1. Shakespeare- aka “The Bard” (poet)
Widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist (playwright).
Be prepared for some hand cramps..

2. Biography: Who was the man?
*William Shakespeare- born April
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon* (town 100 miles from London)
Son of John Shakespeare, a glover, and Mary Arden, the daughter of a local farmer.
Middle class family*
John and Mary Shakespeare had 8 children; 5 survived into adulthood
Shakespeare was probably educated at the King's New School, where he would have learned such subjects as Latin, Greek, rhetoric, and logic.
Married Anne Hathaway* in she was 26, he was 18

3. Adult Life
3 children, including two twins: Susanna (born 6 months after the marriage), Hamnet and Judith*
His son died at age 11; this affected Shakespeare greatly*
By 1592, he was living in London as an actor and a playwright. His family lived in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Helped found the acting company “Lord Chamberlain’s Men”*
This group opened the famous theatre- The Globe*
Shakespeare’s name is on the lease for the Globe

4. The Theatre in Shakespeare’s Time
His plays were not written to be read from a book- they were meant to be performed!*
He wrote for everyone- from the illiterate masses to the royalty. There is something in his plays that appeals to all different types of people. *
Going to a play was somewhat like going to a concert-the audience was not expected to sit still and be quiet. If they liked they play they would cheer; if they didn’t they would hiss, jeer, and throw things. It was a very lively experience!*Very little scenery- instead, the setting was described in words by the actors*

5. The Theatre in Shakespeare’s Time
Women were not allowed to act; female parts were often played by young boys*
Little scenery used; all lighting was natural*
Actors supplied their own costumes
Props and sound effects were used; the Globe had a trap door. This is used in Hamlet.*
Elizabethan Era- Named for Queen Elizabeth*
Shakespeare’s company often performed for Queen Elizabeth*
Later, they also performed for King James and were renamed, “The King’s Men”*

7. The Globe Theatre
Open-air theater- if it rained, the cheap seats got wet!*
20 sides, 4 levels: (the ground and 3 galleries)
Stage in the middle of the ground floor
Balcony system reflected your status: status ranged from low class to royalty
Higher seats were more expensive- you had a roof over your head*
“groundlings”- those standing on the ground*

8. The Globe Had a Rough Life
During a production of Henry VIII, a cannon used in the play accidentally started a fire- the Globe burned down.
It was rebuilt one year later.
However, the Globe was torn down by Puritans four years after Shakespeare’s death when they abolished theaters.*

9. The New Globe
-In the 1980s, pieces of the Globe were found under a building
-The Globe has since been recreated in London; plays can be seen there today!*

13. Interesting Facts
Between the London theatres were often closed because of the Bubonic plague
Although he died a wealthy man, Shakespeare bequeathed most of his money to his daughter, Susanna, and some members of The King’s Men. He left his wife, Anne Hathaway, only his “second best bed.”
A famous acting school in California adopted the name, “The Groundlings”

14. England’s Religious/Political Climate
Early 16th century (1500s) England had a SINGLE religion- Roman Catholic.
The head of the church- the pope.
Martin Luther- monk and professor of theology at University of Wittenburg- challenged the authority of the pope. Two main complaints:
Selling of “indulgences”-the church receiving money from people to take away future punishment of sins
Purgatory- no foundation in the Bible
This movement became known as the Reformation*

15. Politics + Religion= messy
King Henry VIII was against the Reformation (later known as Protestantism)
That is, until his wife, Catherine, couldn’t bear him a son…she had 6 kids- only Mary survived.
He wanted a divorce. Henry hoped to marry Anne Boleyn, but there was a problem… Catholics do not recognize divorce
Pope ruled against Henry’s petition for a divorce; Henry’s lawyers tried to argue that Catherine was an illegitimate wife because she couldn’t bear an heir…

16. Henry VIII Changes the Rules
Henry then ordered that the King was the new authority of the church- declared himself “The Head of the Church of England”
Many protested- famously, 3 monks argued- How could a layman, a king, be the head of a church?
They were promptly hanged, drawn, and quartered.
1533- his marriage to Catherine was declared “null and void”
Anne Boleyn crowned queen.

