Shakespeare!Shakespeare!English I PreAPEnglish I PreAP

55thth Six Weeks Six Weeks

20112011

The DramaThe DramaA drama (often called a play) is a A drama (often called a play) is a

story told in a specific way and story told in a specific way and intended to be performed for an intended to be performed for an audience. audience.

History of DramaHistory of Drama The root word “drama” comes from the The root word “drama” comes from the

Greek word “dran” which means “to act, Greek word “dran” which means “to act, or do”or do”

In the beginning, literature was In the beginning, literature was purely purely spoken or performedspoken or performed. .

Example: Example: The OdysseyThe Odyssey

As time passed, the oral stories or As time passed, the oral stories or performances were recorded (written performances were recorded (written down) so that they could be repeated down) so that they could be repeated

• ComedyComedy = always ends in happiness = always ends in happiness

• TragedyTragedy = always ends in = always ends in catastrophe - most often death - for catastrophe - most often death - for the main characters. the main characters.

Two Main Types of PlaysTwo Main Types of Plays

1.1. Imitates Imitates lifelife experiences experiences

2.2. FocusedFocused within a certain within a certain real-life length of timereal-life length of time

3.3. Depends on dialogue Depends on dialogue completely for its completely for its meaningmeaning

Three Traits of a DramaThree Traits of a Drama

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

AsideAside

A character’s A character’s remark, either to remark, either to the audience or to the audience or to another character, another character, that others on stage that others on stage do not heardo not hear

FoilFoilA character whose personality and A character whose personality and

attitude contrast sharply with those attitude contrast sharply with those of another characterof another characterHighlights both characters traitsHighlights both characters traits

For example…For example…a shy and quiet character can make a a shy and quiet character can make a talkative one seem even louder and talkative one seem even louder and chattier. chattier.

OxymoronOxymoron

Terms used together that seem to Terms used together that seem to contradict one anothercontradict one another

Examples…Examples…wise foolwise foolfeather of leadfeather of leadjumbo shrimpjumbo shrimpbrawling lovebrawling loveloving hateloving hate

PunPun

A play on wordsA play on words Shakespeare used Shakespeare used

them to add a them to add a comedic element comedic element to the play…to the play… but a lot of the puns but a lot of the puns

we will not we will not understand or find understand or find funny because our funny because our humor is different humor is different todaytoday

SoliloquySoliloquy

A speech given by a A speech given by a character alone on stagecharacter alone on stageLets the audience know what Lets the audience know what

the character is thinking or the character is thinking or feelingfeeling

MonologueMonologue

A lengthy speech addressed to A lengthy speech addressed to other characters, other characters, not not to the to the audience.audience.

Romeo and Juliet…Romeo and Juliet…

What’s their deal?What’s their deal?

They’re…Star-Crossed LoversThey’re…Star-Crossed Lovers

pair of lovers whose relationship is often thwarted pair of lovers whose relationship is often thwarted by outside forces; the pair is often but not always by outside forces; the pair is often but not always said to be doomed from the start.said to be doomed from the start.

The phrase is astrological in origin, stemming The phrase is astrological in origin, stemming from the belief that the positions of the stars from the belief that the positions of the stars ruled over people’s fatesruled over people’s fates

It became part of common speech after It became part of common speech after Shakespeare wrote and popularized the phrase in Shakespeare wrote and popularized the phrase in his play, his play, Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet. .

Are there other “star-crossed Are there other “star-crossed lovers”?lovers”?

Think of modern examples of “Start-crossed lovers” from Think of modern examples of “Start-crossed lovers” from movies that you’ve seen that relate to the themes from movies that you’ve seen that relate to the themes from Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet listed below: listed below:

1.1. Two people who care immensely for each other but, Two people who care immensely for each other but, due to their circumstances, can not be together. due to their circumstances, can not be together.

2.2. Different cultures or social status keeps two lovers Different cultures or social status keeps two lovers from being together. from being together.

3.3. Family feuds keep lovers apart. Family feuds keep lovers apart.

4.4. The lovers relationship is thwarted by outside forces. The lovers relationship is thwarted by outside forces.

5.5. A love story that ends tragically. A love story that ends tragically.

Let’s read “Pryamus & Thisbe”…Let’s read “Pryamus & Thisbe”…pg. 1160pg. 1160

An ancient Roman An ancient Roman mythmyth about two teenagers who fall about two teenagers who fall

madly in love, but their madly in love, but their parents forbid them to see parents forbid them to see each other. Defying their each other. Defying their families, they plan to run families, they plan to run

away together, but a series of away together, but a series of misunderstandings lead to a misunderstandings lead to a

disastrous demise. disastrous demise. SOUND FAMILIAR???SOUND FAMILIAR???

