MacbethShakespeare10R Pre-Reading Packet

Name: ___________________Period: _____

Published: 1623Setting: 11th century, ScotlandGenre: Tragedy

Shakespeare and the Renaissance1

KWL ChartWHAT I KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT THIS TOPIC WHAT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THIS TOPIC

HISTORICAL CONTEXT NOTES

William Shakespeare(1564-1616)

Writer, actor, and teacher Wrote thirty-seven plays

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English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period

The term renaissance , meaning rebirth, is a term often used to describe a cultural and artistic movement in England from the early 16 th century to the early 17 th century. This era in English cultural history is sometimes referred to as “the age of Shakespeare” or “the Elizabethan era,” taking the name of the English Renaissance’s most famous author and most important monarch, respectively; however it is worth remembering that these names are rather misleading: Shakespeare was not an especially famous writer in his own time, and the English Renaissance covers a period both before and after Elizabeth’s reign.

Religious ContextEngland was full of religious uncertainty and dispute.

1553 - Mary becomes queen (‘Bloody Mary’) - Catholic1558 - Queen Mary dies. Elizabeth I becomes queen. - Protestant1603 - Queen Elizabeth dies. James I becomes king. 1625 - James I dies. Charles I becomes king.1649 - King Charles I is beheaded.1660 - Charles II becomes king.

The ReformationBeginning in the early 16th century, religious thinkers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, who claimed that the Roman Catholic Church had become corrupt and was no longer following the word of God, began what has become known as the Protestant Reformation. Protestants (protestors) believed in salvation by faith rather than works. They also believed in the primacy of the Bible and advocated giving all people access to reading the Bible. As rulers changed, the dominant religion changed back and forth from Catholic to Protestant. The dominant group persecuted and executed the opposition. It was a tumultuous time.

Political ContextPolitics and religion were closely related; they believed in the divine right of kings – absolute sovereignty. The king was appointed by God to rule over England. To oppose the king’s rule was equivalent to opposing God’s rule. (Queens as well – Queen Elizabeth I)

Hierarchical SocietyPolitical theory of the time was concerned with two aspects. Whether it was dealing with relations between God and man, king and subject, husband and wife, parent and child, or master and servant, political order was founded on an unequal distribution of power. Therefore,

political theory sought to explain why it was right and necessary, or natural, for power to be unequally distributed in the form of a hierarchy.

and… political thought strongly urged obedience to all those higher in the hierarchy.

Analogies were used to support the conclusion that the best form of government was an absolute monarchy. For example:

The universe was commanded by God The church was headed by Christ The kingdom was governed by a King The family was led by a father The body was ruled by its head

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It was understood that these various hierarchies were created by God, and therefore, natural. Because of this understanding, Renaissance political theorists could argue that the king received his power from God. In other words, he did not require the consent of the people to govern. He was not accountable to the people; he was only accountable to God.

For this reason, men and women were told that they owed loyalty even to a bad king. God may have placed a bad king on the throne in order to punish the country for its sins.

Social ContextTwo social classes: Aristocrats and everyone else. The primary distinctions between these two classes were ancestry, wealth, and power. The aristocracy possessed all three. The aristocrats were born into their position, but the growth of trade and the development of skilled professions began to provide wealth for those not born with it; a middle class began to emerge.

Status of WomenSystem of patriarchy – Men controlled society. Women were not educated. Inheritances were passed down through the male line. Women lost all of their already limited legal rights when they married. Men ruled the household in the same way that kings ruled the state. An analogy can be made between the state and the family.

Upper class women were subjected to arranged marriages; they did not marry for love. They were often married off to increase wealth or form alliances.

Lower class women had more freedom. They could marry for love.

WitchcraftFear and persecution of women accused of being witches (who were considered agents of the devil) were widespread. King James I, in his influential Daemonologie (1597) favored “witch-pricking” as a method of determining guilt. A witch-finder would come to town and encourage people to accuse neighbors, particularly women, of witchcraft. Pins were then stuck in their bodies; if the accused did not bleed, they were considered guilty and hanged. The witch finder received 20 shillings for each conviction. Although people sometimes tried to intervene, this was very risky, since too much interest on behalf of an accused person could turn the witch-finder’s attention toward the accuser’s defender.

