ShakespeShakespeareare

1564 – 16161564 – 1616Avon - EnglandAvon - England

Click

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare William Shakespeare ranks as William Shakespeare ranks as

perhaps the most famous writer in perhaps the most famous writer in the history of English literature. the history of English literature. Shakespeare employed poetry and Shakespeare employed poetry and verse within his dramatic comedies, verse within his dramatic comedies, tragedies, and histories, and he also tragedies, and histories, and he also composed notable individual poems. composed notable individual poems. His poems include a series of 154 His poems include a series of 154 sonnets, unusually arranged as three sonnets, unusually arranged as three quatrains and a couplet; the quatrains and a couplet; the development was original enough for development was original enough for it to become known as the it to become known as the Shakespearian sonnet. The book was Shakespearian sonnet. The book was printed in 1609.printed in 1609.

© 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.All rights reserved.

The birth of ShakespeareThe birth of Shakespeare A complete, A complete,

authoritative account of authoritative account of Shakespeare’s life is Shakespeare’s life is lacking; much lacking; much supposition surrounds supposition surrounds relatively few facts. His relatively few facts. His day of birth is day of birth is traditionally held to be traditionally held to be April 23 in Stratford-April 23 in Stratford-upon-Avon, upon-Avon, Warwickshire. The third Warwickshire. The third of eight children, he was of eight children, he was the eldest son of John the eldest son of John Shakespeare, a locally Shakespeare, a locally prominent merchant, prominent merchant, and Mary Arden, and Mary Arden, daughter of a Roman daughter of a Roman Catholic member of the Catholic member of the landed gentry.landed gentry.

Place of Shakespeare’s birth

Shakespeare goes to schoolShakespeare goes to school He was probably educated He was probably educated

at the local grammar at the local grammar school. As the eldest son, school. As the eldest son, Shakespeare ordinarily Shakespeare ordinarily would have been would have been apprenticed to his father’s apprenticed to his father’s shop so that he could learn shop so that he could learn and eventually take over and eventually take over the business, but the business, but according to one according to one apocryphal account he was apocryphal account he was apprenticed to a butcher apprenticed to a butcher because of reverses in his because of reverses in his father’s financial situation.father’s financial situation.

Religion and PoliticsReligion and Politics Elizabethan England. In recent years, it has more Elizabethan England. In recent years, it has more

convincingly been argued that he was caught up in convincingly been argued that he was caught up in the secretive network of Catholic believers and the secretive network of Catholic believers and priests who strove to cultivate their faith in the priests who strove to cultivate their faith in the inhospitable conditions inhospitable conditions

Shakespeare in loveShakespeare in love

In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, the daughter of a farmer. He is supposed to have left Stratford after he farmer. He is supposed to have left Stratford after he was caught poaching in the deer park of Sir Thomas was caught poaching in the deer park of Sir Thomas Lucy, a local justice of the peace. Shakespeare and Lucy, a local justice of the peace. Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway produced a daughter, Susanna, in Anne Hathaway produced a daughter, Susanna, in 1583 and twins—a boy and a girl—in 1585. The boy 1583 and twins—a boy and a girl—in 1585. The boy died 11 years laterdied 11 years later

Anne Hathaway’s cottage

Timeline of Shakespeare Timeline of Shakespeare WorksWorks

First Period Second Period Third Period Fourth Period

Although the precise date of many of Shakespeare’s plays is in doubt, his dramatic career is generally divided into four periods. These divisions are necessarily arbitrary ways of viewing Shakespeare’s creative development, since his plays are notoriously hard to date accurately, either in terms of when they were written or when they were first performed.

Click on the timeline to learn more

First PeriodFirst Period

Shakespeare’s first period was one of experimentation. His early plays, unlike his more mature work, are characterized to a degree by formal and rather obvious construction and often stylized verse.

Second PeriodSecond Period

Shakespeare’s second period includes his most important plays concerned with English history, his so-called joyous comedies, and two major tragedies. In this period, his style and approach became highly individualized.

THE GLOBE THEATRE

THE NEW GLOBE THEATRE

1.1. The Globe was built in 1599 using timber The Globe was built in 1599 using timber from an earlier theatre. from an earlier theatre.

2.2. The Globe was owned by many actors.The Globe was owned by many actors.

3.3. Shakespeare owned a single share, or Shakespeare owned a single share, or 12.5%.12.5%.

4.4. The stage measured approximately 43 feet The stage measured approximately 43 feet (13.1m) in width, 27 feet (8.2m) in depth.(13.1m) in width, 27 feet (8.2m) in depth.

5.5. On this stage, there was a trap door for On this stage, there was a trap door for use by performers to enter from the use by performers to enter from the "cellarage" area beneath the stage."cellarage" area beneath the stage.

Shakespeare's Stage Shakespeare's Stage

1.1. The Chamberlain's Men The Chamberlain's Men performed most of performed most of their plays on the multi-leveled spaces of the their plays on the multi-leveled spaces of the Globe Theater.Globe Theater.

2.2. Shakespeare gave sets, props and costumes his Shakespeare gave sets, props and costumes his audiences almost entirely through language. audiences almost entirely through language.

3.3. there are no trees or battlements or roaring surf there are no trees or battlements or roaring surf but only a bare stage jutting out among the but only a bare stage jutting out among the spectators.spectators.

4.4. Visual spectacle, though not unimportant, was Visual spectacle, though not unimportant, was secondary to dialogue; we speak of going to secondary to dialogue; we speak of going to "see" a play where audiences up to the "see" a play where audiences up to the nineteenth century spoke of "hearing" one. nineteenth century spoke of "hearing" one.

ActorsActors1.1. Only men and boys.Only men and boys.

2.2.Young boys whose voices had not changed play Young boys whose voices had not changed play women’s roles.women’s roles.

3.3.Would have been considered indecent for a Would have been considered indecent for a woman to appear on stagewoman to appear on stage..

CharactersCharacters Protagonist (main character)Protagonist (main character) Antagonist (main character)Antagonist (main character) Flat characters: Flat characters: One-dimensional, embodying One-dimensional, embodying

only a single trait. Shakespeare often uses them only a single trait. Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic relief even in a tragedy.to provide comic relief even in a tragedy.

Static Characters: Characters within a story who Static Characters: Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not change. They do remain the same. They do not change. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.not change their minds, opinions or character.

Dynamic Characters: Characters that change Dynamic Characters: Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better. generally change for the better.

SOME WORKSSOME WORKS