Introduction to Shakespeare - prior to A Level study

Context Form & Genre Staging and performance Structure Language Themes

Historical & Political –Shakespeare wrote for the court (of Elizabeth I then James I) as well as for two of London’s most popular theatres. Some of his plays can be seen as political allegories.

Cultural –His plays were popular entertainment for all classes. His plays also reflect contemporary cultural ideas and panics.

Literary - Shakespeare was part of a dramatic movement that included Marlowe, Ford, Middleton and others. Between them, these dramatists reinvented the tragedy (using the Greek form as a model).

Shakespeare’s plays are generally accepted as belonging to the following categories:

Tragedy Comedy History Romance / the ‘late’ plays Plays fit in these categories because they follow a typical

pattern with typical ingredients.

Shakespeare’s plays were either performed at court or in the theatre. Neither gave much potential for complex sets, lighting effects, scenery or props, though the actors did use costume and make-up to great effect.

Setting and atmosphere were indicated via language. Female characters were played by young boys. Actors had about a week to learn their lines!

‘Groundlings’ had ‘standing only’ tickets, which were a penny in Shakespeare’s time. As the theatre is open air, groundlings often get rained on.

The rich and noble visitors to Shakespeare’s Globe sat on wooden benches. You could rent a cushion for a small extra fee.

(Neither option is overly comfortable…)

1. The Flag 2. The Heavens 3. Tiring House 4. Upper Stage 5. Galleries 6. Main Stage 7. Inner Stage 8. Open Yard 9. Support Pillars 10. Trap Door 11. Entrance 12. Brick Foundation

Shakespeare’s plays were written in 5 Acts. Each category of play has its own typical structure. There is usually an early scene (or Act) that acts as a

microcosm for the whole play – for example, in Much Ado About Nothing, a misunderstanding in Act 2 causes chaos and is then resolved. A larger scale version takes place in the remainder of the play.

Scene of difficult or heavy drama will usually be followed by a more light-hearted scene.

Shakespeare’s language is ‘modern’ – despite archaic pronouns (like thee and thou) and strange vocabulary. Shakespeare invented a lot of the words he used, which then became common speech.

Many of our sayings and popular phrases come from his plays. Shakespeare writes in a combination of verse and prose. Generally,

verse is considered ‘high’ and prose ‘low’. Prose suggests intimacy between friends or that the speaker is of a lower class. Verse is much more grand – it is the language of leaders and lovers!

Sometimes verse alters from iambic pentameter to iambic tetrameter, or from iambic to trochaic – this is rare, but worth looking out for.

Some characters have asides or soliloquies in order for the audience to understand their thoughts and motives more clearly.

1. Good and Evil 2. Nature 3. Love 4. Time 5. Order and disorder 6. Kingship and power 7. Death and suffering 8. Appearance and

reality 9. Deception 10. Justice

Note – each play presents more specific themes in addition to these – the 10 listed here are the most common in all of the plays.

Things to look out for! Forbidden love Problematic relationships with parents A ‘green world’ Chaos, tricks and misunderstandings (creating dramatic

irony) Atmosphere and setting created by language Political allegory References to magic & witchcraft The use of asides and soliloquy ‘High’ and ‘low’ entertainment Contemporary cultural ideas, values and prejudices Shifts from verse to prose (and shifts in meter) and the

significance of this