Mortality RatesMortality rates ran high. Infection and disease ran rampant because physicians did not realize the need for antiseptics and sterile equipment. Communicable diseases often spread rapidly in cities, particularly in London.

London LifeIn the 16th century, London was the largest city in Europe, with a population of about 200,000. It was a crowded city with no sewer system, which facilitated diseases. Crime rates were high due to inefficient law enforcement and lack of street lighting.

Intellectual ContextPeople in early modern England looked at the universe, the human body, and science very differently from the way we do.

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Cosmology: People believed the earth stood at the center of the universe (geocentric), surrounded by nine concentric rings. The sun-based solar system theory (heliocentric) appeared in 1543. During most of Shakespeare’s writing career, the cosmology of the universe was in question.

Universal Hierarchy: Many people believed that all of creation was organized hierarchically… God, angels, men, women, animals, plants, and rocks. It was literally “out of order” when Elizabeth I became Queen of England.

Elements and Humors: Four different elements composed everything in the universe - earth, air, water, and fire. People associated these four elements with four qualities of being – hot, cold, moist, and dry. They believed the human body contained all four elements in the form of humors – blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. The humors determined personality and temperament.

Dominate humor: blood – sanguine: light-hearted [sang-gwin]Dominant humor: yellow bile – choleric: irritableDominant humor: phlegm – phlegmatic: dull and kindDominant humor: black bile – melancholic: sad

What is your dominant humor? The Theatre/Globe TheatrePerformance SpacesMost performances took place during the day in open-air theatres that relied heavily on natural light and good weather. The rectangular stage extended into the pit where the groundlings (lower class) stood for performances. The wealthy could purchase a seat in one of the three tiers. Plays were the great common denominator. The theatre was a social event, and an interactive experience.

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Most theatres were not in the city but along the Thames River (to escape city restrictions). Many people feared the concentration of people (2,000-3,000) promoted disease and riotous behavior. AudienceThe Globe theatre could hold 1,500-2,000 people and this crowd was large and enthusiastic. Commoners, then called groundlings, would pay one penny to sit in front. These were actually the best seats except for when it rained. There was an opening at the top of the theatre, which allowed the daylight in. However, when the weather was bad, the crowd sitting below (B) ended up drenched. The audience would participate in the play by cheering, hissing, or throwing rotten vegetables. A flag announced performances daily (W).

ActorsAll actors were men. All female parts were played by males (young men before their voices changed). Actors had to have a good memory, strong voices, ability to fence, dance, sing, and do sleight of hand.

The reputation of the early Elizabethan Actors was not good and many were viewed as no better than rogues and vagabonds - actors were not trusted. The standing of actors improved when the purpose-built theatres were introduced and some Elizabethan actors became the equivalent of today's superstars.

Costumes & SceneryThere was little to no scenery but costumes were extravagant and costly (equivalent of today’s special effects). The costumes were elaborate but not historically authentic. No scenery was used, except for occasional emblematic devices such as a throne or a bed. It was almost impossible not to see the other half of the audience standing behind the players.

Special EffectsThere was no scenery or scene painting as such, but plenty of stage properties, some simple, some considerably more elaborate. There were realistic noises off, sometimes from the 'heavens' (U) - for example, in the storm in King Lear. Lear's words: "Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!" would be accompanied by appropriate noises of thunder from above; in other plays, the sounds of battle would be heard from behind the stage and from under the stage would come such sounds as the music 'Under the earth' in Antony and Cleopatra or the Ghost in Hamlet saying "Swear!"

Death scenes were realistically gory. A pig bladder would be filled with blood under white costumes. Disemboweling (removing one’s insides) scenes used animal organs. When one has an eye poked out, a grape would fall to the floor.

Levels of the StageThe lowest level used trap doors for devils, ghosts, graves, and ditches (K & L). The second level was the main stage for the most important scenes (H). There was a level just under the roof which sent down angels, thunderbolts, birds, etc by a series of pulleys (T). There was also a level, which was a room aloft for the musicians (O).

Interesting Facts: 6

In 1613, during a performance of Henry VIII, a canon's discharge of wadding landed on the thatch roof of the Globe and started a fire. In the next two hours, the theatre would burn to the ground. Amazingly, all 3000 members of the audience got out safely through only "two small doors." The only casualty was an unfortunate man whose 'breetches' caught fire. However, the flames were quickly doused by a bystander's beer, and the man survived unharmed. The theatre had to be rebuilt.

