ENGLAND

London

Boyhood in Stratford-Upon-Avon n Born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon n Parents John and Mary Arden Shakespeare n Seven brothers and sisters n Grammar School from age 7 to 13

William Shakespeare’s Home

Marriage and Life in London n 1582 at age 18 married Anne Hathaway n ??? n 1592 (28 years old) went to London u actor and playwright u first accused of borrowing from other playwrights n Plague

Shakespeare begins to prosper n 1598 built Globe Theatre u Owned shares in it n Father granted a coat-of-arms u Became a “Gentleman” n Recognized as a genius in his own time

The Globe Theatre today

Drama in the Elizabethan Age n After defeating the Spanish Armada, England became intensely interested in the past. (Patriotic) Historical plays thrived. n Playwrights were practical men, bent on making a living u All parts were played by men n Plays were written to be acted, not read. n Once a playwright sold his play, he had no personal right to it.

The Elizabethan Theater n Round, wooden, roofless building n Three galleries of seats n Pit (no seats) cost a penny “groundlings” n Main stage u 40 feet wide u 27 feet projection into the pit n Recessed inner stage (curtains and balcony)

Shakespeare’s Plots and Characters n Written for people to read twice u First reading = quick u Second reading = more detailed and for enjoyment n Plots = romantic, poetic, imaginative, supernatural n Characters = realistic, alive, three-dimensional, powerful and true

The Stage Influences on Shakespeare’s Methods n Open, free stage = quick changes, rapid action n Encourages speechmaking n No women actors n Closeness of different classes

Shakespeare as a Dramatist n Objective of Plays= give enjoyment n Fanciful, imaginative plays n Audience= everyday people, uneducated, wanted to escape n Wrote in verse=free use of words

Critics Rank the Plays n Tragedies-Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Othello n Comedies- The Tempest, As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, The Merchants of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream n Histories- Henry IV, Henry V, Richard II, Richard III, Henry VIII

Death and Burial at Stratford n1n1610 retired from theatre u1u1613 Globe theatre burns down FlFlost much money but still wealthy FhFhelps rebuild Globe theatre uDuDied on April 23, 1616 at age 52

Shakespeare’s Grave

Comedy n A drama or narrative with a happy ending or non- tragic theme.

Literary Terms n Tragedy n Tragic Hero n Comedy

Tragedy n A serious play or drama dealing with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending

Tragic Hero n A person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his/her character.

Plot n The sequence of events that create and then resolve a conflict. Plot movement: Exposition Rising action Climax (peak tension) or Crisis (dramatic turning point) Falling action (fall of tragic hero) Resolution (Point at which conflict ends and outcome is made clear)

Web cites for pictures and additional information on William Shakespeare n shakespeare/timeline/genealogy. htm n Htm n n Base/Images/NewGlobe.htm n eth.htm/ n