William Shakespeare April 23, 1564 - April 23, 1616 Lived: Stratford – on – Avon His father was a tanner/glove-maker Anne Hathaway was his wife.

William Shakespeare April 23, 1564 - April

23, 1616 Lived: Stratford – on –

Avon His father was a

tanner/glove-maker Anne Hathaway was his

wife He wrote sonnets – 14

line poems with a rhyming scheme

Was an actor in Lord Chamberlain’s Men

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

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

Thames River polluted with raw sewage

Trees used up for fuel

Poverty

Bathing considered dangerous Body odor strong Childhood diseases Children often died before 5 years Small Pox Bubonic Plague

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No running water

Chamber Pots

Open Sewers Crowded

One set used all year long, rarely washed

Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed

Clothes handed down from rich to poor

Performed in courtyards of inns

The Theater-first public theater-1576

Daytime/open air Limited set design Relied on music,

sound, costumes, props and great description

Built in 1599 Across the Thames- “Wrong side of town” King’s Players - Shakespeare’s company Penny admission Shakespeare owned the Globe Theater

All men Female parts

played by young boys

No actual kissing or hugging on stage

Conventions are the ways things are done in theatre

All actors were male in this time The performances were always in the day

because there was no electricity There was no curtain – this is why people

always died offstage There was no scenery Shakespeare always included a scene of

comedy to break things up even in the saddest plays for those who were standing (groundlings)

Groundlings are the people who stand in the middle of the theatre to watch the play

Poor Audience members

Stood around stage in “the pit”

Women not allowed (had to dress up as men to attend)

Threw rotten vegetables at bad performances

Bastard daughter of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn (2nd of 6 wives)

Henry had Ann beheaded for “treason”

Younger sister of “Bloody Mary.”

“Virgin Queen”? A tease and a player

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