William Shakespeare

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William Shakespeare

• General Notes
• Romeo and Juliet Information

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Who was William Shakespeare??

• most famous playwright
• Writing genius
• Born- April 23, 1564
• During time of Queen Elizabeth I
• Christened- April 26, 1564
• Died- April 23, 1616

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Where did WS live??

• In and around London
• London- bustling city
• Having a Renaissance of arts and sciences
• B/c of 2 monarchs who loved the theater.
• Queen Elizabeth I
• King James I

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Queen Elizabeth I

• Daughter of Henry VIII Anne Boleyn
• Reigned from 1158-1603
• Virgin Queen
• Well educated
• Business smart

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King James I

• Son of Mary Queen of Scots
• Reigned from 1603-1625
• Writer- poems
• Commissioned WS

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WSLife Highlights

• 1. Born in Stratford on Avon, near London
  (94miles away)
• Born April 23, 1564
• date not know for sure
• Christened- April 26, 1654
• Holy Trinty Church

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Family

• Family considered- Well off, but not rich
• John Shakespeare- glovemaker, shopkeeper,
  landowner, Baliff of Stratford
• Mary Arden
• Had 8 children

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Education

• Attended Stratford Grammar School
• Ages 7-15
• Studied Latin
• Read much mythology, OVID, Plutach- used as
  sources

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Wedding Bells

• Married Anne Hathway
• Nov 27 1582
• He was 18she was 26
• 3 children born
• Susanna ( in May 83)
• Hamnet and Judith-twins

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London

• Lived most of his life in London
• Kept strong ties to Stratford
• Landowner
• Retired
• Family stayed

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Great Actor

• By 1592- well known actor and poet
• Leading member of Chamberlains Men
• Later became Kings Men

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Writing

• Wrote at least 36 plays
• Romeo and Juliet
• Macbeth
• Hamlet
• Taming of the Shrew
• Midsummers Night Dream
• Also wrote poems

• Poems- Sonnets- end with rhyming couplet
• 1592-1594- poems written b/c theaters are closed
  for plague
• Poems- dedicated to patron- The Earl of
  Southhampton

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Actor

• WS- from 1585-1605- member and part owner of the
  Kings Men
• Formerly Chamberlains Men- traveled during
  plague
• An Elizabethan ACTOR had to be an expert in
• Fencing-
• Tumbling
• Dancing
• Elocution
• Acting
• Music

• WS most likely made more money from being an
  actor than being a playwright!

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Playwright

• Ideas from other plays rather than personal
• Other playwrights during time.Robert Greene,
  Christopher Marlow, Ben Johnson

• 36 known plays
• Written for Kings Men
• Paid 8 pounds 40.
• Used real characters
• Plays not publisehed until 7 years after death in
  FOLIO

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Retirement

• Retired from theater between 1611 and 1613.
• Retired to Stratford
• New Place

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Theaters

• Famous theaters- Globe, Rose, Curtain, Swan
• Often located outside of London city walls
• WS-part owner of Globe

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The Stage

• Flags flew during plays
• ROOF-heavens or shadows-

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Stage and Shows

• Inner Stage- used ofr secens that needed to set
  up early
• Rear Entrance used for actors
• Stairs
• Galleries
• Front stage
• Groundlings

• Shows lasted about 2 ½ hours
• No ACTS
• End of scene- change of actors
• No Scenery- elabortae props
• Devices
• NO WOMEN
• No programs
• Lot of ACTION

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Style

• - Puns- humorous play on words
• Conceits- whimsical, fanciful, extravagant ideas
• Metaphors- comparisons
• This ships plows the sea

• Soliloquies- talking to himself
• Asides- saying something to the audience- other
  characters cant hear
• Blank Verse/Iambic Pentameter- 5 feet each line,
  unaccented, accented

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Death

• Died on 52nd Birthday
• April 23, 1616
• Buried in chancel of Holy Trinity Church
• Curse on grave

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So What.

• English language has never been the same since WS
  gave it imagery, poetry and drama. Phrases and
  ideas are quoted thousands of times every day in
  newspaper, magazines, books, radio, TV and
  movies, even conversations.
• You can see LIVE plays, FILMS and hear
  recordings, You can read them too!

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Other interesting stuff
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