Shakespeare’s BiographyShakespeare’s Biography  Very little actually known about Shakespeare- most information is found through Church documents  Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon (a guess even since only his baptism is recorded)  Married to Anne Hathaway in December 1582  3 children- Suzanne, Judith and Hammnet  Died on April 23, 1616

Playwright Performed most plays in The Globe Theater Began as a member of Lord Strange’s players acting company After that, joined Lord Chamberlain’s Men Transitioned to the King’s Men in 1603

Patronage and MonarchsPatronage and Monarchs  Queen Elizabeth was on the throne when Shakespeare began writing his plays  As a result, most of his plays written during that era are typically happier and include more comedies  King James I assumed the throne in 1603 and was also a Patron to Shakespeare  As a result, Macbeth is seen to appeal to James I (of Scotland) and a representative of a more turbulent time

The Types of PlaysThe Types of Plays  The Comedy- purpose to entertain. Plot lines usually involve a love story and friends of the lovers (and a clown) EX: A Midsummer Night’s Dream  The History- more serious purpose. Records the rise and fall of great kings. Served as a moral example EX: Julius Caesar  The Tragedy- A play with a violent end-disaster as a result of breaching a fundamental moral law. EX: Macbeth

Shakespeare’s languageShakespeare’s language  Blank Verse: Unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter  This is the normal form of speech in Shakespearean plays for major characters  Rhymed Verse: couplets of iambic pentameter, also called heroic couplets  Used for supernatural characters (more than mortal)  Used at the end of a scene  Used when speaking of love

Shakespeare’s LanguageShakespeare’s Language  Song  Used to create a particular mood  Prose  Used for lower class characters and for reading from letters or documents

The 5 Act PlayThe 5 Act Play  Act 1: Protasis- Characters and situations are introduced, necessary exposition, conflict begins.  Act 2/3: epitasis- complication starts and reaches a frenzy  Act 4: catastrophe- looks like everything will be solved, then the solution goes wrong  Act 5: catastasis- solution to all conflicts Shakespeare’s Plays were divided into 5 acts by later publishers of the plays. His 5 acts are broken down by certain plot characteristics. The first complete publication of all 36 of Shakespeare’s plays is called the First Folio

Literary Terms to KnowLiterary Terms to Know  Anachronism: false assignment of event, person, scene, language to a time when that item was not in existence  Equivocation: the use of expressions with double meaning in order to mislead the listener; a half truth  Aside: dramatic convention that allows a character on stage to speak aloud his thoughts, unheard by other characters present  Pathetic fallacy: nature reflecting the deeds of men  Soliloquy: dramatic convention that allows a character alone on stage to speak aloud his thoughts  Allusion: reference within literary work to person, historical event, work of art

Patterns to NotePatterns to Note Imagery  Bird  Animal  Color  Clothing  Darkness/Light Patterns  Deceptive appearances  Irony  Sleeplessness  Flattery to James I  Reversal of morality (“fair is foul, foul is fair”)