1. William Shakespeare
Life and Times

2. Childhood and Education
1564 (most likely April 23rd)
Parents were John and Mary Shakespeare
John was a merchant while Mary took care of their 8 children of whom Shakespeare was the 3rd eldest
Shakespeare was educated at the Stratford grammar school where he learned English and Latin
Other influences include the Church, as everyone attended church and received training in the many stories of the bible.

3. Marriage and Death
Married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582, who at the time was 3 months pregnant and also 8 years older than him
They had 3 children, Daughter Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith
Died on April 23, 1616

4. Shakespeare’s World Elizabethan England Queen Elizabeth 1558 – 1603
Elizabeth was 25 years old when she became Queen of England in 1558
She held reign for 45 years until her death in 1603
She remained unmarried throughout her entire life and used her position as an unmarried monarch to her political advantage in Europe.

5. Shakespeare’s World Move into the Cities
London became one of the most populated cities in the world
Also, it was one of the most vile, unhealthy and pungent cities
Created opportunities for Theatres and entertainment companies to attract mass crowds for their performances
Plague
Bear Baiting

6. Shakespeare’s Career and The Globe
The Globe Theatre
The original globe was built in 1599 by the Burbage brothers Cuthbert and Richard
Shakespeare invested some money in the theatre to have part ownership as well as some other members of Lord Chamberlain's Men
Three levels of the theatre represent the class structure of Elizabethan England
Bottom – 1 pence
Middle – 3 pence
Top – 6 pence

7. The Globe Theatre

8. Shakespeare as Pop Culture
In Elizabethan Culture everyone went to the plays
Shakespeare and Marlowe were two of the biggest playwrights and were always competing
The plays were the equivalent to Television today
Also, the playhouse was where everyone went to be “seen” and to make appearances in society

9. Shakespeare’s Plays Shakespeare wrote plays for three main Genres:
Comedies
Romances
Tragedies
Histories
Has an amazing ability to capture the human condition or main archetypes
Shakespeare speaks across time to all humans and what struggles and joys we all experience.

10. Reduced Shakespeare Company version of Shakespeare’s biography