How to Read ShakespeareHow to Read Shakespeare

Sometimes, the way Shakespeare Sometimes, the way Shakespeare uses language can be overwhelming uses language can be overwhelming to read and discern meaning. to read and discern meaning.

Breaking it downBreaking it down into segments into segments and interpreting the parts can make and interpreting the parts can make it more manageable and less it more manageable and less daunting. daunting.

The PrologueThe Prologue

In Shakespeare’s day, the prologue In Shakespeare’s day, the prologue was the introduction. A guy would was the introduction. A guy would come out on stage in funny tights come out on stage in funny tights and say the part you are about to and say the part you are about to read. read.

Think of it as a movie preview. The Think of it as a movie preview. The prologue fills the audience in on what prologue fills the audience in on what they’re about to watch. they’re about to watch.

Two households, both alike in dignity, Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foesFrom forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;

Whose misadventured piteous overthrowsWhose misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their deaths bury their parents’ strife.Do with their deaths bury their parents’ strife.

The fearful passage of their death mark’d love, The fearful passage of their death mark’d love,

And the continuance of their parents’ rage, And the continuance of their parents’ rage,

Which, but their children’s end, nought could Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,remove,

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend, The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Prologue StructurePrologue Structure

Label the rhyme scheme of the Label the rhyme scheme of the prologueprologue

How are the 14 lines organized?How are the 14 lines organized?What is this structure called?What is this structure called?

It’s a Sonnet!It’s a Sonnet!

A Shakespearian A Shakespearian sonnet not only has sonnet not only has a specific rhyme a specific rhyme scheme but also a scheme but also a specific rhythmic specific rhythmic patternpattern

The rhythmical The rhythmical pattern of a pattern of a poem is called poem is called the meterthe meter

It is determined by It is determined by the number and the number and types of stresses, or types of stresses, or beats, in each linebeats, in each line

Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter

The specific rhythmic pattern The specific rhythmic pattern Shakespeare uses is called Shakespeare uses is called iambic iambic pentameterpentameter An An iambiamb consists of one unstressed and consists of one unstressed and

one stressed syllable. one stressed syllable. If you read music, it If you read music, it is similar to a measure. It is also called a is similar to a measure. It is also called a footfoot. . Feet are divided by a vertical line according to Feet are divided by a vertical line according to syllable.syllable.

PentameterPentameter refers to the number of refers to the number of iambic feet in a line. iambic feet in a line. There are ten There are ten syllables, making up five iambic feet per line.syllables, making up five iambic feet per line.

Scanning a Poem for MeterScanning a Poem for Meter

ScanningScanning is to mark the stressed is to mark the stressed and unstressed syllables in a poemand unstressed syllables in a poem

We mark a We mark a for unstressed syllables for unstressed syllables and and ′′ for stressed syllables for stressed syllables

′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′Two Two househouse||holdsholds, both, both|| aalikelike|| in in digdig||ninity, ty,

′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′In In fairfair|| VeVeroro||nana, where, where|| wewe lay lay|| ourour scene, scene,

Modified Iamvic PentameterModified Iamvic Pentameter

Remember that Shakespeare used Remember that Shakespeare used the words the way we say them. the words the way we say them. We don’t say houseHOLD. It’s We don’t say houseHOLD. It’s

HOUSEhold. HOUSEhold.

When the meter doesn’t quite match When the meter doesn’t quite match the formula, we call it the formula, we call it modifiedmodified..

Modified ExampleModified Example

′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′

Whose Whose mismis||adadvenven||tured tured pipi||teousteous o o||vertverthrowshrows

′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′

Do Do withwith||theirtheir death death||buburyry||theirtheir par par||ents'ents' strife. strife.

Notice that the symbols are reversed on Notice that the symbols are reversed on burybury because because we pronounce the word with the stress on the first we pronounce the word with the stress on the first syllable.syllable.

Now let’s look at the Now let’s look at the rest of the prologue…rest of the prologue…

and begin our reading of and begin our reading of Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s

The Tragedy of Romeo and JulietThe Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet