elizabethan shakes-rj

-Elizabethan Era--Shakespeare-

-Romeo and Juliet-

(c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Elizabethan England

• Known as the English Renaissance (rebirth)• England was ruled by Queen Elizabeth I,

daughter of King Henry VIII, from 1533-1603.

• The Queen had a love for theater and the arts, so during this period, the arts (poetry, plays, painting, etc.) flourished.

Life in the Elizabethan Era

Clothing/Fashion• Certain fabrics, textures, and colors of clothing

indicated which social class a person was a part of.

• If a person dressed out of his/her social class, they would be punished because it was against the law. – Based on the dominate color you are wearing today,

which social class would you belong to?


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Marriages• A woman possessed very

little rights in choosing her husband.

• Marriages were usually arranged by the families of the bride and the groom in order for both sides to benefit from one another.

• Once married, women had practically no rights; they could not work outside the home.


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Health• Many members of a

family, often 4-8 people, would live in the same room.

• There was no sanitation, no indoor plumbing, no concept of germs or sterilization.

• The streets were filled with waste, both human and animal.

• There were two outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague


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Other interesting facts:• Only boys were allowed to attend formal education• Going to the dentist was deadly• Punishment for crimes was VERY harsh

– Robbers would have limbs cut off by a saw, have fingers torn off, eyes dug out with hot pinchers, or death sentence

– Women gossips had sharp device put in mouth and, with any movement, the tongue would be cut or damaged

– For adultery, one would be attached to stool and continuously dunked under water until death


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• The lower class would bathe a couple times A YEAR, and the upper class bathed once every couple of weeks.

• Instead of toilet paper, clumps of grass or hay was used.

• Pale skin was considered beautiful, so they avoided the sun.

• A high forehead was a sign of intelligence, so many women would shave a portion on top of their head.


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William Shakespeare

• The most famous playwright of all time

• Born: April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon; Died: April 23, 1616

• At 18, he married 26 year-old Anne Hathaway

• Had 3 children: Susan, Judith, and Hamnet


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William Shakespeare• 1585 – 1592 were

considered his lost years. No one knew of his whereabouts.

• By 1592, he had become well known in London theatrical circles, where he continued writing many of his 37 plays.

• He not only wrote tragedies, but comedies and histories as well. (c) 2007 brainybetty.com ALL

RIGHTS RESERVED.9

The Globe Theatre

• Famous theatre of the time

• Plays had to be performed in daylight and good weather because it had no roof

• Few props were used; language focused on imagery


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The Globe Theatre

• There was no curtain, so dead bodies (characters) were an awkward problem

• It had several levels of seating– Lowest level, or pit,

was the cheapest; the “groundlings” stood here


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The Globe Theatre

• During this time, women were NOT allowed to be actors

• ALL roles were played by men

• The character of Juliet would have been played by a man


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The Globe Theatre

• In the 1590s, the theaters had to close a few times due to outbreaks of the Plague

• Germs were EASILY spread at the theaters


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The Tragedy ofRomeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare


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“Star-crossed lovers”

Romeo and Juliet


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•The play is set in

Verona, Italy

Juliet’s Balcony• Although Juliet is a fictional

character, this actual building in Verona (built around the 13th century) is said to have been the home to a prominent family in Italy back then. The Capuleti was a family that actually existed, and some believe that Shakespeare based his fictional family, the Capulets, on them.

• Pictured here is Juliet’s balcony. Some couples even get married there today.


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Basics of Romeo and Juliet

• Written around 1595• Involves two major

families who hate each other

• Entire play takes place over 5 days

• Fate of Romeo and Juliet is given at the beginning of play


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Romeo and Juliet - Characters

The Montagues• Romeo - first loves Rosaline;

sees Juliet and forgets Rosaline.

• Lord Montague - Romeo’s father

• Lady Montague - Romeo’s mother

• Benvolio - nephew of Montague and friend of Romeo

• Balthasar - servant of Romeo• Abram - servant of Montague;

enjoys fighting with Capulets

The Capulets• Juliet – daughter of Capulet;

happy, innocent girl who loves Romeo

• Lord and Lady Capulet - Juliet’s parents

• Tybalt - Juliet’s cousin; likes to fight

• Nurse - Juliet’s nanny and friend

• Peter - servant to the Nurse• Sampson and Gregory –

servants


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Romeo and Juliet - Characters


The Others•Prince Escalus - ruler of Verona; tired of the fighting in the city and threatens anyone who disturbs the peace with death•Mercutio - relative of the prince and friend of Romeo (sides with Montague); serves as comic relief •Friar Laurence - a Franciscan priest; helps Romeo and Juliet; good man•Friar John - another Franciscan priest•Count Paris - a young nobleman and relative of the prince (sides with Capulet); Juliet’s parents arrange for her to marry him

elizabethan shakes-rj

Documents

little rights

death c

italy c

theaters c

juliet william shakespeare

imagery c

hamnet c

beginning of play c