1. By: William Shakespeare
Twelfth Night
By: William Shakespeare

2. William Shakespeare Born April 23, 1564; Stratford on Avon in England
Died on April 23, 1616
Wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays: Comedy, Tragedy, History.
5 act plays written in blank verse and iambic pentameter

3. Iambic Pentameter Makes a beautiful sound and song rhythm
Similar to rhythm of conversation
Each line has 10 syllables
5 stressed, 5 unstressed

4. Exceptions! Some lines were less than 10 syllables-shared lines
Ex: Viola: I pity you
Olivia: That’s a degree to love
Some lines have 11 syllables – a feminine ending.
Character is in an emotional state trying to cram everything in one line.

5. Elizabethan Theater (1564-1603)
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth
Only a few male actors- played multiple roles
Colorful costumes/scenery
Audience would become “involved”
If they disliked it, they threw tomatoes/apple cores

6. Globe Theater Shakespeare helped build it in 1599
Open air theater- held 2,000-3,000 people
The “groundlings” stood in the “pit” to watch
Above the “pit” the higher class sat in a covered area
No curtains or scenery changes

7. Globe Theater
Burned down in rebuilt across the Thames River in 1614
Closed in anti theater regime
Leveled in tenement houses built over it
A reconstructed version stands in London

8. The Globe in London

9. Twelfth Night- a Comedy
Also has some dark elements to it
Written around 1601
The 2nd most performed play

10. Conventions of Comedy
The main conflict is always resolved- usually in celebration
If a minor character doesn’t fit- they are eliminated from the festivities
The impossible, fantastic, or supernatural
Disguises
mistaken identity
Ghosts, fairies
Disregard social classes

11. Stock Characters Youthful lovers Blocking characters- are the obstacle
The clown or fool- can get away with anything and is usually very wise
Clever servants
Confidants/sidekicks
Twins

12. What is the ‘Twelfth Night?’
The end of the Christmas holiday- January 6th
Believed to be the day of Epiphany when Christ was shown to the three wise men
There was usually a festival where normal rules and behaviors were put on hold
The holiday was not as serious or religious as other Christian holidays

13. A subtitle? The only Shakespearean play to have one
“…or What You Will”
Scholars believe it to mean “what you want”
Shakespeare wanted his audiences to make what they wanted of what they were watching