Shakespeare and His Shakespeare and His WorldWorld

absolute adherence to absolute adherence to the patriarchal orderthe patriarchal orderto the lawto the lawto the churchto the church

Imagine a culture of…

You are now being initiatedYou are now being initiatedinto a society sharply divided into a society sharply divided

betweenbetweenthe nobility and the servant classthe nobility and the servant class

Bloodshed was common in the Bloodshed was common in the streets of Elizabethan Englandstreets of Elizabethan England

Welcome to a world of Welcome to a world of feudsfeudsfaithfaith

& filial obedience& filial obedience

Elizabethan SocietyElizabethan Society

FAITH: Protestantism Reigns SupremeFAITH: Protestantism Reigns SupremeQueen Elizabeth I (r.1558-1603) restored Protestantism Queen Elizabeth I (r.1558-1603) restored Protestantism

as the official religionas the official religion-She believed that people should be allowed to practice -She believed that people should be allowed to practice

the Catholic religion without fear of recrimination so the Catholic religion without fear of recrimination so long as it presented no threat to peace in the realm long as it presented no threat to peace in the realm and her rule over England. and her rule over England.

-There were many Catholic plots against Queen -There were many Catholic plots against Queen Elizabeth I. -Many Catholics wanted to replace Elizabeth I. -Many Catholics wanted to replace Elizabeth with her cousin Mary Queen of Scots. These Elizabeth with her cousin Mary Queen of Scots. These plots eventually led to the execution of Mary Queen plots eventually led to the execution of Mary Queen of Scotsof Scots

Elizabethan Elizabethan SocietySociety

FEUDS: A Society of FEUDS: A Society of Violence and AggressionViolence and Aggression

-”A gentleman carried a -”A gentleman carried a weapon at all times, and weapon at all times, and did not hesitate to use did not hesitate to use it.”it.”

-Ben Jonson; Christopher -Ben Jonson; Christopher Marlowe; John DayMarlowe; John Day

-Sharp distinction between -Sharp distinction between the upper and lower the upper and lower classesclasses

-Mistreatment and -Mistreatment and violence toward servants violence toward servants was not uncommonwas not uncommon

-Archery was -Archery was prescribed for the lower prescribed for the lower orders, and tennis was orders, and tennis was restricted to gentlemen restricted to gentlemen with an income of over with an income of over 100 pounds a year100 pounds a year-Forks were an Italian -Forks were an Italian invention that did not invention that did not come into use, in come into use, in England, until 1611.England, until 1611.

Elizabethan SocietyElizabethan Society

FILIAL OBEDIENCEFILIAL OBEDIENCE

-Parents had absolute rights over their children-Parents had absolute rights over their children

-”There were similarities between the position of -”There were similarities between the position of servants in the household and that of children in servants in the household and that of children in the family.”the family.”

-For a marriage to be permissible, the minimal age -For a marriage to be permissible, the minimal age was at least 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl.was at least 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl.

-“In the fifteenth century a daughter unmarried at -“In the fifteenth century a daughter unmarried at fifteen was a family disgrace.”fifteen was a family disgrace.”

A Rapidly Changing EuropeA Rapidly Changing Europe

Intellectual horizons expandedIntellectual horizons expanded-Greek and Roman texts were translated -Greek and Roman texts were translated

and printedand printed Cosmological horizons expandedCosmological horizons expanded-Galileo’s telescope allowed scientists to -Galileo’s telescope allowed scientists to

see that Copernicus had been correct: see that Copernicus had been correct: the universe was not organized with the universe was not organized with the earth at the centerthe earth at the center

-This impacted people’s religious, -This impacted people’s religious, scientific, and philosophical beliefs.scientific, and philosophical beliefs.

From the early 1590s to around 1610 From the early 1590s to around 1610 London became an exciting metropolis.London became an exciting metropolis.

