Shakespearean & English Renaissance History. Exploration & Colonisation The reign of...

Shakespearean & English Renaissance History

Exploration & Colonisation The reign of

Elizabeth was a great age of English exploration and expansion led eventually to the foundation of the British Empire in the C17th & C18th but brought England into conflict with Spain.

• The later years of Elizabeth's reign also saw a long and expensive war in Ireland.

English Renaissance History

Dates: approximately 1500-1650 Renaissance literally means “rebirth.”

This term was chosen because the Renaissance was a time when classic literature, art, music, and philosophy were being “reborn.”

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History of the Printing Press

During the 15th century, books were relatively scarce and had to be copied by hand

Between 1440-1450, Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press

Within 20 years, the printing press had revolutionized information dissemination, fueling the start of the English Renaissance

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Religion

As a result of growing intellectual curiosity, humans began to question the rules and tenets of the Catholic Church

On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation

Soon after, the Catholic Church launched a Counter-Reformation, filled with heavy propaganda

Elizabeth I promoted tolerance to all religions, although the Anglican Church was the official Church of England

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Humanism

The central tenet of humanism was that learning would make humans more just

Humanism emphasized the power of the individual to influence both himself and those around him

Famous humanists: Sir Thomas More, Erasmus

Shakespeare: His Life and TimesShakespeare: His Life and Times

Adapted from http://www.public.asu.edu/~muckerrm/English_321_S2005/Introduction.ppt

Shakespeare’s Language

• Shakespeare did NOT write in “Old English.”

• Old English is the language of Beowulf:

Hwaet! We Gardena in geardagum Þeodcyninga Þrym gefrunonHu ða æÞelingas ellen fremedon!

(Hey! We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes in the old days, the kings of tribes, how noble princes showed great courage!)

Shakespeare’s Language• Shakespeare did not write in “Middle English.”

• Middle English is the language of Chaucer, the Gawain-poet, and Malory:

Whan that aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of march hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is the flour;

When April with his showers sweet with fruitThe drought of March has pierced unto the rootAnd bathed each vein with liquor that has powerTo generate therein and sire the flower;

Shakespeare’s Language

• Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English.”

• EME was not very different from “Modern English,”

Shakespeare’s Language

• A mix of old and very new• Rural and urban words/images• Understandable by the lowest peasant and the highest noble

Early LifeEarly Life

Born 1564—died 1616 Stratford-upon-Avon Parents: John and Mary Arden

Shakespeare• Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner• John—glovemaker, local politician

From: http://www.where-can-i-find.com/tourist-maps.html

Location of Stratford-upon-AvonLocation of Stratford-upon-Avon

As reproduced in William Rolfe, Shakespeare the Boy (1896).

Stratford-on-Avon in Shakespeare’s TimeStratford-on-Avon in Shakespeare’s Time

From Stratford’s web site: http://www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/index.htm

Stratford-upon-Avon Today

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

Shakespeare’s BirthplaceShakespeare’s Birthplace

• Probably attended King’s New School in Stratford

• Educated in:• Rhetoric• Logic• History• Latin

EducationEducation

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

King’s New SchoolKing’s New School

• Married in 1582 to Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant at the time with their first daughter

• Had twins in 1585• Sometime between 1585-1592, he moved

to London and began working in theatre.

Married LifeMarried Life

From: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/danielle.esposito/

Anne Hathaway’s CottageAnne Hathaway’s Cottage

• Member and later part-owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later called the King’s Men

• Globe Theater built in 1599 by L.C.M. with Shakespeare as primary investor

• Burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays

Theatre CareerTheatre Career

The Rebuilt Globe Theater, LondonThe Rebuilt Globe Theater, London

The Globe TheaterThe Globe Theater

The Globe

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The PlaysThe Plays

38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare14 comedies10 histories10 tragedies4 romances

Possibly wrote three others Collaborated on several others

• 154 Sonnets• Numerous other poems

The PoetryThe Poetry

Elizabethan Theatrical

Conventions

A theatrical convention is a

suspension of reality.

No electricity

Women forbidden

to act on stage

Minimal, contemporary

costumes

Minimal scenery

These control the dialogue.These control the dialogue.

Audience members must have a willing suspension of disbelief. Audience members must have a willing suspension of disbelief.

Audience loves to be scared.

Audience loves to be scared.

