1. The greatest dramatist in English Literature— indeed, in all the world.

2.  Comedies  Histories  Tragedies

3.  Written about 1595  Considered a tragedy  West Side Story (Movie) based on R&J

4.  Plays produced for the general public  Roofless, open air  No artificial lighting  Courtyard (ground in front of the stage) was surrounded by three levels of galleries where the wealthy sat

5.  Wealthy sat in cover benches of  “Groundlings”: poor people stood and watched from the ground or “pit.”  All but the wealthy were uneducated/illiterate  Much more interaction between the actors and audience than today

6.  Stage was aplatform that extended into the pit  Dressing & storage rooms in galleries behind & above stage  Second-level gallery with upper stage, as used in famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet  Trap door for ghosts  “Heavens” for angelic beings

7.  No scenery  Setting was established by references in dialogue  Elaborate costumes, not necessary historical though  Plenty of props  Fast-paced, colorful (2 hours)

8.  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

9.  An,and: If  Anon: Soon  Aye: Yes  But:Except for  E’en:Even  E’er: Ever

10.  Haply:Perhaps  Happy:Fortunate  Hence:Away  Hie:Hurry  Marry:Indeed

11.  Whence:Where  Wilt:Will, will you  Withal:In addition to  Would:Wish

12.  Plays were predominantly in blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter. 1. no end rhyme 2. Beat is iambic ̌ ´ (every other syllable gets a beat) 3. Pentameter (five beats in a line)

13.  Prose is ordinary writing, anything that is not poetry.  Only characters in the lower social classes, such as servants, speak in prose Shakespeare’s plays.  Why do you suppose that is?

14.  The sequence of events in a literary work

15.  The plot usually begins with this: introduces>>>>  setting  characters  basic situation

16.  Often called “initial incident” the first bit of action that occurs which begins the plot Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the party

17.  The struggle that develops man vs. man man vs. himself man vs. society man vs. nature

18.  The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse protagonist>good guy antagonist>bad guy

19.  The turning point of the story; everything begins to unravel from here, so the falling action begins after the climax

20.  The central conflict is resolved, or ends

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

22.  The tragic world is one of action. Thoughts quickly turn into reality and their actions ultimately lead to their own destruction.

23.  The ultimate power in the tragic world is moral order, where good and social order dominate  The struggle is between good and evil. Evil is the main source of problems and produces death and suffering.  Evil disturbs the moral order of the world.

24.  This evil is eventually destroyed and the moral order of the world is re- established.

25. The central impression of the tragedy is one of waste.

26. The cycle of a tragedy:  Good / Order >  Evil >  Chaos >  Death >  Good / Order reestablished

27.  Reading Shakespeare:  Pay attention to first scenes  Watch for parallel characters and scenes (last scene brings the play full circle)  Be attuned to subtle irony  Understand use of images, symbols and motifs  Be knowledgeable of common themes

28.  Reading Shakespeare cont.:  Remember that it is poetry, so read sentences not lines; it is drama, so visualize and note who is or is not on stage, especially if a character is alone and thus giving a soliloquy which reveals his thoughts and motives.  Keep track of characters  Five Acts (Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, catastrophe (resolution/conclusion)

29.  Central idea or insight about life

30.  Comparison of unlike things > Paris standing over the “lifeless body” of Juliet, “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew…” “Thou detestable maw…Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth…” Romeo

31.  A character whose purpose is to show off another character Benvolio foil for Tybalt

32.  Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.

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

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

35.  Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better.

36.  One person speaking on stage; other character on stage too example-the Prince of Verona commanding the Capulets and Montagues to cease feuding

37.  Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage. Romeo gives a soliloquy after the servant has fled and Paris has died.

38. A character’s speech not intended to be heard by all characters. The character often turns aside and speaks as to himself or to the audience, and other characters freeze or pantamine.

39. Shakespeare loved to use them!!! Humorous use of a word with two meanings. Often used by lower class to mock upper class or by clowns Sometimes missed by the readers because of Elizabethan double entendre, or sexual innuendo

40.  Words that tell the reader who is being addressed:  “A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.”  “Ah, my mistresses, which of you all/ Will now deny to dance?”

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

42.  Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant

43.  An event or situation occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience  The opposite of what is expected happens

44. Use of comedy within a drama that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness in the plot.