William Shakespeare Man of the Millennium

Directions Listen to and read along with each slide in this presentation. Slides may be read by the teacher, or by selected students. All students: respond to the question(s) on each slide—in complete sentences!—on lined paper. Throughout the slide show, raise your hand to share answers to the response questions. Submit your notes to the 4 th period tray at the end of class.

Man of the Millennium Shakespeare is the most famous—and possibly the most influential—English language writer in the world. He is often referred to as “The Man of the Millennium,” or simply, “The Bard.” Respond on lined paper: What do you think each of these nicknames implies?

Man of the Millennium What is the relationship between Shakespeare's world-wide acclaim and the expectation that all American high school students become familiar with his works? What is your opinion of this expectation?

Man of the Millennium Shakespeare was born in Stratford- upon-Avon, England, in During what century did Shakespeare live? To which Literary Era did he belong? (Hint: check the wall)

Man of the Millennium Shakespeare was born into a middle class family, the son of a glove maker. Shakespeare enjoyed both fame and wealth during his lifetime. Generally, are great artists commonly recognized for their genius before or after their deaths? Why do you think this happens?

Man of the Millennium Shakespeare wrote approximately 38 plays and 154 sonnets during his lifetime; he is what we call “a prolific writer.” Explain the use of the semicolon in the previous statement. What do you think prolific means?

Shakespearean Sonnets A sonnet is a poetic form. A Shakespearean Sonnet uses the rhyme scheme abab – cdcd – efef – gg. A sonnet has fourteen lines. A sonnet is usually written in pentameter: five metric feet per line.

Shakespearean Rhyme Scheme Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st, Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st. So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Shakespearean Sonnets Describe the pattern of a Shakespearean rhyme scheme. How many lines does a sonnet have? Usually, how many metric feet are in one line of a sonnet? How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?

Shakespearean Plays Shakespeare's plays are available as translations in every major living language, and they are performed more often throughout the world than plays by any other playwright. Have you ever viewed Shakespearean drama in film format? Explain. What is a “living language?”

Types of Shakespearean Plays Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: Comedy History Tragedy Tragicomedy (Sometimes called Romance)

Types of Shakespearean Plays What four types of plays did Shakespeare write?

Types of Shakespearean Plays This quarter you will study two comedies: Much Ado About Nothing, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. You will also read the tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Are you familiar with any of these plays already? If so, please explain.

Rhythm and Metrics Poetic meter is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Meter is present in all language, but it is manipulated most effectively in poetry and poetic plays.

Rhythm and Metrics Poetic meter consists of syllables that are grouped by metric foot. Each metric foot contains two or three syllables. The type of metric foot depends on the stressed or unstressed nature of each syllable.

Rhythm and Metrics The six main types of metric feet: iambic trochaic pyrrhic spondaic anapestic dactylic

Rhythm and Metrics An iambic foot consists of one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Example: unlatch The “un” is unstressed. The “latch” has more metric emphasis.

Rhythm and Metrics Your turn: on your lined paper, brainstorm two or more examples of iambic feet. Unless you're really stuck!

Rhythm and Metrics A trochaic foot consists of one stressed syllable followed by a unstressed syllable. Example: graveyard The “grave” is stressed. The “yard” has less metric emphasis.

Rhythm and Metrics Your turn: on your lined paper, brainstorm two or more examples of trochaic feet. Waiter! Please remove these dishes.

Rhythm and Metrics A pyrrhic foot consists of one unstressed syllable followed by another unstressed syllable. Pyrrhic feet are rare in English, but they occasionally appear.

Rhythm and Metrics A spondaic foot consists of one stressed syllable followed by another stressed syllable. Example: Wait! Please! The “wait” is stressed and the “please” is also stressed.

Rhythm and Metrics Your turn: on your lined paper, brainstorm two or more examples of spondaic feet.

Rhythm and Metrics An anapestic foot consists of one unstressed syllable, followed by a second unstressed syllable, followed by a third stressed syllable. Example: “Twas the night before prom-night and all through the house”

Rhythm and Metrics Your turn: on your lined paper, brainstorm two or more examples of anapestic feet.

Rhythm and Metrics A dactylic foot consists of one stressed syllable, followed by a second unstressed syllable, followed by a third unstressed syllable. Example: “Just for a handful of silver he left us...”

Rhythm and Metrics Your turn: on your lined paper, brainstorm two or more examples of dactylic feet.

Rhythm and Metrics Number of feet per line also determines the meter: Monometer = one foot Dimeter = two feet Trimeter = three feet Tetrameter = four feet Pentameter = five feet Hexameter = six feet Heptameter = seven feet

Rhythm and Metrics Shakespeare wrote almost all of his plays in blank verse. Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter. Example: “To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there's the rub: For in that sleep of death what dreams may come”

Rhythm and Metrics What do you think the term is for a meter of eight feet? What was Shakespeare’s favorite meter?

End of Slide Show If there is still time left in class, groups should meet to discuss their third quarter Shakespeare projects.