathered three children (two girls, one boy)
His son died young
He was part owner of the Globe Theater
He died on April 23, 1616

19. It is a Mystery . . .
Everything else that is “known” about the world’s greatest writer is speculation, best guesses, and agreed upon facts.
Due to the lack of actual evidence of Shakespeare’s life, many people have questioned whether he really existed or not.
The collection of works credited to him are all too similar to be the works of more than one person.
Others argue that Shakespeare could not have been smart enough to write such important literature.
Pure genius is often misunderstood

20. Educated Guesses On The Rest of Shakespeare’s Biography
William Shakespeare was one of seven children born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon
His family was respected and wealthy—but not noble
He attended grammar school and learned Latin
There is no evidence of further education beyond this
By the early 1590’s Shakespeare had left his wife and three children in Stratford-upon-Avon and traveled over 100 miles away to London to pursue his acting and writing career. He lived there for most of his adult life.
His marriage was not great—he rarely went home to visit his wife and upon his death, he willed Anne his SECOND-BEST bed. Everything else went to his daughters.
He became VERY wealthy in his life time which afforded him the chance to buy his family’s coat of arms (a sign of nobility) and the largest estate in Stratford.
His patrons included Sir Henry Wriothesley and King James I

21. Shakespeare’s Career Wrote 37 plays
Wrote comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances (not what you think)
Also wrote 154 sonnets and several narrative poems all dedicated to Sir Henry Wriothesley
He was an actor, writer, director, and business man
Became known for his imaginative use of language and timelessness

22. Effects of the Monarchy
Shakespeare had to adjust his writings based on who was in power in England.
Under Elizabeth—women were portrayed as strong, Catholicism was mocked, marriage was not made to be the ultimate goal for characters
Under James—the practice of courtiership was mocked and Shakespeare was freer to fully develop his characters

23. Macbeth

24. What is there about Shakespeare that would interest a contemporary American? Why do we read this?
If being a “contemporary American” means being focused on dirty TV sitcoms, greed, casual sex, big- money sports, televangelism, professional wrestling, crybabies, slot machines, political action committees, and “war on drugs” profiteering, then the answer is probably “Nothing.”
If a contemporary American can still ask, “Is life just a meaningless exercise in status-seeking, or is there anything to give us hope that morality is real?” -- then the answer is maybe that Shakespeare deals with basic human issues.

25. WITCHES
TREACHERY
MURDER
BLOOD
FAITHLESSNESS
DECEPTION
AMBITION

26. The Scottish Play is based loosely on an episode from history, the death of King Duncan at the hands of his kinsman Macbeth.

27. Source of the play
Shakespeare's source for his story is Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (1577)

28. Written between
Performed at the Globe Theatre, London
Published in the First Folio of 1623

29. Full title: The Tragedy of Macbeth Genre: Tragedy
Notes
Full title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Genre: Tragedy
Setting (time): 11th century
Setting (place): Scotland, and briefly, England
Protagonist: Macbeth
Major Conflicts: Macbeth struggles with his conscience (before and after murder); evil (Macbeth and Lady Macbeth); struggles with good (Malcolm and Macduff)

30. Historical Connection
Scotland at the time was a violent and troubled country
The castle was the center of each rival aristocrat’s (thane) power
Political murder and revenge were not unusual means to gainpower
Plundering Vikings and Norsemen attacked Scotland constantly

31. The play is the shortest of Shakespeare's tragedies, without diversions or subplots.
It chronicles Macbeth's seizing of power and subsequent destruction.
It is considered Shakespeare’s darkest work.
His rise and fall are the result of blind ambition.

32. Macbeth was intended to stir the interest of the new king, James I.
The play's focus on regicide, a supreme crime in Shakespeare's day, tied into the November Gunpowder Plot where English Roman Catholic conspirators plotted
to blow up Parliament, King James, his queen and oldest son.

33. Importance of Patronage
The play pays tribute to the interests and knowledge of King James. With patronage, a writer composes one of his works for a king, queen or another rich person for continued support.
This play compliments James by making Banquo, who is said to be his ancestor, a hero in the play. Historically, Banquo never existed.
Macbeth focuses on issues of kinship and loyalty, important ideals to King James, who had survived an assassination attempt early in his life. His father had been murdered. His mother, Mary Queen of Scots, had been executed.

34. The questions of the role of the monarch and the duties of their subjects toward them were of major importance to King James.
A story suggests that King James wrote a letter of acknowledgment about the play to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s England, the political issue of succession and order were of major importance.
Belief in witchcraft was widespread.
In 1604, the practice of witchcraft became punishable by death because it was believed that it attempted to change God’s natural order.

35. The Historical Macbeth
Born in 1005 to a family that ruled Moray and Ross
He married Gruach, granddaughter to a High King of Scotland; no children
No historical evidence of Lady Macbeth’s influence on her husband
Duncan, an ineffective king, was 38 when he was killed, possibly by Macbeth
Macbeth ruled for 17 years, elected High King of Scotland in For the first 10 years, this competent king reformed the country.
Led Scotland in a long period of peace and stability

36. Macbeth was killed on Aug. 15, 1057
Historical Macbeth
No evidence of attention to witchcraft
Strong supporter of the church
Duncan’s son Malcolm invaded Scotland in 1054, supported by the English King Edward the Confessor
Macbeth was killed on Aug. 15, 1057
Buried at Iona, the sacred burial place of the kings of Scotland

37. Theme
The play is seen as a tale of dangers of the lust for power and betrayal of friends.

38. Inside the theater
Actors often consider the play to be unlucky, and usually refer to it as “the Scottish play” rather than by name. To say the name of the play inside a theatre is considered to doom the production to failure.

39. Recurring motifs (patterns)
Blood
Clothing
Natural order
(nature)
Insomnia
These are examples of test ‘questions’

40. what Macbeth is thinking and feeling, why he acts the way he does,
What to Watch For
what Macbeth is thinking and feeling,
why he acts the way he does,
and what consequences his evil brings about upon himself

41. At the Start of the Play
Macbeth is a very successful and highly respected member of a social group, loaded with honors and enjoying every prospect of future commendations . He has a loving wife and a secure home in his castle at Inverness. He is praised for his heroic actions in defense of the kingdom. King Duncan thinks of Macbeth with high regard and treats him generously.

42. At the End of the Play
Macbeth is totally alone. He has no friends, he is universally despised, his wife is dead, and all his most eager hopes have been disappointed. He is a man without a place in the social community. He has become totally isolated.

43. Why?
Because of his own free decisions!
He destroys himself.