Well-known Facts about Will Great writer of England Plays translated into all languages, musicals, ballets Born Stratford-upon-Avon Well-to-do, affluent while alive Most quoted, other than the Bible

The Competition Bear-baiting Races Gambling Music Public executions

Conditions in London-BAD! Thames (pronounced tems) River polluted with raw sewage Trees used up for fuel Poverty

Personal hygiene/health Bathing considered dangerous Body odor strong Childhood diseases Children often died before 5 years Small Pox Bubonic Plague

Living Conditions No running water Chamber Pots Open Sewers Crowded

Clothes One set used all year long, rarely washed Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed Clothes handed down from rich to poor

Food Did Elizabethan food and drink constitute a good balanced diet? No! And especially not for the rich! The rich ate few fresh vegetables and little fresh fruit – Vegetables and fresh fruit were eaten by the poor – Noble's table. Dairy products were also deemed as inferior foods and therefore only to be eaten by the poor. Little was known about nutrition and the Elizabethan diet of the rich Nobles lacked Vitamin C, calcium and fiber. This led to an assortment of health problems including bad teeth, skin diseases, scurvy and rickets (softening of the bones) Sugar was an expensive commodity and was known to blacken the teeth. It became fashionable to have blackened teeth and cosmetics were applied to achieve this effect if enough quantities of sugar were not available! People of the Elizabethan era were highly religious and at certain times the eating of meat was banned. This was not an occasional ban. Certain religious observances banned the eating of meat on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays! Meat was banned during the religious seasons of Lent and Advent. Meat was also declined on the eves of many religious holidays.

Theater in London Performed in courtyards of inns The Theater-first public theater-1576 Daytime/open air Limited set design Relied on music, sound, costumes, props and great description

The Globe Built in 1599 Across the Thames- “Wrong side of town” King’s Players - Shakespeare’s company Penny admission

Actors All men Female parts played by young boys No actual kissing or hugging on stage

The groundling Poor audience member Stood around stage in “the pit” Women not allowed (had to dress up as men to attend) Threw rotten vegetables at bad performances

Elizabethan Words An, and: If Anon: Soon Aye: Yes But:Except for E’en:Even E’er: Ever

Haply:Perhaps Happy:Fortunate Hence:Away, from her Hie:Hurry Marry:Indeed

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

Romeo and Juliet

Two households…

Both alike in dignity…

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene …

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny …

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.

Facts Written by William Shakespeare in about 1591

Montagues

Capulets

Others

Look for… Puns Allusions Metaphor Personification Oxymorons Paradoxes Foreshadowing

Puns A pun is a humorous play on words. Mercutio – “Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.” Romeo – “Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes / With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead…” (Act I Sc. 4)

Allusions An allusion is a reference to a well known work of art, music, literature, or history. “At lovers’ perjuries, they say Jove laughs.” (Act II, Sc. 2) Jove is another name for Jupiter, the Roman King of the Gods.

Metaphor A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things. Romeo – “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” (Act II Sc. 2)

Personification Personification occurs when an inanimate object or concept is given the qualities of a person or animal. Juliet— “For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night / Whiter than new snow on a raven’s back. / Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow’d night” (Act III Sc. 2)

Oxymorons An oxymoron describes when two juxtaposed words have opposing or very diverse meanings. Juliet – “Beautiful tyrant! fiend angelical!” (Act III Sc.2)

Paradoxes A paradox is statement or situation with seemingly contradictory or incompatible components. Juliet – “O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!” (Act III Sc. 2)

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is a reference to something that will happen later in the story. Juliet – “Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun.” (Act III Sc. 2)

Themes Light and dark Time Fate

Light and Dark Look for references to light and dark: References to “light” words, such as “torches,” “the sun,” adjectives that describe light (“bright”) References to “dark” words, such as “night” and “gloom”

Time Look for references to time: References to “time” words, such as “hours” References to the passage of time, especially if it seems “rushed”

Fate Look for references to fate: Look for instances where events are blamed on “fate,” “destiny,” or “the stars”