1. William Shakespeare: Life and Times

2. The Main Details Born 1564—died 1616 Stratford-upon-Avon
Parents: John and Mary Arden Shakespeare
Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner
John— wealthy merchant (glove maker) and local politician

3. Location of Stratford-upon-Avon
From:

4. Love and Marriage Married to Anne Hathaway in 1582
Anne was 26, he was 18
 3 children: Susannah, then Hamnet and Judith (twins),
 The youngest, Hamnet died at the age of 11

5. Leaving Town...  Went to London at 21
 joined a travelling company of actors
 Worked as an actor, a playwright, and a director

6. London Life in the 16th century
Poor sewer system
High crime rate
But …
200,000 inhabitants
the cultural and political heart of England

7. The Plays 37 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare comedies histories
tragedies
poetry

8. Where the magic happened…
opened in 1599
Was a wooden “O” shape - seated an audience of 3,000 in the open-air arena. (Today, it only seats 1,500!!!)

9. The Globe from across the Thames

10. Who got to go? EVERYONE!!! All classes were welcome. The “Box” Office
“Groundlings,” paid a penny for admission, and stood on three sides of the stage for the entire production.
The wealthier got to sit in the stalls around the stage
The wealthiest were allowed to sit ON the stage or almost behind it
That’s where they were most visible
The “Box” Office
Comes from the theatre – Dropped penny in box – Took box to office and counted the pennies – Hence, Box office hint

11. Side view looking at the stalls
The wealthiest sat here, because everyone could see them, and know that they paid enough money to get those seats!!
Because traveling companies, the stage is often empty – they rely more on acting and words more than props and scene change - Constant references to time/setting so the audience knows - Eaves Dropping” Eave where roof meets the all – A day at the theatre a lot dropped through the eaves – the eaves dropper was the person who would listen to what was shared at the theatre = GOSSIP!

12. The Stage Sometimes the wealthy even sat here!
This globe was built without electric tools – They tried to recreate everything like it would be in Shakespeare’s time – Horse hair and grain
The original globe burnt down because of a cannon in a scene catching the thatched roof

13. Roof of the Globe stage
It’s painted like the sky and heavens because that’s what it was supposed to be...not just the roof of a stage.
Weird transition between polytheistic Greek/roman period and Christianity – They still pray to the heavens and still reference fate
This is a trap door that would open to let in the special effects or angels/ gods

14. The end of Romeo and Juliet

15. A rare sunny day look at the “O”
The only thatched roof building allowed in ALL of London
It was built the same way it would have been built in Shakespeare’s time: with no electrical devices or technologies

16. When can we go!? Performances were given every day except Sunday
Weather permitting, of course!
Ran between 2 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon
A flag flew to signify the type of play being performed that day: black = tragedy, white = comedy, and red = history.

17. What was the theatre like?
Vendors offered beer, water, oranges, nuts, gingerbread and apples, all of which were occasionally thrown at the actors.
No bathrooms…you went where you were standing!!
If it rained, you got rained on!
The roles of women were played by men.
The term “dressed in drag” comes from this

18. The end of his life Shakespeare did very well in London
His plays brought him fame and wealth
Returned to Stratford in 1610
Destruction of the Globe Theatre in 1613 (the Great Fire of London)
In 1616 Shakespeare died on April 23 (his birthday!)

19. Minor differences thou (you) thine (your, yours) thee (you)
thyself (yourself)
prithee/pray (please)
verily (very/truly)
fie (a curse)
aye/yea (yes)
nay (no)
anon (until later)
owes (owns)
morrow (day)
crowkeeper (scarecrow)

20. Elizabethan Period What was the EP?
Age of new ideas and a new way of thinking
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth
Era of new inventions: The printing Press!
Also a time of great suspicion due to rising fear of supernatural forces of nature or God
Witchcraft

21. Elizabethan Class Structure
Monarchy
Nobility
Gentry
Merchants
Yeomen
Indigents
Each class was very specific
Each class had their own laws
Each class was identified by the color they wore

22. His Lasting Influence LANGUAGE!!! (Hooray!)
Credited with inventing at least 1700 words and phrases we use today.
Just a few examples:
dwindle - deafening - fashionable
hurry - gossip - generous
lonely - torture - puking
amazement