2. Shakespeare: The History of English

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

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

5. Shakespeare’s Birthplace

6. Location of Stratford-upon-Avon

7. Shakespeare wrote:
Comedies
Histories
Tragedies

8. The Theater Plays produced for the general public Roofless = open air
No artificial lighting
Courtyard surrounded by three levels of galleries

9. Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays
Theatre Career
Member and later part-owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later called the King’s Men
Globe Theater built in 1599 by L.C.M. with Shakespeare as primary investor
Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays

11. The Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

12. 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

13. 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 - ghosts
“Heavens” - angelic beings

17. Education Probably attended King’s New School in Stratford
Educated in:
Rhetoric
Logic
History
Latin

18. Stratford-on-Avon in Shakespeare’s Time
As reproduced in William Rolfe, Shakespeare the Boy (1896).

19. Stratford-upon-Avon Today
From Stratford’s web site:

20. King’s New School

21. Married Life
Married in 1582 to Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant at the time with their first daughter
Had twins in 1585
Sometime between , he moved to London and began working in theatre.

22. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage
Warwickshire, England

23. GLOBE THEATRE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8GVuuIW6YE

24. Differences No scenery Settings (references in dialogue)
Elaborate costumes
Plenty of props
Fast-paced, colorful - Two hours!

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

26. Movies that are disguised as Shakespeare…

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

34. QE1 Words (contin.) Haply: Perhaps Happy: Fortunate
Hence: Away, from her
Hie: Hurry
Marry: Indeed

35. QE1 Words (contin.) Whence: Where Wilt: Will, will you
Withal: In addition to
Would: Wish