2. Lived from 1564-1616 Important member of Lord Chamberlain’s Men starting in 1594 Many gaps in the knowledge of his life. Some speculate that he was not legitimate Others consider him the greatest writer of all time

3. Only 2 primary sources can identify his existence: church and court records No birth record exists. Baptized April 26, 1564 (Estimated birthday: April 23) 3 rd child of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden Most likely attended King’s New School

4. Married Anne Hathaway in November 1582 He was 18; she was 26 First child, Susanna, born in May 1583 Twins born in 1585: Hamnet & Judith Hamnet died at age 11

5. No record of Shakespeare’s life from 1585-1592 Called “lost years” Could have been hiding for poaching game Could have worked as assistant schoolmaster in Lancashire Arrived in London in mid to late 1580s

6. 1592- Earning a living as actor and playwright in London Early 1590s: Managing partner in Lord Chamberlain’s Men Lord Chamberlain’s Men became the King’s Men in 1603 Greatly involved in the Elizabethan and Jacobean courts Wrote plays dedicated to and inspired by Queen Elizabeth and King James

7. Published 15 of 37 plays by 1597 Purchased New House for his family Rarely visited Stratford 1599: Built theater on the Thames River with partners This is the well-known Globe Theater

8. Flag The “Heavens” Galleries TrapdoorOpen Yard Inner Stage Upper Stage Main Stage Tiring House

9. The “Wooden O” Held up to 3,000 people Opened in 1599 with “As You Like It” 1613: Accidental fire 1614: Reconstructed 1642: Puritans shut down the Globe 1644: Leveled for housing 1993: New Globe opens

10. Early Works: Conventional Elaborate metaphors Rhetorical phrases didn’t always align Later Works: Adapted traditional style to his purposes Created a freer flow of words Preferred Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter Used writing style to indicate social class Iambic Pentameter for royalty Simple prose for lower class

11. Early 1590s: first plays were mainly histories Exception: Romeo & Juliet Included Richard II, Henry VI, and Henry V The Early Period also includes comedies Comedies often had a great deal of romance A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night

12. After 1600, Shakespeare wrote tragedies: Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth Strong impressions of universal temperaments Moral failures drove the twists/turns that destroyed the hero and his loved ones Several tragicomedies Cymbeline, The Winter’s Tale, and The Tempest Graver topics than earlier comedies but not as dark as the tragedies End with reconciliation and/or forgiveness

13. Church records indicate Shakespeare was buried April 5, 1616 Left bulk of possessions to eldest daughter Susanna Only bequeathed Anne his “second-best bed” Speculation of meaning Could show their lack of closeness/relationship “First-best bed” was used for house guests and “second-best bed” was the marital bed

14. Questioning Authorship About 150 years following Shakespeare’s death Several theories are discussed Official records show the existence of a W. Shakespeare, but he’s not listed as a playwright Lack of education is biggest issue Many scholars have argued that a multitude of playwrights could be Shakespeare. Christopher Marlowe, Edward de Vere (an Earl), Sir Francis Bacon, or William Stanley (an Earl)

15. Born in 1564 and in the same social class University educated Talented translator Atheist Similar writing style Killed in a bar fight in 1593 "over an unpaid bill" Assassinated? Staged?

16. One of Shakespeare's tragedies First performed at the Globe Theater in 1599 Published in 1623 First Folio Source: a translation of Plutarch's Lives (especially Brutus and Caesar) Elizabethan England was entranced by Romans

17. Based on assassination of Julius Caesar and the civil war that follows Anachronisms: hats, doublets, clocks, other common items in Elizabethean England Special connection to contemporary Elizabethan politics Tragic Hero: Not Caesar, but Brutus. A sympathetic portrayal of the traitorous friend.

18. Group 1: Caesar's assassination, include pre- and post events Group 2: Roman Senate/ Roman government before and during Caesar's rule Group 3: Julius Caesar, person and leader Group 4: Marcus Brutus, person and leader Group 5: Marc Anthony, person and leader Group 6: Plutarch's Life of Brutus, the source