Shakespeare Overview Elizabethan England and the Bard

The Church of England was fully established (rules were not as rigid) Elizabeth is loved by the people Elizabeth loved the arts. Major art accomplishments during this time. She particularly enjoyed William Shakespeare’s plays. London becomes a leading center of culture and commerce. England becomes the dominant power in the world. Elizabethan England Queen Elizabeth I ( )

Elizabethan Theatre Theatre was for the masses—not just the wealthy Groundlings: poorer people who stood in the front during the performance. Women were not allowed to perform. The Globe Theatre was built by Shakespeare’s company in The Globe was 3 stories high and seated 3,000 The Globe burned in 1613 when a cannon shot in a performance caught the roof on fire. It was reponed and continued operating until 1642, when the Puritans closed it down

The New Globe Theatre The Globe was gone for 352 years. The foundation of the Globe was discovered and a new Globe completed in 1996 A close reproduction to the original

Born in Stratford The 3 rd of 8 kids Married at age 18 ( she was 26) Worked as an actor Lived through the Black Plague that killed 33,000 in London By 1594 at least 6 plays had been published 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 epic narrative poems William Shakespeare

Shakespeare introduced nearly 3,000 words into the language His vocabulary was 17,000 words (an average, well- educated person had roughly 4500). His language was accessible to all He is the most quoted writer of all time William Shakespeare "Shakespeare was so facile in employing words that he was able to use over 7,000 of them—more than occur in the whole King James version of the Bible—only once and never again.“ -Louis Marder

William Shakespeare 154 sonnets 38 Plays 2 epic poems ComediesHistories Tragedies All's Well That Ends Well As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline Love's Labours Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives of Windsor The Merchant of Venice A Midsummer Night's Dream Much Ado About Nothing Pericles, Prince of Tyre Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter's Tale Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II Henry V Henry VI, Part I Henry VI, Part II Henry VI, Part III Henry VIII King John Richard II Richard III Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus

William Shakespeare The Authorship Debate Suggests that Shakespeare did not write all the plays. The top three men who are claimed as possible candidates: Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford Francis Bacon Christopher Marlowe

William Shakespeare 400 years later, Shakespeare’s influence is still present today Over 250 film adaptations have been made from his 37 plays. Pay attention to the references to Shakespeare in everything from advertisements to entertainment to products.