1. English and Shakespeare
A Brief History
English and Shakespeare

2. In the beginning . . .
The people of Britain were made of many groups, including
Angles
Saxons
Jutes
Picts
Scots
Celts
Rulers were clan chief

3. First conquers
Rome
Held power over the lower portions of England from around 30 BC to 350 AD
When the empire collapsed, local control returned to the native nobility
Clergy stayed, adding a Latin influence to the island
Hadrian’s Wall

4. The Normans Battle of Hastings: October 14, 1066
Duke of Normandy (William I the Conqueror)
King Harold of the Saxon’s defeated
King Harold was killed during the battle
William I became the first English King

5. More on the normans Normans are “Northmen Branch of Scandinavians
Normans controlled the northern regions of Europe
Empire stretched from America and Iceland (Vikings) to Russia (Danes) to Italy and Sicily (Normans)
This particular group of Normans came from Normandy, France.
Normans were a more aggressive group of Scandinavians
In 911 AD, William’s ancestors acquired Normandy from France.
They intermarried with English Royalty
William had some legitimate claim to the English throne

6. Medieval Era Feudalism – the government of the day
Three classes of society
Nobility
Clergy
Serfs
Lord – Owner of the land
Vassal – a lower noble who was granted a portion of land in exchange for taxes, agriculture, military service, and loyalty
Fief – the plot of land granted to a vassal
Eilean Donan Castle

7. After Hastings
Only about 10% of the people in England would have noticed the change
Serfs were not affected
Clergy were not affected
Nobility was affected – Old English nobility under King Harold of the Saxons replaced with new French nobility under William I the Conqueror

8. Language after Hastings
Serfs spoke English (mix of Anglo-Saxon (Germanic), Celtic (Gaelic), and Latin)
Clergy spoke Latin
Nobility spoke French
Earlier invaders of England attacked, pillaged, and left
Normans invaded but did not destroy. They accepted a great deal of Anglo Saxon culture

9. Doomsday book First census taken of England in 1086
Purpose was to tax more effectively
Result was that people were taxed more fairly
Country of England prospered
Doomsday Book

10. End of the Feudal Era Plague killed 1/3 of the population of Europe
Gunpowder
Italian Renaissance

11. The Black Plague

12. Renaissance Period Italian Renaissance began in early 1400’s
Emphasized: literature, the arts, science, religion, politics, classics
Began with an emphasis on reviving learning and studying Greek and Roman literature
Split of Roman empire and fall of western Roman empire:
Byzantium (Eastern Roman Capital became center of Roman learning
Italian Renaissance happened when Muslims took over Constantinople (Byzantium) and renamed it Istanbul
Orthodox Church fell from power, tool all manuscripts (including Greek philosophers) and fled.
Until this reintroduction, only partial manuscripts existed

13. English Renaissance (1500 – 1660)
Began during reign of Henry VII
Ended 1660 with end of Commonwealth
Great Plague 1665 (Influenza)
Great London Fire 1666
Henry VII

14. Monarchs of English Renaissance
Henry VII
Henry VIII – Luther Reformation 1517, English Reformation 1534
Edward VI
Mary
Elizabeth I – Shakespeare starts writing
James I – New Bible
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell – Monarchy dissolved and replaced with Commonwealth

15. Literary Aspects of Renaissance
Sonnets – Started with Italian Petrarch and Shakespeare
Blank Verse – no rhyme scheme
Pastoral Verse – about Sheppard and folk songs/stories
Example – Spenser
Drama
Iconoclastic – about religion
Popular – about people

16. William Shakespeare Born April 23, 1564
(Baptism Records say )
Holy Trinity Church – Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire
Died April 23, 1616
William Shakespeare

17. Shakespeare’s works Two Narrative Poems (1593 & 1594)
154 Sonnets – all printed in 1609
37 Plays
Rumored 38th Arthurian Legend play– Life of Merlin
36 plays published in the first folio
Types of Plays: Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies

18. The First Folio

19. Globe Theater:
open air theater where people either stood or paid more to sit in the stands.
Scenery was minimal,
People went to the play to listen to the words, not watch the movement.
Female characters of the time had to be sown into their costumes.
Female characters were played by young men whose voice had not begun to change

20. Plays at the Globe