Shakespeare: His Life and TimesShakespeare: His Life and Times

Adapted from http://www.public.asu.edu/~muckerrm/English_321_S2005/Introduction.ppt

Early LifeEarly Life

• (Probably) Born April 23, 1564

• Died April 23, 1616

• Lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

• He was the 3rd born of 8 children

• Parents:• Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner• John—glovemaker, local politician

From: http://www.where-can-i-find.com/tourist-maps.html

Location of Stratford-upon-AvonLocation of Stratford-upon-Avon

As reproduced in William Rolfe, Shakespeare the Boy (1896).

Stratford-upon-Avon in Shakespeare’s TimeStratford-upon-Avon in Shakespeare’s Time

From Stratford’s web site: http://www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/index.htm

Stratford-upon-Avon Today

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

Shakespeare’s BirthplaceShakespeare’s Birthplace

• Thought to have attended King’s New School in Stratford

• Left school at age 15• Educated in:

• Rhetoric• Logic• History• Latin

EducationEducation

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

King’s New SchoolKing’s New School

• At 18, he married 26 year-old Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant at the time with their first daughter

• First daughter was born in 1582• They had twins in 1585• Around 1587, they moved to London and

William began working in theatre.

Married LifeMarried Life

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

Anne Hathaway’s CottageAnne Hathaway’s Cottage

• He was first a successful poet, and published poetry in 1593

• Two major poems:• Venus and Adonis• Rape of Lucrece

• 154 Sonnets• Nickname: The Bard of Avon

The PoetThe Poet

• Member and later part-owner of an acting group called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later called the King’s Men

• This successful group eventually decided to build a theatre that would bring together the social elite as well as common peasants… THE GLOBE THEATRE!

The ActorThe Actor

The PlaywrightThe Playwright

• 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare:• 14 comedies• 10 histories• 10 tragedies• 4 romances

• Collaborated on several others• Many of his plays were performed at the Globe

Theatre

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

• Built in 1598 by Lord Chamberlain’s Men, with Shakespeare as primary investor

• Open-air, octagonal amphitheater that could seat up to 3000

• In 1613, the Globe burned down during a canon fire during Henry VII

• It was rebuilt, only to be shut down by the Puritans in 1642

• The new and improved Globe Theatre opened in May 1997 thanks to Queen Elizabeth II!

The Rebuilt Globe Theater, LondonThe Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

Shakespeare’s Language

• Shakespeare did NOT write in “Old English.”

• Old English is the language of Beowulf (written in the 8th century):

“Hwaet! We Gardena in geardagum Þeodcyninga Þrym gefrunonHu ða æÞelingas ellen fremedon!”

(Hey! We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes in the old days, the kings of tribes, how noble princes showed great courage!)

Shakespeare’s Language

• Shakespeare did NOT write in “Middle English.”

• Middle English is the language of Chaucer, the Gawain-poet, and Malory (14th century):

We redeth oft and findeth y-write—And this clerkes wele it wite—Layes that ben in harpingBen y-founde of ferli thing… (Sir Orfeo)

Shakespeare’s Language• Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English.”

• Shakespeare wrote most of his works in the late 16th century and into the early 17th century!

• EME wasn’t very different from “Modern English,” and Shakespeare helped standardize the style of today’s language.

Shakespeare’s Language

• Shakespeare coined many words we still use today:

• Critical• Majestic• Dwindle

• And quite a few phrases as well:• One fell swoop• Flesh and blood• Vanish into thin air• With bated breath

See http://www.wordorigins.org/histeng.htm

Historical Context

• The Renaissance -Cultural rebirth of Europe: music, art, lit-14th - 17th centuries

• Elizabethan Age-Named after Queen Elizabeth I-Ruled from 1558 - 1603-Her love and interest in the arts influenced the time period

Elizabethan Theatrical

Conventions

No electricity =

daytime only shows

Women forbidden

to act on stage

No scene changes

Minimal props & costume

These factors

influenced the

performance.

These factors

influenced the

performance.

Scare tacticsScare tactics

Soliloquy

Aside

Monologue

Dialogue

Types of speech

Types of speech

Blood and gore

Use of supernatural

Use of disguises /

mistaken identity

Multiple marriages

(in comedies)

Multiple murders

(in tragedies)

Last speaker—highest in

rank (in tragedies)

Controversial Topics

Humor

Sex / Sexuality

Parties & Celebrations

Deaths & Action

Ultimately, Shakespeare delivered what would keep the audience intrigued:

Ultimately, Shakespeare delivered what would keep the audience intrigued: