1. Introduction to Shakespeare

2. William Shakespeare Born 1564, died 1616 Wrote 37 plays
Wrote over 150 sonnets
Actor, poet, playwright

3. Types of Plays Shakespeare wrote:
Comedies - light and amusing, usually with a happy ending
Tragedies –serious dramas with disastrous endings
Histories – involve events or persons from history

4. The Theatre The Globe Theatre: Open ceiling Three stories high
No artificial lighting
Plays were shown during daylight hours only

5. The Theatre

6. Spectators Wealthy people got to sit on benches
The poor (called “groundlings”) had to stand and watch from the courtyard
There was much more audience participation than today

7. Actors Only men and boys
Young boys whose voices had not changed played the women’s roles
It would have been indecent for a woman to appear on stage

8. Shakespeare’s Language
Shakespeare did not speak Old English:
Her for se here of East Englum ofer Humbremuþan to Eoforwicceastre on Norþhymbre, ond þær wæs micel ungeþuærnes þære þeode betweox him selfum, ond hie hæfdun hiera cyning aworpenne Osbryht, ond ungecyndne cyning underfengon Ællan; ond hie late on geare to þam gecirdon þæt hie wiþ þone here.

9. Early Modern English
Shakespeare actually wrote in Early Modern English which is much closer to the English that we speak today:
“To be, or not to be, that is the Question: Whether 'tis Nobler in the minde to suffer The Slings and Arrowes of outragious Fortune…”
William Shakespeare, Hamlet

10. Shakespeare In Love