There were no bathrooms at the Globe Theatre. People relieved themselves outside. Sewage was buried in pits or disposed of in the River Thames. All theatres closed during outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague - disease would have spread via the rats & fleas.

The Theatre is a Sounding Board for Society.As we study Shakespeare’s play, try to determine if the drama really becomes a statement as to how individuals should think and behave.  Shakespeare used the stage to hold up a mirror to society, but perhaps Shakespeare was trying to change the average Londoner's viewpoint regarding issues in society as well.

Drama: An OverviewDrama: The term is derived from the Greek word “dran” which means “to do” or “to act.”

Dramatist or playwright : The writer of the play.

Types of Drama: Greek origins, 6th century BCE, ancient Athens

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1. Comedy – A light-hearted play with a happy ending. Allows for more freedom of speech - usually ends in success, happiness, marriage for the protagonist.

2. Tragedy – A serious play that usually moves from harmony to discord with a sad or disastrous ending. The protagonist (tragic hero) is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, a moral weakness, or an inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. (Recounts an individual’s - the tragic hero’s - death or downfall, beginning high and ending low.)

Note: Tragedy received its name from how it was performed. “Tragedy” is derived from the word “tragos” which means “goat.” A tragedy had actors who wore goatskins and danced like goats. The best performers were given a kid goat as a prize. Subjects of Greek plays included: violence, social and ethical issues, family, war, murder, lust, and betrayal.

Aristotle’s Poetics circa 335 BCE famous study of Greek dramatic

art; compares tragedy to comedy and epic (other metrical forms)

considered the first systematic critical theory in the world

for nearly 2,000 years it has inspired the thoughts of writers, philosophers and critics

Poetics was not widely influential during it's time, but during the Age of Enlightenment, Aristotle's views shaped the concept of tragedy.

Elements of Greek Tragedy

Element #1: Plot (mythos)The plot is how the action is arranged (unity of action/cause and effect) – Each of the incidents in the play is a part of a tightly constructed cause-and-effect chain. The ideal Greek play should have a complex plot involving a change in fortune for the main character. Reversals, recognitions, and suffering are common features.

1. Exposition consists of early material introducing the theme(s), establishing the setting, and introducing the major characters and sometimes early hints of the coming conflict.

a. Incentive Moment – The beginning; must start the cause and effect chain.2. Rising Action is an increase in tension or uncertainty developed out of the conflict the protagonist

faces. 3. Traditionally situated in the third act of a play, the climax is the moment of greatest tension,

uncertainty, or audience involvement. The climax is also called the crisis. 4. During the falling action, the earlier tragic force causes the failing fortunes of the hero. This

culminates in the final *catastrophe and invokes catharsis (emotional purgation) in the audience.5. The Denouement is the resolution. After the suspense ends, the denouement unwinds previous

tension and helps provide closure.

Element #2: Character (ethos)The protagonist of a Greek tragedy is called the tragic hero. He is usually a person who holds a position of honor or high status (often of noble birth) that may have great influence in his or her society. The tragic hero is good

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person, but he is not perfect. Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher, says that the tragic hero should have a flaw and/or make some mistake either through ignorance or from a conviction that some greater good will be served.

This “mistake” is called hamartia [hah-mahr-tee-uh].  The hero need not die at the end, but he/she must undergo a change in fortune. In addition, the tragic hero may achieve some revelation or recognition about human fate, destiny, and the will of the gods. Aristotle quite nicely terms this sort of recognition “a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate.”

Element #3: Thought (Dianoia)Thought reveals the theme (main idea/message) of a play. According to Aristotle, it is found “where something is proved to be or not to be, or a general maxim [truth, principle, or rule of conduct] is enunciated.”

Element #4: Diction (lexis)The language of the play should be well-chosen to enhance the meaning and message of the work. According to Aristotle, diction is “the expression of the meaning in words” which are proper and appropriate to the plot, characters, and end of the tragedy.

Element #5: Melody/Song (melos)The songs and dancing of the chorus should be an integral part of the play. Aristotle argues that the Chorus should be fully integrated into the play like an actor; choral odes should not be “mere interludes,” but should contribute to the unity of the plot.

