William Shakespeare

When was Shakespeare born?A. January 16, 1901B. April 21, 1664C. April 23, 1564D. January 11, 1492

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William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon.

Existed during the Elizabethan Period

Shakespeare’s Early Life

In Warwickshire, England

The River Avon

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon.

Existed during the Elizabethan Period

Parents: John Shakespeare and Mary Arden

Shakespeare’s Early Life

At eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway

His family

At eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway

Together they raised two daughters: Susanna, who was born in 1583 Judith (whose twin brother died in boyhood), born in 1585

His family

In what theater did Shakespeare perform his plays?A. The RoseB. The Golden AppleC. The Rose BudD. The Globe

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Shakespeare joined a group called the Chamberlain's Men, a company that would build and operate a new playhouse:

The Globe theater.

1599

The Globe

Groundlings – lower-class audience members who stood for the duration of the play; paid a penny or less

His Audience

More on the Globe

Groundlings – lower-class audience members who stood for the duration of the play; paid a penny or less

Nobility – Kings and Queens; a company could get arrested for certain vulgarity during plays, but not Shakespeare’s

His Audience

True or False?Women were not allowed as actors in theater; therefore, men played the parts of female characters in Shakespeare’s plays.

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All male cast

Very little to no stage directions

No curtain; change of scene and acts depended on dramatic speeches:Soliloquy – a character is alone on stage speaking

his or her thoughts out loud

Monologue – a character is with others on stage; the character is the only one talking

The Performance

The majority of Shakespeare’s sonnets examined the themes of:A. Time, Love, and BeautyB. Death, Hate, and UglinessC. Love, Birth, and DeathD. Nature and the Seasons

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Sonnets, not plays made Shakespeare famous and wealthy.

The Sonnets of Shakespeare, consists of 154 sonnets

Sonnets 1-126 - addressed to a beloved friend, a handsome and noble young man

Sonnets 127-152 - to a malignant but fascinating "Dark Lady," whom the poet loves in spite of himself.

Nearly all of Shakespeare's sonnets examine the inevitable decay of time, and the immortalization of beauty and love in poetry.

His Sonnets

Romeo and Juliet is considered a(n):A. TragedyB. RomanceC. HistoryD. Comedy

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Shakespeare wrote more than 30 plays.

These are usually divided into four categories: 1). Histories – Henry VI2). Comedies – Comedy of Errors3). Tragedies –Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and

Juliet4). Romances - The Tempest

His Plays

Comedy or Tragedy?

Comedy or Tragedy?Comedy Tragedy

- Mostly everyone gets - Mostly everyone dies married in the end. in the end.

- Mythical, magical - Realistic characters,

creatures royalty and nobility

- Several couples have - The main characters

humorous conflicts cause their own downfall.

First Folio – a completion of his work in 1623

He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later at Stratford Church.

His Death

Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon

“Good Friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare. To digg the dust encloased heare: Bleste be the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones.”

His Epitaph