Introduction to Shakespeare

andJulius Caesar

William Shakespeare

Background Information

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

April 23, 1564

Married: Anne Hathaway (1582)

He was 18, she was 26.

three children• Susanna• Hamnet• Judith

Died on April 23, 1616

his 52nd birthday

William Shakespeare

This is the house where Shakespeare was born.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

King Edward VI Grammar School at Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare, continued

Shakespeare was in the acting company, Lord Chamberlain's Men (later called the King’s Men)

He wrote:37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 long poems

His work was not published during his lifetime but four years later in the "First Folio" book

Shakespeare is considered a "man for all seasons" because his plays appeal to everyone (all ages and across time)

The Shakespeare Debate

There is much speculation as to whether or not there was an actual “Shakespeare.”

Many historians claim that “Shakespeare” is actually a collection of several poets and playwrights’ works, while others claim that it was a pseudonym for another writer.

The three men most associated with the “Shakespeare Debate” are Edward De Vere, Francis Bacon, and Christopher Marlow.

The Shakespeare Debate

The reasoning behind the controversy seems to lie in the fact that many people find it difficult to accept that a man of poor education and upbringing could write such eloquent masterpieces and have such a strong command of the English language.

It is important not to focus on whether or not he was real, but instead we should focus on the great pieces of literature that we have attributed to him.

The Globe Theater

Shakespeare performed his plays here Constructed in 1599

On the banks of the Thames River• Near London

Shape: Octagonal Play time: 2 hours

Cost: One penny

The Globe

The Globe, continued

Seating: Pit: General crowd Galleries: A small additional fee would get you these seats Box Seats: Royalty or noblemen only

The capacity for the play performance was 3,000 Sound effects were made in the huts Ghosts could appear on stage through trap doors

The Globe, continued

Flags, trumpets, and fliers told when there would be a play The flags also told the audience what type of play they would be seeing:

Red flag = history playWhite flag = comedy playBlack Flag = tragedy play

Shakespearean Actors and Accessories

Shakespearean Actors and Accessories

Costumes, Continued.

England had “Clothing Acts” which forbade certain classes of people from dressing like a higher class.

So, for an actor-a person of the lower classes- to dress like a nobleman or a king was something of a scandal.

Inside Shakespeare’s Globe

This is a photograph of the newly restored Globe Theater in England. This picture shows what the stage looks like.

Parts of the Globe

The Pit- Sometimes referred to as “The Yard” where the groundlings watched the play for their one-penny admission.

The Stage- Major playing area jutted into the Pit, creating a sense of intimacy with the audience. Hangings curtained off space beneath.

Main entrance- Here the doorkeeper greeted playgoers and collected one penny from everyone.

Parts of the Globe

Lord’s Rooms- private galleries; six pennies let a viewer sit here, or sometimes even on the stage itself.

Middle Gallery- called “two-penny rooms” because the seats here were higher priced.

Inner Stage- A recessed playing area often curtained off, then opened for appropriate scenes.

Parts of the Globe

Flag- a white flag hoisted above the theatre meant a show would be performed that day. White-comedy, Black-tragedy, Red-history

Stage Doors- doors opening into the Tiring-House.

Hut- a storage area that also held a wench system for lowering enthroned gods or other characters to the stage.

Parts of the Globe

Tiring-House- The important backstage area which provided space for storage and business offices.

Stairs- Ascending to the first level, theatre goers reached the galleries by wooden staircases enclosed by stairwells.

Trap Door- Leading down to the Hell area where equipment included the winch elevator that raised and lowered actors or properties.

Parts of the Globe

Hell- The area under the stage, used for ghostly comings and goings or for more mundane storage of properties.

Elizabethan England

Queen Elizabeth I ruled England during the time that Shakespeare

wrote many of his plays.

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I

She ruled England for nearly

50 years (1558-1603) and was very popular

She was such a strong ruler that the time is called the Elizabethan Age or England’s Golden Age.

Elizabeth never married although she had many suitors during her lifetime.

