SHAKESPEARE!!!!

SHAKESPEARE!!!!SHAKESPEARE!!!!

Can you feel the excitement?!Can you feel the excitement?!

Some Quotes…Some Quotes… ““A Fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man A Fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man

knows himself to be a fool.”knows himself to be a fool.” ““Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great,

some achieve greatness, and some have greatness some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”thrust upon them.”

““Beauty is all very well at first sight; but whoever Beauty is all very well at first sight; but whoever looks at it when it has been in the house three looks at it when it has been in the house three days?”days?”

““Better three hours too soon than a minute too Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”late.”

““How far that little candle throws its beams! So How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.”shines a good deed in a naughty world.”

““Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

““Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.”jewel in his head.”

Some of the “good stuff…”Some of the “good stuff…”

““Thou whoreson, senseless villain!”Thou whoreson, senseless villain!”““Dissembling harlot, thou art false in Dissembling harlot, thou art false in

all!”all!”““More of your conversation would infect More of your conversation would infect

my brain.”my brain.”““I’ll pray a thousand prayers for your I’ll pray a thousand prayers for your

death.”death.”““Your horrid image does unfix my hair.”Your horrid image does unfix my hair.”““You peasant swain! You whoreson You peasant swain! You whoreson

malt-horse drudge!”malt-horse drudge!”

Homework:Homework:

Do some research, and identify Do some research, and identify your favorite Shakespearean your favorite Shakespearean

insult for Friday…insult for Friday…

Our Intro. to Shakespeare…Our Intro. to Shakespeare…

I. Historical BackgroundI. Historical Background II. Features of Shakespeare’s II. Features of Shakespeare’s

Theatre, the GlobeTheatre, the Globe III. The Plays ThemselvesIII. The Plays Themselves IV. Shakespeare’s Life & CareerIV. Shakespeare’s Life & CareerV. The Others…V. The Others…

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundA. English Reformation A. English Reformation

15341534 Henry VIII breaks Henry VIII breaks

from Romefrom Rome Shift in power – Shift in power –

Secular & ReligiousSecular & Religious Daily LifeDaily Life

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundB. Rise of HumanismB. Rise of Humanism

HumanismHumanism: A : A displacement of displacement of the “other worldly” the “other worldly” values of the values of the middle ages in middle ages in favor of a belief in favor of a belief in the potential of the potential of humanity in this humanity in this world.world.

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundB. Rise of HumanismB. Rise of Humanism

Renaissance or a “rebirth” of art and Renaissance or a “rebirth” of art and literature of the past…literature of the past…

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundC. Elizabeth I Accedes to C. Elizabeth I Accedes to

the Throne (1558)the Throne (1558)Elizabeth comes to the throne after Elizabeth comes to the throne after

the death of her half-sister, Mary I, the death of her half-sister, Mary I, and reigns until 1603.and reigns until 1603.

England rises to the height of England rises to the height of political power.political power.

1588: England defeats1588: England defeatsThe Spanish Armada… @The Spanish Armada… @The same time ShakespeareThe same time ShakespeareBegins his careerBegins his career

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundC. Elizabeth accedes to the C. Elizabeth accedes to the

thronethroneEngland’s Political Scene:England’s Political Scene:

Catholics (Recusants)Catholics (Recusants)ProtestantsProtestantsPuritansPuritans

I.I. Historical BackgroundHistorical BackgroundD. Construction of the D. Construction of the

TheatreTheatre 1576: James 1576: James

Burbage built 1Burbage built 1stst Permanent theatrical Permanent theatrical building… Guess who building… Guess who the landlord is…the landlord is…

The SuburbsThe Suburbs The Acting ProfessionThe Acting Profession 1599: The Globe 1599: The Globe

Theatre builtTheatre built

I.I. Historical Background…Historical Background…E. Death of Elizabeth 1603E. Death of Elizabeth 1603

James VI of Scotland becomes James I of EnglandJames VI of Scotland becomes James I of England Parliament is against the coronation… Why? Parliament is against the coronation… Why?