Soliloquy

Aside Types of speechTypes of speech

Blood

Use of supernatural

Use of disguises/

mistaken identity

Multiple marriages

(in comedies)

Multiple murders

(in tragedies)

Last speaker—highest in

rank (in tragedies)

Background to Elizabethan Drama

Links back to medieval ‘miracle’ and ‘morality’ plays – linked to church

Early 16th century the relationship between state and church changed – different sects had varying views, theatre was supported by the court

Contemporaries included Thomas Kyd, Thomas Nashe and Christopher Marlowe – importance of Dr Faustus

Aristotle and his Principles of Tragedy – The Poetics

Tragedy is a representation of an action, which is serious, complete in itself and of a certain length

Acted and not narrated Excites pity or fear and allows catharsis - a

healthy release for such emotions Tragic heroes are virtuous and good men

whose misfortune is a tragic flaw in character and not a vice

Tragic plot is from happiness to misery – fall from a great height

Chaucer on tragedy Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn stories,

As olde bookes maken us memorie, Of hym that stood in greet prosperitee, And is yfallen out of heigh degree Into myserie, and endeth wrecchedly GEOFFREY CHAUCER, The Monk's Tale (late 14th century)

Tragedy Injustice of life – trials and death of a hero

who was an important person (courtly). Their death leads to the downfall of others

Hero falls due to weakness in character – fatal flaw

Revenge Tragedy Melancholy hero is called upon to punish

an evildoer for a crime that has been committed

Ghost cannot rest until avenged (traditional figure)

Private revenge for family honour Ends with death

Elizabethan Theatre Drama became secularised First theatre was built in 1576 – similar in

design to an Elizabethan courtyard Audience consisted of a range of social

classes – defined by positioning in theatre No curtain or scenery – indication of where

scene occurred was built into the words of the play

Women did not perform on the stage Shakespeare’s plays were not original –

plots borrowed from contemporaries and histories

Staging

Awning above stage was called the heavens – painted with zodiac symbols and stars

Area below the stage was hell Middle area was the world of the living Created a metaphorical universe – good

characters enter from or into heaven, bad characters enter from or exit into hell

Scenery was symbolic and not realistic Performances were in daylight – always!

Sketch of the Swan Theatre c. 1596

The Globe

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Vocabulary Review: Create a Crossword Puzzle

RULESUse all 10 words

Provide hints (but NOT definitions)

Provide a blank puzzle AND an answer key

Hamlet

The Story

A revenge tragedy Hamlet is the story of a Danish prince whose

uncle murders the prince's father, marries his mother, and claims the throne. The prince pretends to be feeble-minded to throw his uncle off guard, then manages to kill his uncle in revenge.

Traditionally, Shakespeare himself is said to have played the Ghost in the original production!

Who’s Who

Hamlet - Prince of Denmark. A student at the University of Wittenberg, Hamlet returns to Denmark on his father's death. He is unhappy because his mother has remarried quickly – to his uncle, Claudius

Ghost - The ghost of the old king Hamlet. He returns from Purgatory to tell his son he has been murdered and asks him to revenge his death.

Claudius - King of Denmark, the late king's brother and Hamlet's uncle. Soon after the old king's death, Claudius marries his sister-in-law Queen Gertrude.

Gertrude - Hamlet's mother, the old king's widow, now married to Claudius.

Who’s Who

Who’s Who Polonius The Lord Chamberlain,

Claudius's chief counsellor. He is the father of Laertes and Ophelia.

Ophelia - Polonius's daughter, in love with Hamlet.

Laertes - Polonius's son who goes to France with permission from Claudius and his father

Voltimand -A courtier, sent as ambassador to Norway.

Osric - A courtier.

Francisco, Barnardo & Marcellus officers of the watch

Who’s Who

Horatio -A scholar and friend of Hamlet’s from the University of Wittenberg.

Rosencrantz and Guildernstern - Old friends of Hamlet paid by the new king, Claudius, to spy on the prince.

Who’s Who

Player King, queen & other actors in the company - Who agrees to perform a play Hamlet calls The Mousetrap Player Queen

First gravedigger - The man who digs Ophelia's grave Second gravediggerThe gravedigger's assistant

PriestThe priest at Ophelia's funeral

Who’s Who

Fortinbras - Prince of Norway, whose father was killed in single combat by old King Hamlet. Fortinbras wants to regain the lands Norway lost to Denmark when his father died.

Norwegian Soldiers

Who’s Who

“All the world 's a stage, And all the men and women merely players.”

So…..

Let’s dramatize Shakespeare!!!