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 in the London Theater Co.
Principal playwright for them
1599: Lord Chamberlain built the Globe Theater where most of Shakespeare’s plays were performed

4. Shakespeare wrote:
Comedies
Histories
Tragedies- Macbeth is a tragedy

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

6. Spectators Wealthy: sat on benches
Groundlings: poorer people stood and watched from the courtyard known as the “pit”
All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterate
Much more audience interaction than today- asides & comic relief

7. Staging Areas
Stage: platform that extended into the pit with people on 3 sides
Dressing & storage rooms in galleries behind & above stage
Second-level gallery/upper stage used for higher stage positioning
Trap doors used for ghosts to appear
“Heavens”: angelic beings (on upper level)

8. Contrasts No elaborate scenery then
Settings were established using references in dialogue
Elaborate costumes worn then
Plenty of mobile props used then

9. Contrasts Cont. Fast-paced, colorful- 2 hours
Contemporary adaptations made to maintain audience attention- changing settings, using contemporary slang, etc.

10. Actors Only men and boys performed
Young boys whose voices had not changed play women’s roles
It would have been considered indecent for a woman to appear on stage- time period/ content

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

12. Exposition The plot usually begins with this.
Setting, characters, and situation
Minimalized in plays because information is learned through actions of characters

13. Inciting Moment Often called “initial incident”
the first bit of action that occurs which begins the plot
Ex. This starts immediately with the 3 witches in Macbeth.

14. Conflict The struggle that develops man vs. man- Macbeth
man vs. himself- Macbeth
man vs. society
man vs. nature

15. Crisis
The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse
Starts in Act I

16. Climax
The turning point of the story>everything begins to unravel from here
Thus begins the falling action
Typically Act III

17. Resolution
The end of the central conflict

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

19. 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
Both are seen in Macbeth.

20. Theme
Central idea or
insight that can be applied to real life (more than 1 word)

21. Dramatic Foil
A character whose purpose is to show off another character
Macbeth and Banquo

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

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

24. Static Characters
Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.

25. Dynamic Character
Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better.

26. Monologue
One person is speaking on stage while other character(s) is/are on stage listening.

27. Soliloquy
It is long speech expressing the inner thoughts of a character while s/he is alone on stage.

28. Aside
The words are spoken (usually in an undertone) to the audience, not intended to be heard by other characters

29. Direct Address
The character will acknowledge the person being spoken to by name or relationship.
This is convenient when multiple characters are on stage.

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

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

32. Verbal Irony Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant
Puns and sarcasm

33. Pun 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
Tons in Macbeth

34. Comic Relief
Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness.
Pay attention to when the Porter appears in Macbeth