James’ wife was a CatholicJames’ wife was a Catholic 1620: Plymouth Rock1620: Plymouth Rock 1642: Puritans take over the country of 1642: Puritans take over the country of

England… Charles I beheaded… BUT THE MOST England… Charles I beheaded… BUT THE MOST TERRIBLE PART… All theaters are closed!TERRIBLE PART… All theaters are closed!

1642-1660: Interregnum Period1642-1660: Interregnum Period 1660: THE RESTORATION: Britain brings back 1660: THE RESTORATION: Britain brings back

the monarchy… Charles II crownedthe monarchy… Charles II crowned Charles II allows women on stage & performances Charles II allows women on stage & performances

now take place in doors…now take place in doors…

II.II. Features of Shakespeare’s Features of Shakespeare’s Theatre, The GlobeTheatre, The Globe

A. SeatingA. SeatingClues in play as to the design of the Clues in play as to the design of the

theatre…theatre…Can house up to 3,800 spectators…Can house up to 3,800 spectators…

Roughly 1,500 people in higher levelsRoughly 1,500 people in higher levelsRemaining 2,300 squeezed groundlingsRemaining 2,300 squeezed groundlings

No spectator is more than 50 ft. No spectator is more than 50 ft. away from the actorsaway from the actors

II.II. Features of Shakespeare’s Features of Shakespeare’s Theatre, The GlobeTheatre, The Globe

B. The Stage, Props, B. The Stage, Props, Costumes, and SceneryCostumes, and Scenery

Non-RepresentationalNon-Representational: They did not : They did not try to visually recreate what the try to visually recreate what the audience was to see. So how was audience was to see. So how was this done?this done?EXAMPLES…EXAMPLES…

ProsceniumProscenium: : Today versus then… 4Today versus then… 4thth Wall?Wall?

Some furniture usedSome furniture usedCostumes… Contemporary of course!Costumes… Contemporary of course!

Let’s go to the Globe!Let’s go to the Globe!

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/vhttp://www.shakespeares-globe.org/virtualtour/stage/irtualtour/stage/

The Plays…The Plays…

III. The Plays ThemselvesIII. The Plays Themselves37 Total… Divided into Four Groups37 Total… Divided into Four Groups

ComediesComediesTragediesTragediesHistoriesHistories

Deal with specific period in English historyDeal with specific period in English historyRomancesRomances

Fairy tale like quality with a mix of comedy and Fairy tale like quality with a mix of comedy and tragic moments. GENERALLY a happy ending tragic moments. GENERALLY a happy ending followsfollows

Shakespeare never took part in Shakespeare never took part in publishing his own playspublishing his own plays

No plays written by Shakespeare’s hand No plays written by Shakespeare’s hand has survived…has survived…

IV. Shakespeare’s Life & IV. Shakespeare’s Life & CareerCareer 1564-16161564-1616

Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon ““Not of an age but for all Not of an age but for all

time.” –Ben Jonsontime.” –Ben Jonson AuthorshipAuthorship Married to Ann Hathaway, Married to Ann Hathaway,

but some rumorsbut some rumors Epitaph: “GOOD FREND Epitaph: “GOOD FREND

FOR JESUS SAKE FOR JESUS SAKE FORBEARE TOFORBEARE TODIGG THE DUST DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE.ENCLOASED HEARE.BLEST BE YE MAN YT BLEST BE YE MAN YT SPARES THES STONES ANDSPARES THES STONES ANDCURST BE HE THAT MOVES CURST BE HE THAT MOVES MY BONES”MY BONES”

The others…The others…

Ben JonsonBen Jonson

1572-16371572-1637 Master of English Master of English

comedycomedy VolponeVolpone, , The The

AlchemistAlchemist, , Every Every Man in his HumourMan in his Humour

The The MASQUEMASQUE

Christopher MarloweChristopher Marlowe

1564-15931564-1593 Untimely DeathUntimely Death Introduced the first Introduced the first

important use of important use of blank (unrhymed) blank (unrhymed) verseverse

Tamburlaine the Tamburlaine the GreatGreat, , The Jew of The Jew of MaltaMalta, and , and Edward IIEdward II

Doctor FaustusDoctor Faustus His LifeHis Life