-Overcrowding, poverty, recurring -Overcrowding, poverty, recurring epidemics of the plagueepidemics of the plague

-Also a mecca for the wealthy and the -Also a mecca for the wealthy and the aristocratic aristocratic

William Shakespeare: William Shakespeare: playwright, poet, & actorplaywright, poet, & actor

(April 1564-April 1616) (April 1564-April 1616)

Born in Stratford-upon-AvonBorn in Stratford-upon-Avon John Shakespeare, his father, John Shakespeare, his father,

was a yeoman and a bailiffwas a yeoman and a bailiff Mary Arden, his mother, came Mary Arden, his mother, came

from a family of landed gentry. from a family of landed gentry. Most likely attended the King’s Most likely attended the King’s

New School, a remarkable school New School, a remarkable school for Latin grammar and literaturefor Latin grammar and literature

1582: He married Anne 1582: He married Anne Hathaway at the age of eighteen Hathaway at the age of eighteen

1583: Had a daughter Susanna1583: Had a daughter Susanna 1585: Had twins Judith and 1585: Had twins Judith and

Hamnet, but we don’t know how Hamnet, but we don’t know how he supported himself or where he supported himself or where he lived.he lived.

He left StratfordHe left Stratford

William Shakespeare: William Shakespeare: playwright, poet, & actorplaywright, poet, & actor

1592: had carved out a reputation in 1592: had carved out a reputation in London as both an actor and a London as both an actor and a playwrightplaywright

1593: Shakespeare became a 1593: Shakespeare became a published poetpublished poet-published his long narrative poem -published his long narrative poem Venus and AdonisVenus and Adonis

Wrote poetry when the theatres were Wrote poetry when the theatres were closed due to the plagueclosed due to the plague

1594: Shakespeare became a leading 1594: Shakespeare became a leading member of the Lord Chamberlain’s member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later named the King’s Men, a Men, later named the King’s Men, a company of actors for whom he would company of actors for whom he would be a principal actor, dramatist, and be a principal actor, dramatist, and shareholder for the rest of his career.shareholder for the rest of his career.

1599: Shakespeare’s company built 1599: Shakespeare’s company built the Globe Theatrethe Globe Theatre

William William Shakespeare:Shakespeare:

playwright, poet, & actorplaywright, poet, & actor

Many plays were performed at court Many plays were performed at court (both for Queen Elizabeth I, and, (both for Queen Elizabeth I, and, after her death in 1603, for King after her death in 1603, for King James I).James I).

1613: In a performance of King 1613: In a performance of King Henry VIII the Globe caught fire and Henry VIII the Globe caught fire and burned to the ground.burned to the ground.

•1610-1613: Returned to 1610-1613: Returned to live in Stratford-upon-Avonlive in Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s Life Life

- He had a large house and considerable - He had a large house and considerable propertyproperty

- His wife and his two daughters and - His wife and his two daughters and their husbands lived in the house. (His their husbands lived in the house. (His son Hamnet had died in 1596.)son Hamnet had died in 1596.)

During his time in London, During his time in London, Shakespeare had become a wealthy Shakespeare had become a wealthy man fromman from

- the acting company’s profits- the acting company’s profits - his own career as an actor- his own career as an actor - the sale of his play manuscripts to - the sale of his play manuscripts to

the acting companythe acting company - his shares as an owner of the Globe- his shares as an owner of the Globe

Died in Stratford on April 23, 1616Died in Stratford on April 23, 1616 Seven years later, his collected plays Seven years later, his collected plays

were published as were published as Mr. William Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies Tragedies (the work now known as the (the work now known as the First Folio).First Folio).

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

The Globe The Globe TheatreTheatre

Heavens- above the stage; decorated with Heavens- above the stage; decorated with starsstars

Upper Stage- Juliet’s balcony sceneUpper Stage- Juliet’s balcony sceneColumns- for the actors to hide and eavesdrop Columns- for the actors to hide and eavesdrop

on otherson othersThe Trap Door- another entrance/exitThe Trap Door- another entrance/exitThe Orchestra- preferred seating for rich The Orchestra- preferred seating for rich

nobles right beside the stagenobles right beside the stageTwo penny Galleries- the gentry paid an extra Two penny Galleries- the gentry paid an extra

penny to gain entrance to the galleriespenny to gain entrance to the galleries covered from rain; a better view; benchescovered from rain; a better view; benchesThe Pit- the “groundlings,” or commoners, The Pit- the “groundlings,” or commoners,

paid 1 penny to standpaid 1 penny to stand