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 avon.co.uk/index.htmhttp:// avon.co.uk/index.htm

Lesser-known Facts Teen father: married pregnant 26 year old Anne Hathaway when he was 18 Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for London stage career Father of twins Elizabethan rapper: uses rhythm and rhyme “Plagiarism” ?: s-movie.com/ s-movie.com/

The Competition Bear-baiting Races Gambling Music Drinking/socializing Prostitution Public executions

Conditions in London-BAD! Thames 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

The Globe Theater Built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (Theatrical Company) Across the Thames- “Wrong side of town” King’s Players - Shakespeare’s company Penny admission Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays

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

Shakespeare’s Works 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare 14 comedies 10 histories 10 tragedies 4 romances Two major poems Venus and Adonis Rape of Lucrece 154 Sonnets Numerous other poems

Shakespeare’s Language Wrote in Early Modern English A mix of old and very new Rural and urban words/images Understandable by the lowest peasant and the highest noble

Shakespeare’s Language Coined many words and phrases: into thin air / flesh and blood accused addiction alligator amazement anchovies assassination backing bandit bedroom bump buzzers courtship critic dauntless dawn design dickens discontent embrace employer engagements excitements exposure eyeball fixture futurity glow gust hint immediacy investments leapfrog luggage manager mimic misgiving mountaineer ode outbreak pageantry pedant perusal questioning reinforcement retirement roadway rumination savagery scuffles shudders switch tardiness transcendence urging watchdog wormhole zany

A theatrical convention is a suspension of reality.  No electricity  Women forbidden to act on stage  Minimal, contemporary costumes  Minimal scenery These control the dialogue.

Audience loves to be scared.  Soliloquy  Aside Types of speech  Blood and gore  Use of supernatural

 Use of disguises/ mistaken identity  Multiple marriages (in comedies)  Multiple murders (in tragedies)  Last speaker—highest in rank (in tragedies)

Romeo and Juliet Tragedy Written in 1595 Set in Verona, Italy Themes: 1.parental control/rebellious teens 2.fate/freewill 3.impulsive behavior/self- control