3. Shakespeare’s Life 1564-1616 The man behind the legend

4. ENGLAND

5. London

6. Boyhood in Stratford- Upon-Avon n Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford- Upon-Avon n Parents John and Mary Arden Shakespeare n Seven brothers and sisters n Grammar School from age 7 to 13

8. William Shakespeare’s Home

9. Marriage and Life in London n 1582 at age 18 married Anne Hathaway n 1583-1592 ??? n 1592 (28 years old) went to London u actor and playwright u first accused of borrowing from other playwrights n 1592-1594 Plague

10. Shakespeare Prospers n 1598 built Globe Theatre u Owned shares in it n Father granted a coat-of-arms u Gentlemen n Recognized as a genius in his own time

15. Honored as Actor and Playwright n Queen Elizabeth dies in 1603 n King James I takes the throne u Shakespeare’s Theatre company becomes the King’s Company n Member of famous writer’s group (Mermaid Tavern)

16. Death and Burial at Stratford n 1610 retired from theatre u 1613 Globe theatre burns down F lost much money but still wealthy F helps rebuild Globe theatre u Dies on April 23, 1616 at age 52

17. Shakespeare’s Grave

18. Did Shakespeare really write his plays? n Many believe it is impossible for Shakespeare to have written his plays u Lacks heights and depths of passion u could not learn aristocratic sports and manners u lacked schooling

19. Secrets of the Sonnets n 154 Sonnets, 60 songs n Love, broken trust of friend, loss of love, forgiveness n friend, dark lady, rival poet

20. Shakespeare’s Four Periods n First Period- Apprenticeship (Age 26-30) n Second Period- Mastered his art! u Favorite “Romantic Comedy” n Third Period- Problem of Evil in the World n Forth Period- Creates a new drama form u “Tragicomedy” or the dramatic romance

21. Shakespeare as an Elizabethan n Queen Elizabeth reigned (1558-1603) n Emerging from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance n Age was extravagant and brutal u elaborate, ornate clothing, language and manners u language was growing fast u middle class (stern, moral, and independent)

22. Queen Elizabeth 1558-1603

23. Drama in the Elizabethan Age n After defeating the Spanish Armada, England became intensely interested in the past. (Patriotic) Historical plays thrived. n Playwrights were practical men, bent on making a living n Plays were written to be acted, not read. n Once a playwright sold his manuscript, he had no personal right to it.

24. Shakespeare’s Plots and Characters n First reading =quick n Second reading=more leisurely n Plots=romantic, poetic, farfetched, imaginative, supernatural n Characters=realistic, alive, three dimensional, powerful and eternally true

25. The Elizabethan Theater n Round, wooden, roofless building n Three galleries of seats n Pit (no seats) cost a penny “groundlings” n Main stage u 40 feet wide u 27 feet projection into the pit n Recessed inner stage (curtains and balcony) n Music Room n Heaven and a Hell

26. The Stage Influences on Shakespeare’s Methods n Open, free stage=quick changes, rapid action n Encourages speechmaking, passionate soliloquies n No women actors n Only day time light= speeches about time, season and weather u (Macbeth=40 such speeches n Closeness of different classes

27. Shakespeare as a Dramatist n Objective of Plays= give pleasure n Fanciful, imaginative plays n Audience= everyday people, uneducated, wanted to escape n Wrote in verse=free use of words

28. Comedy n A drama or narrative with a happy ending or non-tragic theme. u Comedy of manners- depicts and satirizes the manners and customs of fashionable society. u High comedy- appeals to and reflects the life and problems of the upper social classes, characterized by a witty, sardonic treatment. u Low comedy- farce, slap stick,burlesque, horse play