William Shakespeare

1
William Shakespeare

• Biography, significance, theater, plays,
  teachers
• Othello

2
The Globe Theater
3
Shakespeares Birth

• Born in Stratford, England
• Shakespeares baptism was registered on April 26,
  1564
• Gilielmus filius Johannes Shakespeare
• The actual date is unknown. Most people attribute
  the day to be April 23, 1564
• Shakespeare died April 23, 1616

4
Parents

• Shakespeares father, John, came to Stratford and
  was a glover. He also worked in wool, then earned
  other titles.
• Dad owned three houses, and which one Shakespeare
  was born in is a mystery.
• His parents couldnt read or write.
• Dads position as aldermen came with free
  education for his children.

5
Shakespeares marriage

• William married Anne Hathaway in 1582
• Suzanna was born 6 months later 1583
• Twins were born 1585 Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet
  died at age 11.
• Once the Globe theater was built, and likely
  before then, his time was spent in Bankside, not
  Stratford.

6
The Writer

• How his career began is a mystery. In 1592
  theaters were closed due to the plague, (he wrote
  POETRY).
• In 1593, he caught the attention of the Earl of
  Southhampton, and his career took off. The earl
  was his patron.
• Shakespeares first sonnets were dedicated to the
  Earl of Southhampton.

7
1594

• Shakespeare returned to the theater.
• Became a prominent member of The Lord
  Chamberlains Men also called Lord Stranges
  Men.
• During this time he wrote Romeo and Juliet,
  Richard II, King John, Loves Labours Lost

8
Big role

• Shakespeare was unusual because he wrote the
  plays, acted in the plays, owned the theater,
  shared the profits of the plays, and was one of
  the housekeepers of the building.
• He was an owner of the Globe Theater for 17
  years, co-owner of Blackfriars for 9 years too.

9
Before the Globe

• Shakespeare performed at the Swan, the Curtain,
  and the Theatre.
• The Swan, south of the Thames, was famous!
  Shaped in the round with three levels of seats,
  room for groundlings, and an open stage, which is
  what the Globe looks like. The Rose was there
  early in 1587.
• The Theatre and Curtain were on the north side of
  the London Wall. Shakespeare was there until 1597

10
The Globe

• Originally constructed in 1599 from Timber taken
  from The Theatre.
• The Globe was designed by Cuthbert Burbage, son
  of The Theatres creator, James Burbage.
• 5 actors co-owned the Globe.
• During a performance of Henry VIII, a misfired
  canon ball set the thatch on fire and the Globe
  burned down. -(

11
The second Globe

• Within a year it was rebuilt, but without a
  thatched roof.
• This one had a tiled roof and remained where it
  was built until 1644.
• Housing was built over the site. There is a
  plaque commemorating the site, and it is about 3
  blocks from the current Globe.

12
The Third Globe

• The rebuilt Globe was pioneered by American Actor
  Sam Wanamaker.
• In 1949 Sam came to London and was disappointed
  that only a dull plaque stood as a memorial to
  Shakespeare. He founded the Shakespeare Global
  Trust.
• In 1987, building began. Sam died in 1993. The
  project was completed in 1997.

13
Old and New

• The old Globe was an open air theatre. Without
  electricity, it was lit by the heavens.
  Performances occurred during the day, and
  Sundays performances conflicted with church
  services. Churches wanted the theater shut down.
  To see a play on a weekday, one had to miss work.
• The theater seated about 3,000, plus standing
  room for the groundlings.

14
Wealthy up top

• The most wealthy were sat up-top
• The poorest, groundlings, stood.
• If it was market-day, they carried their food,
  fowl, whatever they had, with them.
• There were prostitutes and pickpockets in the
  audience along with the highborn and the low
  born. Shakespeare had to appeal to a broad
  spectrum of patrons.

15
Location, Location, Location

• The Globe was built Bankside, on the southside of
  the Thames known as Southwark.
• To cross, one had to pay a pence to the ferryman.
  The Thames was very wide then and occasionally
  froze.
• The ferryman seat from the Renaissance period is
  preserved in London.

16
Four Reasons we read Shakespeare

• 1.Illumination of the human experience
• Shakespeares ability to evoke and summarize the
  range of human emotions, inner conflicts, hopes
  and defeats, in simple yet profoundly elegant
  verse, is unsurpassable.
• No author in the western world has penned more
  beloved, quoted passages.

17
Reason 2 Great Stories

• Better than Homer, more diverse than anyone,
  Shakespeares stories transcend culture and time.
• Modern story tellers continue to remake his tales
  because they are just Great Stories!

18
Reason 3 Compelling Characters

• Completely Compelling Characters!
• There are some stock characters, but
  Shakespeares tragic characters are unequaled in
  literature.
• Shakespeares great characters remain popular
  because of their depth and complexity.

19
Reason 4 Art!
The Story of English

• Ability to turn a phrase!
• Bernard Levin said it best in the following quote
  about Shakespeare's impact on our languageIf you
  cannot understand my argument, and declare "It's
  Greek to me", you are quoting Shakespeare if you
  claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you
  are quoting Shakespeare if you recall your salad
  days, you are quoting Shakespeare if you act
  more in sorrow than in anger, if your wish is
  father to the thought,

20
Shakespeares verse

• Shakespeare wrote in Early Modern English.
• Its not Old English,that would read like
  Beowulf.
• Its not middle English, that would read like
  Chaucer!
• Its Early Modern English!

21
Behold- Old

• Beowulf from the Anglo Saxon period is old.
  (449-1066)
• Hwat! We Gar-Dena in Gear-dagum peod-cyninga
  prym gefrunon
• Or
• Lo! The Spear-Danes glory through splendid
  achievements.
• Thats OLD, Anglo-Saxon English.

22
Shakespeares church

• Shakespeare went to church in Southwark. When it
  was his church is was called St. Mary Ovarie
  referring to St. Mary over the river.

23
Southwark Cathedral
24
Shakespeares Head
25
Shakespeares head

• Shakespeare looks pale and down toward the very
  busy theater district.
• His hand was blown off in WWII and never
  replaced.
• There are images of Shakespeare all over London!
• This one seems to represent The peoples
  Shakespeare!