17. Henry VIII’s Kids: Mary, Elizabeth, Edward
Henry died in 1547, and 10-year-old Edward came to throne. He was assisted by advisors.
Edward VI- firmly Protestant
Died his sister Mary (Catherine’s daughter) came to throne
Mary- tried to bring back Roman Catholicism to England.
“Bloody Mary”- called Protestants heretics, burned them at the stake
1558- Elizabeth, her half-sister, came to power (Protestant)*

18. English Rulers During Shakespeare’s Life (1564-1616)
*Queen Elizabeth I: Reigned from
*Elizabeth Tudor was born on 7 September 1533.
She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
Henry had defied the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor to marry Anne, spurred by the need for a legitimate male heir. ---Elizabeth's birth was one of the most exciting political events in 16th century European history; rarely had so much turmoil occurred on behalf of a mere infant.
However, the confident predictions of astrologers and physicians were wrong and the longed-for prince turned out to be a princess.
Elizabeth was a very intelligent person. She could speak Latin, French and German.
She did not suffer fools lightly, and Elizabeth was famous for her temper *
As queen of England, she is credited with taking England to nearly the heights of its power.
Her half sister, Mary, was Roman Catholic and persecuted Protestants during her reign*.
Although Elizabeth had adhered to the Catholic faith during her sister's reign, she was more committed to Reformation (Protestant faith). Elizabeth's religious views were remarkably tolerant for the age in which she lived. She believed sincerely in her own faith, but she also believed in religious tolerance, and that Catholics and Protestants were both part of the same faith. "There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith" she exclaimed later in her reign, "all else is a dispute over trifles."

20. Interesting Family Fued
Her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots- was living in England during Elizabeth’s reign. (not the same Mary as her sister)
Pope Gregory XIII said it would not be a sin for any Catholic to murder “the great heretic, Elizabeth”
Mary- Roman Catholic- tried to stir up a rebellion against Elizabeth so she could be queen.
Yadda, yadda, yadda…Elizabeth had her beheaded.
Elizabeth never named an heir until she was on her death bed- this was Mary’s son, James.

21. English Rulers During Shakespeare’s Life (1564-1616)
*King James I:
With the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Prince James VI of Scotland became King James I of England.*
Considered one of the most intelligent rulers of England’s *history
In accordance to the religious atmosphere of the time, he was brought up as a Scottish Presbyterian, though his mother (Mary, Queen of Scots)had been a Roman Catholic.
Commissioned the King James Bible of 1611 AD

22. Shakespeare’s Plays Wrote plays and poems
3 types of plays: histories, tragedies, and comedies*
*History: In the broadest sense, a play set in a historical milieu (setting) which deals with historical events and figures
*Tragedy: One of the most fundamental forms of western drama.
Has important moral and philosophical implications.
Following Aristotle, most critics agree that:
a tragic hero or heroine should be an admirable person whose downfall brings out our sympathy.
The disastrous outcome of a tragedy should be seen as the inevitable result of:
1. the character and his or her situation
2. forces beyond the character's control.
Traditionally, tragedy was about the lives and fortunes of people of stature—kings, queens, and the nobility.

23. Shakespeare’s Tragedies and Histories
11 total
Antony and Cleopatra
Coriolanus
Hamlet
Julius Caesar
King Lear
Macbeth
Othello
Romeo and Juliet
Timon of Athens
Titus Andronicus (the 1st performed)
Troilus and Cressida
12 total
Cymbeline
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
Pericles
Richard II
Richard III

24. Shakespeare’s Comedies
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Taming of the Shrew
As You Like It
Much Ado About Nothing
All’s Well that Ends Well
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Tempest
Merry Wives of Windsor, etc.
14 total
*Comedy: Category of drama that is generally light in tone; it is concerned with issues that are not serious, has a happy ending, and is designed to amuse and provoke laughter.

25. Contemporaries of Shakespeare
John Donne- “The Flea”
Anne Bradstreet- “Upon the Burning of my House”
Rembrant- Dutch painter
Edmund Spenser- The Faerie Queen
Christopher Marlowe
Galileo- Italian philosopher, astronomer, mathematician
Sir Francis Drake- English admiral who circumnavigated the globe