Shakespeare’s World

Time period William Shakespeare lived from 1564—1616 Lived in England, during the Renaissance Elizabeth I was the queen

European Renaissance A renewed interest in science, philosophy, and the arts Began in 14 th Century Italy

Queen Elizabeth I 1558—1603 (Elizabethan Age) Father was Henry VIII Never married or had any children– sometimes called “The Virgin Queen”

Queen Elizabeth I Strong supporter of the arts Shakespeare’s theater company (The Lord Chamberlain’s Men) was named after a high- ranking position in Elizabeth’s court She occasionally attended their productions

Elizabethan Theater No female actors Simple staging (a lot left to the imagination) London was the theater “hot spot” Appealed to both rich and poor classes The Lord Chamberlain’s Men worked in the Globe Theatre. Poor audience members stood in “the pit” near the stage Audiences would physically respond to the plays

The Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Life Born in Stratford-on-Avon, 1564 Married Anne Hathaway at 18 Had three children Left for London seven years later His plays made him very successful Died in 1616

Shakespeare’s influence Widely considered the greatest writer in the English language, best playwright of all time Known for experimenting with spoken English Used a lot of puns and double-meanings Invented lots of words and phrases we still use: “lonely,” “assassination,” “bump,” “dead as a doornail,” “laughingstock,” “for goodness’ sake”