William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

(take notes!)(take notes!)

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare——Early YearsEarly Years

�� Born April 23, 1564 (the same year as Born April 23, 1564 (the same year as Christopher Marlowe [a contemporary] Christopher Marlowe [a contemporary] and Galileo)and Galileo)

�� Married to Ann Hathaway in 1582Married to Ann Hathaway in 1582�� She was significantly OLDER than Shakespeare, and their She was significantly OLDER than Shakespeare, and their

daughter Susanna was born 6 months laterdaughter Susanna was born 6 months later——eyebrows raised, eyebrows raised, anyone?) anyone?)

�� Between 1587Between 1587--1592, Shakespeare left his 1592, Shakespeare left his home of Stratfordhome of Stratford--uponupon--Avon (and his Avon (and his family) behind to begin a career as a family) behind to begin a career as a playwright and an actor in London.playwright and an actor in London.

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare——Early YearsEarly Years

�� Between the time of 1587Between the time of 1587--1592, 1592,

ShakespeareShakespeare’’s first plays were performed. s first plays were performed.

They included:They included:�� The Comedy of ErrorsThe Comedy of Errors

�� The Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the Shrew

�� Titus Andronicus Titus Andronicus

�� Henry IV, Parts 1Henry IV, Parts 1--33

�� Richard IIIRichard III

�� In 1594 he was a founding member of the In 1594 he was a founding member of the

acting troupe acting troupe ““Lord ChamberlainLord Chamberlain’’s Men.s Men.””

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare——Upstart CrowUpstart Crow

�� 15961596--Son Son HamnetHamnet

dies (sound familiar? dies (sound familiar?

HamHamnetnet? Ham? Hamletlet??)??)

�� 15941594--15961596--Known as Known as

the the ““Artistic MaturityArtistic Maturity””

stage. Works stage. Works

included included Julius Julius

CaesarCaesar, , As You Like As You Like

ItIt, , Henry VHenry V, and , and Much Much

Ado About NothingAdo About Nothing..

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare--Upstart CrowUpstart Crow

�� By 1594, ShakespeareBy 1594, Shakespeare had established had established himself and himself and waswas EnglandEngland’’s leading s leading playwrightplaywright..

�� 15991599——The famous Globe theatre is built,The famous Globe theatre is built,of which Shakespeare is a shareholder. He of which Shakespeare is a shareholder. He receives about 10% of the profits.receives about 10% of the profits.

�� The years 1600The years 1600--1608 are known as the 1608 are known as the period of the period of the ““Great Problem/Tragedy Great Problem/Tragedy PlaysPlays..”” These included These included HamletHamlet, , OthelloOthello, , King King LearLear, and , and MacbethMacbeth (often considered (often considered ShakespeareShakespeare’’s four greatest tragedies).s four greatest tragedies).

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare——The Later The Later

YearsYears

�� Next came the period of Next came the period of the great Romances, the great Romances, including including Twelfth NightTwelfth Night, , A A WinterWinter’’s Tales Tale, and , and CymbelineCymbeline

�� Between 1612Between 1612--1616, 1616, Shakespeare retires back Shakespeare retires back to Stratford. He dies on to Stratford. He dies on April 23, 1616 (yes, his April 23, 1616 (yes, his 5252ndnd birthday) in birthday) in Stratford, leaving one Stratford, leaving one play, play, CardenioCardenio, , unfinished.unfinished.

Trivia!Trivia!

�� We only know about the We only know about the text of text of CardenioCardenio——we we cancan’’t find it. Anywhere.t find it. Anywhere.

�� Shakespeare often played Shakespeare often played supporting roles in his supporting roles in his own playsown plays——such as the such as the Ghost of HamletGhost of Hamlet’’s father s father in in HamletHamlet..

�� Shakespeare never wrote Shakespeare never wrote any of his plays down as any of his plays down as entire scripts. (Probably entire scripts. (Probably why we canwhy we can’’t find t find Cardenio).Cardenio).

Trivia!Trivia!

�� ThereThere’’s a curse on s a curse on ShakespeareShakespeare’’s grave that s grave that he wrote himself. It he wrote himself. It reads:reads:

Good friend, for JesusGood friend, for Jesus’’ sake sake forbeareforbeare

To To diggdigg the dust enclosed the dust enclosed herehere

Blest be ye man that spares Blest be ye man that spares thesthes stonesstones

And curst be he who moves And curst be he who moves my bones.my bones.

Trivia!Trivia!

�� There are thoseThere are those——scholars and notscholars and not——who who

believe Shakespeare never existed, and believe Shakespeare never existed, and

that his plays were written by Christopher that his plays were written by Christopher

Marlowe, an unknown playwright, or even Marlowe, an unknown playwright, or even

Queen Elizabeth (guess that would Queen Elizabeth (guess that would

account for the curseaccount for the curse——no one wants to no one wants to

move his grave, no one can find out move his grave, no one can find out

therethere’’s nothing in it!)s nothing in it!)

Trivia!Trivia!

�� Shakespeare contributed more to the Shakespeare contributed more to the

English Language than any other English Language than any other

author (meaning he made up words).author (meaning he made up words).