Queen Elizabeth had red hair and green eyes, and was known for her love of fashion; she had over 2,000 dresses. Some of her more elaborate gowns weighed over 200 pounds each.

Elizabethan TheaterDuring this time, theater was not the only form of entertainment. People also enjoyed music and dancing.No women were allowed to act in the plays. Young boys acted the female parts. Actors wore clothes from their own time period, regardless of the play’s setting. The costumes were often very fancy.Audiences were very rowdy. They talked during the plays, and if they did not like one, they would throw garbage at the actors.

Elizabethan EnglandEngland was very dirty

Most people bathed only once a year.

Doctors worried about the Queen

because she took a bath once a month.

People dumped garbage into the city streets.

SchoolBoys went to school from age 7 to about 15 where they learned math, Latin, and Greek.

Girls were usually educated at home.

Men’s Clothing

Women’s Clothing

More Women’s Clothing

King James I (Elizabeth’s successor)

Julius Caesar:The Man and the Play

“Veni, vidi, vici!”

Caesar the ManBorn around 100 B.C.Died March 15, 44 B.C.He was one of the greatest military leaders of all time. He helped to make Rome the center of an empire that encompassed much of Europe.He is also known as a talented speaker, politician, and writer.These skills frightened Caesar’s political opponents and led directly to his death.

Julius Caesar

Caesar, continued

He married at the age of 17 to Cornelia.

They had a daughter, Julia.

Cornelia died in 68 B.C.

In 60 B.C., Caesar joined with Pompey and Marcus Crassus to form the First Triumvirate, which means “three men” or “rule by three.” This is an alliance that ruled Rome.

Caesar, continued

They took over the Senate and the rulings of Rome for a while. The idea was that Caesar had the backing of the Legions (army), Pompey had the political power, and Crassus had financial backing.

In 59 B.C. Caesar remarried. His wife’s name was Calpurnia.

The same year, Pompey married Caesar’s daughter, Julia.

Pompey

Caesar, continued

After much military success, Pompey became increasingly jealous of Caesar. Pompey decided to join with Rome’s conservative leaders and try to get rid of Caesar. This ripped apart the triumvirate and caused a civil war in 49 B.C.When Caesar returned to Italy, Pompey warned him that if he crossed the Rubicon River then Caesar was declaring war on Rome.Caesar responded with “Alea iacta est,” which translates to “the die is cast.”

The Rubicon River

Roman Helmets

Caesar, continued

So the war began. Within 60 days, Caesar had conquered Italy, but it took him almost 5 years to take over the rest of the Roman Empire. In 49 B.C., Caesar appointed himself dictator of this empire. It was during this 5 years that Caesar won the war that made Cleopatra the ruler of Egypt.

Roman Legionaire

Caesar, continuedThe name “Caesar” eventually became not a name, but a word meaning “ruler” or “chief” in Latin.

The word “Caesar” evolved into different languages such as German, which took the name and turned it into Kaiser. The Russian word Czar as well traces its roots back to “Caesar.”

The term “caesarian sections,” or “C-sections” can trace its origins back to Julius Caesar because it was believed that Caesar did have not a natural childbirth, but instead was “cut from the womb.”

Caesar, continued

After defeating Pompey, Caesar pardoned his enemy’s supporters. These same men later took part in Caesar’s assassination.

The Mediterranean

The Roman Empire

Shakespeare’sThe Tragedy of Julius Caesar

It is believed that Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in 1599.

The play is a historical play based upon the assassination of Julius Caesar by his close friends and confidants.

Shakespeare gained much of his knowledge about Caesar and Roman life from Plutarch’s The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans.

Shakespeare’sThe Tragedy of Julius Caesar

The play takes place during a time of great political turmoil. Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey have been fighting against each other during a civil war.The play begins as Caesar returns to Rome after his defeat of Pompey.The action of the play is spread out over 5 acts. In this play, we will encounter betrayal of friendships and the result of too much ambition.

Interesting Areas of Rome

Outside the Roman Coliseum

Inside the Roman Coliseum

The Pantheon

The Forum of Julius Caesar

Any Question

s?