Element #6: Spectacle (opsis)Although the visual presentation of the play was considered a key element, Aristotle viewed it as the “least artistic” element of tragedy. Think of a movie which is all visuals and action and very little plot, and you’ll understand what Aristotle means.

Drama TermsComic Relief – A humorous scene, incident, or speech that relieves the overall emotional intensity of a scene.

Dramatic Irony – The dramatic effect achieved when the audience perceives something that the characters in the play do not know. (The audience is more aware than the characters in the work.)

Foil – A character whose attitude or personality is in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work (opposites).

Foreshadow – To give a hint or suggestion early in the play of something that will happen later in the play.

Motif – A reoccurring image that may contribute to a theme.

Text of a playDialogue – Conversation of two or more characters.

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Monologue – A long, uninterrupted speech (in a narrative or drama) that is spoken in the presence of other characters. Unlike a soliloquy and an aside, a monologue is heard by other characters.

Soliloquy – A speech, usually lengthy, in which a character, alone on stage, expresses his or her thoughts aloud. The soliloquy is a very useful dramatic device, as it allows the dramatist to convey a character’s most intimate thoughts and feelings directly to the audience.

Aside – An actor’s speech, directed to the audience that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on stage. An aside is used to let the audience know what a character is about to do or what he or she is thinking. (It allows for humor, foreshadowing, and audience involvement.

Stage Directions – Notes in the script of a play to tell the actors when to come on stage or go off, and how to say the lines:

Vocal expressionBody language

a. Stage appearanceb. Lighting, etc.

Language TricksLiterary and Rhetorical Devices

(Also defined in pink Glossary of Literary and Rhetorical Devices)

1. Alliteration – The repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line of verse.

2. Allusion – A brief reference, within a work, to something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know.

3. Apostrophe – A figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent, dead or imaginary person, or some abstraction as if it were alive and present and was able to reply.

4. Diction – the writer’s choice of words (word choice). Diction can be described as formal, informal, technical, common, abstract, concrete, literal or figurative, etc.

Connotation – the emotional associations surrounding a word or phrase, as opposed to its literal meaning or denotation (dictionary definition).

5. Equivocation – Commonly known as “doublespeak,” equivocation (pronounced ee-QUIV-oh-KAY-shun) is the use of vague language to hide one’s meaning or to avoid

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committing to a point of view. It’s often used by dishonest politicians who want to seem like they agree with everyone. It can also be used in legal contexts, for example where a defendant wants to avoid admitting guilt, but also does not want to lie openly – so they use equivocation to escape the true answer. The two essential elements of equivocation are:

a. Ambiguous languageb. An effort (conscious or unconscious) to deceive others

6. Figurative Language – language that is used in a non-literal way to express a suitable relationship between essentially unlike things.

a. Hyperbole – An exaggeration for the sake of emphasis and not to be taken literally.

b. Idiom – a popular figurative expression (not to be taken literally); expression popular to one’s culture)

c. Metaphor – Comparison of two unlike objects or things.d. Personification – Giving the attributes of a human being to an animal, an

object, or an idea.e. Simile – A comparison of two unlike objects or things where one object is

said to be like another. The words “like” or “as” are used to connect the objects.

7. Imagery – The use of words to create vivid images that appeal to one of the senses: sight (visual sense), touch (tactile sense), smell (olfactory sense), hearing (auditory sense), and taste (gustatory sense). The writer uses diction with a specific connotation, descriptive adjectives, vivid verbs, and figurative language to create imagery.

8. Juxtaposition – The act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

9. Metonymy – Substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it. Example: “The pen [writing] is mightier that the sword [fighting].”

10.Motif – A standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works.

11.Onomatopoeia – A word that imitates the sound it represents.

12.Oxymoron – A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined

13.Paradox – A statement that seems to be contradictory but that might be true when considered from a particular perspective.

14.Pun – A play on words. Involves words that sound the same, but have different meanings.

15.Symbolism – The act or an instance of using a person, object, situation, or action which operates on two levels, the literal and the abstract (symbolic).

16.Synecdoche [si-nek-duh-kee] – Using one part of an object to represent the entire object. Example: referring to a car simply as “wheels.”

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Additional Language Tricks

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