If youIf you’’ve ever said the words ve ever said the words ““pukepuke””, ,

““suspicioussuspicious””, or , or ““swaggerswagger””, you can thank , you can thank

Shakespeare. He Shakespeare. He ““made upmade up”” over 1700 over 1700

words that we commonly use to this day.words that we commonly use to this day.

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

�� The Globe theatre was built in 1599 for The Globe theatre was built in 1599 for

ShakespeareShakespeare’’s theatre companys theatre company. The . The

theatre rests theatre rests in the in the ““red lightred light”” districtdistrict just just

outside the city limits of Londonoutside the city limits of London——which basically which basically

means itmeans it’’s the area of town where all the s the area of town where all the

miscreants and ne'ermiscreants and ne'er--dodo--wells reside. wells reside. In these In these

times, theatres were considered to be on times, theatres were considered to be on

the same level as the same level as ““houses of illhouses of ill--reputerepute””

and were not allowed inside the city limits.and were not allowed inside the city limits.

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

�� In 1613 the theatre burned to the In 1613 the theatre burned to the

groundground when fire from a cannon lit the when fire from a cannon lit the

thatched roof on fire during a performance thatched roof on fire during a performance

of Henry VIII.of Henry VIII.

�� It was rebuilt the next year, but It was rebuilt the next year, but

closed in 1641 by the Puritans. The closed in 1641 by the Puritans. The

next year it was demolished.next year it was demolished.

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre

�� In 1997, the Globe In 1997, the Globe

was rebuilt as close was rebuilt as close

to the original to the original

specifications as specifications as

possible.possible.

MacbethMacbeth�� ShakespeareShakespeare’’s shortest s shortest tragedytragedy (good news for you).(good news for you).

�� Archetypal tale of the Archetypal tale of the dangers of lust for power dangers of lust for power and betrayal of friends.and betrayal of friends.

�� Loosely based on the Loosely based on the historical accounts of King historical accounts of King Macbeth of ScotlandMacbeth of Scotland

�� Written for King James I of Written for King James I of England (also, incidentally, England (also, incidentally, King James I of Scotland),King James I of Scotland),who was pleased to see the who was pleased to see the negative way his predecessor negative way his predecessor was portrayed.was portrayed.

�� Thought to be Thought to be written in 1608written in 1608

MacbethMacbeth

�� Considered very unlucky in Considered very unlucky in theatric circles. Saying the theatric circles. Saying the name of the play inside a name of the play inside a theatre is considered to theatre is considered to ““doomdoom”” the production.the production. To To reverse the reverse the ““curse,curse,”” you have you have to recite a line from to recite a line from Hamlet Hamlet ((““Angels and ministers of grace Angels and ministers of grace defend usdefend us””) three times while ) three times while turning over your right turning over your right shoulder. Then, you spit over shoulder. Then, you spit over your left shoulder. Instead of your left shoulder. Instead of saying the name of the play, saying the name of the play, itit’’s easier just to say s easier just to say ““The The Scottish Play.Scottish Play.””

MacbethMacbeth

�� First instance of the First instance of the curse: In the original curse: In the original performance, performance, Shakespeare himself was Shakespeare himself was forced to play Lady forced to play Lady Macbeth when the boy Macbeth when the boy slated to play her became slated to play her became ill and died. ill and died.

�� In 1672, the actor playing In 1672, the actor playing Duncan actually died Duncan actually died when a real dagger was when a real dagger was accidentally substituted accidentally substituted for the real one.for the real one.

MacbethMacbeth

�� THEN in 1934 a British THEN in 1934 a British actor suddenly turned actor suddenly turned mute on stage, and his mute on stage, and his understudy sparked a understudy sparked a high fever and almost high fever and almost died.died.

�� In 1937, a 25 pound In 1937, a 25 pound stage weight crashed stage weight crashed from the rafters and from the rafters and almost killed Sir Lawrence almost killed Sir Lawrence Olivier.Olivier.

�� SO, you get the point.SO, you get the point.

Dramatic TermsDramatic Terms

�� MonologueMonologue——A speech delivered by a character A speech delivered by a character to another character onstage.to another character onstage.

�� SoliloquySoliloquy——A speech in which a character has a A speech in which a character has a conversation with himself.conversation with himself.

�� AsideAside——a short speech (a few lines only) a short speech (a few lines only) delivered to the audience (or another character) delivered to the audience (or another character) in the middle of a conversation with another in the middle of a conversation with another character. The other characters on stage cannot character. The other characters on stage cannot ““hearhear”” this exchange.this exchange.

Dramatic TermsDramatic Terms

�� Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter ——a measure of a measure of poetry consisting of five feet (foot=1 poetry consisting of five feet (foot=1 unstressed, 1 stressed syllable)unstressed, 1 stressed syllable)

�� ProseProse ——blank, unrhymed, unmeasured blank, unrhymed, unmeasured text (regular speech)text (regular speech)

�� Tragic HeroTragic Hero ——a protagonist (lead a protagonist (lead character) with a tragic flawcharacter) with a tragic flaw

THE END.THE END.

““By the pricking of my thumbsBy the pricking of my thumbs

Something wicked this way Something wicked this way

comescomes…”…”