William Shakespeare

The man, the myth, the legend

• Elizabethan period

• 1558 – 1603• England ruled by Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII

and Anne Boleyn. • Henry had 6 wives

• Katherine of Aragon – Divorced• Anne Boleyn – Beheaded (accused of adultery)• Jane Seymour – Died• Anne of Cleves – Divorced• Katharine Howard – Beheaded (accused of adultery)• Katharine Parr – Survived

• Called “The English Renaissance”• Explosion of learning, art, and culture• Renaissance = “Rebirth”

Background

Ruled England for 45 years. Nicknamed “the Virgin Queen” and produced no heir to the throne Restored Protestantism and formalized the Church of England During her reign, the economy was weakened

by inflation, food shortages, and high rent. Outbreak of the black plague, food riots,

Catholic conspiracies, threats of invasion, etc.

Queen Elizabeth I – ( 1558-1603 )

William Shakespeare was born around April 23, 1564 in

Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Christened on April 26, 1564

Parents John Shakespeare– a glovemaker & sometime local politician Mary Arden – daughter of a wealthy landowner.

Childhood Attended the Stratford Free Grammar School until the age of

15. Apprenticed as a glove maker with his father. He was the third child of eight, and the eldest surviving son.

Who was Shakespeare?

Married Anne Hathaway on November 27,

1582. She was 26, a landowner and businesswoman in

her own right, and pregnant. He was 18.

They had three children Susannah – May 26, 1583 Hamnet & Judith (twins) – February 2, 1585

Between 1585-1592, Shakespeare disappears from public record.

The marriage…

In 1592, Shakespeare shows up in public record

as an actor, writer, and producer with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men Acting companies depended on wealthy patrons to

support their theatres and shows. The Lord Chamberlain was the official head of all

things theatre-related in Elizabethan England. The Lord Chamberlain could open and close

theatres at will, and usually did. Theatres closed between 1592-1594 due to the

bubonic Plague

London…

Wrote 37 attributed plays & roughly 154 sonnets. Is considered the greatest playwright of the English language,

but he Was not seriously studied until the mid-1800s. Is credited with contributing over 2,000 words and phrases to

the English language Competed with Christopher Marlowe (Doctor Faustus) and

Richard Burbage for business and fame. Had the equivalent of an 8th grade education. The Bard's will gave most of his property to Susanna, his first

child and not to his wife Anne Hathaway. Instead his loyal wife infamously received his "second-best bed". The Bard's second best bed wasn’t so bad, it was his marriage

bed; his best bed was for guests. Died on his 52nd birthday in Stratford on April 23, 1616.

Shakespeare in a nutshell

Early plays, 1590’s, were mainly comedy

Comedy (and this could be extended to most of Shakespeare's history plays as well)  is social--leading to a happy resolution (usually a marriage or marriages) and social unification. 

Shakespeare began to focus on tragedy/dramatic themes in the late 1500s - early 1600s The change from comedy to tragedy is usually attributed to

the loss of Hamnet, Shakespeare’s son, in 1596 of unknown causes.

Tragedy is individual, concentrating on the suffering of a single, remarkable hero--leading to individual torment, waste and death

1608 marks a change in tone from tragedy to romance, light, magic, and reconciliation

The Plays

Comedy of Errors 1592

The Taming of the Shrew 1592-94

A Midsummer Night's Dream 1595-96

The Merchant of Venice 1596-97

Much Ado About Nothing 1598-99

Twelfth Night 1599-1600

The Comedies…

Comedy = everyone gets married

Romeo & Juliet – 1595 Hamlet - 1600 Othello - 1601 King Lear - 1605 Macbeth – 1605

Tragedy = everybody dies

The tragedies

Only men were permitted to perform Young boys whose voices had not

changed play women’s roles It would have been considered indecent

for a woman to appear on stage Costumes were often the company’s

most valuable asset Costumes were made by the company,

bought in London, or donated by courtiers

When in the play…

Stage -- platform that extended into the pit Dressing & storage rooms in galleries behind &

above stage Second-level gallery & upper stage -- famous

balcony scene in R & J Trap door -ghosts, “Hell” “Heavens”- angelic beings Plays were most often performed in outdoor

theaters Performances took place during the day so that

the stage would be illuminated by natural light

All the world’s a stage…

☺ Built in 1599☺ The most magnificent theater in London ☺ Shakespeare was 1/5 owner☺ He earned 10% of the total profit,

approximately £200-250 a year (roughly $200,000 - $250,000 today)

☺ The Bard retired to Stratford and lived on the profits he earned from the Globe

☺June 19, 1613 the Globe burned to the ground during a performance of Henry VIII

The Globe Theatre

Many of Shakespeare’s plays were

performed here The stage was a large, rectangle that

jutted out into the yard Held 2,000-3,000 people tightly packed An open playhouse with a wooden

structure three stories high It was shaped like a 16 sided polygon General admission = 1 Penny entitled

a spectator to be a “groundling”-someone who could stand in the yard.

More expensive seats were in the roofed galleries and most expensive seats were chairs set right on the stage along its two sides

Rebuilt in 1900’s

The Globe…

1 shilling to stand 2 shillings to sit in the

balcony 1 shilling was 10% of

their weekly income Broadway Today:

$85 Orchestra $60 Balcony 10% of a teacher’s weekly

salary

Let’s go to the theatre!

Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy “A man of high standard who falls from

that high because of a tragic flaw that has affected many”

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero: Character must be of noble/high stature Hubris (tragic flaw) - pride blinds them Downfall Enlightenment (near the end of the play) Their death

The Tragic Hero…