1. Intro to SHAKESPEARE

2. Life of William Shakespeare
Basics
Very little is known about Shakespeare’s life but what is known is gathered from records, wills, marriage certificates, etc.
Born around April 23, 1564; 3rd of 8 children
Family lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, a market town about 100 miles NW of London.

3. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove maker
A man of considerable standing in Stratford
Served as Justice of the Peace and High Bailiff (mayor)

4. Education \ Attended grammar school and studied
Latin grammar and literature
Rhetoric (the use of language)
No further formal education known

5. Marriage to Anne Hathaway
Married at age 19 to Anne, 8 years older
3 children: Susanna (1583), Judith and Hamnet (twins, 1585)

6. Later Life
1594 – became shareholder in company of actors called Lord Chamberlain’s Men
1603 – James I became king of England; acting company renamed King’s Men

7. Accomplishments 1610 – Shakespeare retired to Stratford-upon-Avon
He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 epic narrative poems.
Said to have invented about words.

8. Holy Trinity Church Shakespeare rests at Holy Trinity Church.
April 23, 1616 – died at the age of 52

9. The Curse on Shakespeare’s Grave
Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To digg the dust enclosed heare.
Blese be the man that spares thes stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones.

10. English Theatre During Shakespeare’s Time

11. First Theatre
1576 – James Burbage, an actor/manager, built the first permanent theatre in England
Called “The Theatre”
Burned down in 1599 – materials salvaged to build The Globe

12. Debate: The Morality of Theatre
Theatre is Immoral:
People should work in shops, not waste their time in idleness.
Puritans object to theater as an unwholesome environment
Men dressed as women
Theater=fiction=lies
The mass of people could further the spread of the plague
Theatre is Valuable:
Theatre is educational, based on classical antiquity
Theatre paints a true picture of the good and bad in life, so people can learn how to choose the good
People should have the opportunity for recreation

13. Shakespeare’s Globe
Modern reconstruction (1997)
The original Globe (1599) built across the Thames from London in an area called Bankside – the “wrong” side of the river
Octagonal shape
Oak timbers, plaster walls, thatched roof

14. Typical 16th Century Theatre
Building: 3 stories
Levels 1 & 2: Stage, backstage: dressing and storage areas
Level 3: Upper Stage, could represent balcony, walls of a castle, bridge of a ship
Resembled courtyard of an inn

15. Modern Southwark The Globe, Millennium Bridge and the Tate Modern from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral

16. Thrust Stage
A large platform without a curtain or changeable backdrops
2 ornate pillars supported canopy roof, “the heavens,” elaborately painted to depict the sun, moon, stars, planets
Pulleys in “the heavens” to lower actors onto stage

18. Stage
Trap doors: entrances and exits of ghosts; area under stage called Hell
2 large doors at back: actors made entrances and exits in full view of audience
Inner stage: the “discovery space,” a recess with balcony area above
Floor: ash mixed with hazelnut shells from snacks audience ate during performance
Effect on performance: plays held in afternoon
No roof
No artificial lighting
No scenery

19. Stage Minimal props and sets
Rich costumes: often cast-offs from the nobility
Sound effects: often as important as dialogue

20. Acting Companies
Only boys and men
Young boys performed female roles

21. Audience 2000-3000 people from all walks of life
Well-to-do spectators sat in covered galleries around stage
Most stood in yard around platform stage – “groundlings”

22. Patronage and Writers
Gentlemen earned reputation by being patrons of the arts
Writers earned funds by pleasing wealthy patrons
Many texts circulated in manuscript
Printed texts licensed by the Stationer’s Company

23. The “Modern” City in Shakespeare’s Time
About 200,000 people in London; no more than 5 million in all of England
(London 2018: 8, 787, 892) (England 2018: 66, 573, 504)
City about 1 square mile, from St. Paul’s to Tower of London.
Centrality of London Bridge
London wooded, many trees and gardens
City was unsanitary: dumped chamberpots, ditches in narrow streets, little street lighting

25. London 1560

26. London Bridge in Shakespeare’s Time
Modern Day

27. Shakespeare Today

28. THE END
Bard = poet