Elizabethan era and Elizabethan era and theatretheatre

Life and work of William Life and work of William ShakespeareShakespeare

Elizabethan eraElizabethan era

• Reign of Queen Reign of Queen Elizabeth 1558 – Elizabeth 1558 – 16031603

• Expansion and Expansion and explorationexploration

• London – heart of London – heart of England and leading England and leading centre of culturecentre of culture

• Theatres in Theatres in SouthwarkSouthwark

Elizabethan theatreElizabethan theatre

Play writers – Shakespeare, MarlowePlay writers – Shakespeare, Marlowe

1st proper theatre – The Theatre 1st proper theatre – The Theatre 15761576

Other - Rose, Swan, Hope, Globe Other - Rose, Swan, Hope, Globe (Lord Chamberlain´s Men – (Lord Chamberlain´s Men – Shakespeare – 1613 burned down)Shakespeare – 1613 burned down)

Play housesPlay houses

Private and publicPrivate and public Audience: 2000 – 5000 Audience: 2000 – 5000

peoplepeople Round, square wooden Round, square wooden

structurestructure Rich – galleries, poor Rich – galleries, poor

in groundin ground 2 doors on stage = 2 doors on stage =

opposite locationsopposite locations Effects – fire, smoke, Effects – fire, smoke,

flyingflying Actors – only menActors – only men Performances – Performances –

afternoon = artificial afternoon = artificial lightninglightning

William Shakespeare 1564 - William Shakespeare 1564 - 16161616

born in Stratford born in Stratford upon Avon in 1564upon Avon in 1564

As 18 years old As 18 years old married Anne married Anne HathawayHathaway

His plays were on His plays were on London stage by London stage by 15921592

From 1594 his plays From 1594 his plays performed only Lord performed only Lord Chamberlain´s MenChamberlain´s Men

The company built in 1599 own The company built in 1599 own theatre which they called the Globetheatre which they called the Globe

Shakespeare continued to act in his Shakespeare continued to act in his own and others plays also after his own and others plays also after his succes as playwritersucces as playwriter

His last plays wrote together with His last plays wrote together with John FletcherJohn Fletcher

Shakespeare retired to Stratford and Shakespeare retired to Stratford and died on 23 April 1616died on 23 April 1616

PlaysPlays

1st period – until 1590 = 1st period – until 1590 = mainly comedies mainly comedies influenced by Roman and influenced by Roman and Italian models, and Italian models, and traditional history playstraditional history plays

2nd p. – began in 1595 2nd p. – began in 1595 with Romeo and Juliet, with Romeo and Juliet, ended in 1599 with Julius ended in 1599 with Julius Caesar, period of Caesar, period of greatest comedies and greatest comedies and historieshistories

3rd p. – 1600 – 1608, 3rd p. – 1600 – 1608, „tragic“ period - „tragic“ period - tregediestregedies

4th p. – 1608 – 1613, 4th p. – 1608 – 1613, tregicomedies, romancestregicomedies, romances

General description of Shakespeare’s plays

Early point of effectEarly point of effect several lines of action which might seen independent at the several lines of action which might seen independent at the

beginning but later they merge (splynú) together, we speak beginning but later they merge (splynú) together, we speak about unity in diversity, best example is King Learabout unity in diversity, best example is King Lear

there is a large number of & variety of incidents, mixed there is a large number of & variety of incidents, mixed emotions as tears & laughter, violenceemotions as tears & laughter, violence

ideas of time &space are used freely, S doesn’t stick in classical ideas of time &space are used freely, S doesn’t stick in classical unity of time & space, audience has feeling of ongoing action or unity of time & space, audience has feeling of ongoing action or life behind the scenelife behind the scene

large number of characters – 30 is quite common, they large number of characters – 30 is quite common, they represent all social levels, they can be poor or rich but they are represent all social levels, they can be poor or rich but they are still individualstill individual

language also differs from play to play – can be elegant or witty language also differs from play to play – can be elegant or witty even obscene & its function is to enhance character & his or her even obscene & its function is to enhance character & his or her actionsactions

subjects are taken from different sources – as mythology, subjects are taken from different sources – as mythology, history, legends, fictionhistory, legends, fiction

Poems and sonnetsPoems and sonnets

Shakespeare wrote 3 narrative poems Shakespeare wrote 3 narrative poems on erotic themeson erotic themesVenus and Adonis, The Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, A Lover´s ComplaintRape of Lucrece, A Lover´s Complaint

The SonnetsThe Sonnets (1609) – planned 2 series, (1609) – planned 2 series, one one one about uncontrollable lust for a one about uncontrollable lust for a married woman of dark complexion (the married woman of dark complexion (the "dark lady"), and one about pure love "dark lady"), and one about pure love for a fair young man (the "fair youth")for a fair young man (the "fair youth")

Style Style

adapt traditional style to his own adapt traditional style to his own purposes, he combined traditional and free purposes, he combined traditional and free stylestyle

his standard poetic form - blank verse in his standard poetic form - blank verse in iambic pentameter, later iambic pentameter, later he began to he began to interrupt and vary its flowinterrupt and vary its flow

His style was "more concentrated, rapid, His style was "more concentrated, rapid, varied, and, in construction, less regular, varied, and, in construction, less regular, not seldom twisted or elliptical"not seldom twisted or elliptical"

Use Use run-on lines, irregular pauses and run-on lines, irregular pauses and stops, and extreme variations in sentence stops, and extreme variations in sentence structure and lengthstructure and length

InfluenceInfluence

He expanded the dramatic potential of He expanded the dramatic potential of characterisation, plot, language, and genrecharacterisation, plot, language, and genre

His work heavily influenced later poetry. The His work heavily influenced later poetry. The Romantic poets attempted to revive Shakespearean Romantic poets attempted to revive Shakespearean verse drama, though with little success. verse drama, though with little success.

Shakespeare influenced novelists such as Thomas Shakespeare influenced novelists such as Thomas Hardy, William Faulkner, Charles Dickens and Hardy, William Faulkner, Charles Dickens and American novelist Herman Melville. In American novelist Herman Melville. In Shakespeare's day, English grammar and spelling Shakespeare's day, English grammar and spelling were less standardised than they are now, and his were less standardised than they are now, and his use of language helped shape modern English.use of language helped shape modern English.