William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare

Background InformationBackground Information

ForFor

Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet

Well-known Facts about WillWell-known Facts about Will

Great writer of Great writer of EnglandEngland

Plays translated into Plays translated into all languages, all languages, musicals, balletsmusicals, ballets

Born Stratford-upon-Born Stratford-upon-AvonAvon

Well-to-do, affluent Well-to-do, affluent while alivewhile alive

Most quoted, other Most quoted, other than the Biblethan the Bible

Lesser-known FactsLesser-known Facts

Teen father: married Teen father: married pregnant 26 year old pregnant 26 year old Anne Hathaway when Anne Hathaway when he was 18he was 18

Deadbeat dad: Left Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for wife and children for London stage careerLondon stage career

Father of twinsFather of twins Elizabethan rapper: Elizabethan rapper:

uses rhythm and uses rhythm and rhymerhyme

““Plagiarism” ?Plagiarism” ?

Did Shakespeare really write Did Shakespeare really write his plays?his plays?

Many believe it is impossible for Many believe it is impossible for Shakespeare to have written his Shakespeare to have written his playsplaysLacks heights and depths of passionLacks heights and depths of passioncould not learn aristocratic sports and could not learn aristocratic sports and

mannersmannerslacked schoolinglacked schooling

Life during the Life during the Elizabethan PeriodElizabethan Period

The CompetitionThe Competition

Bear-baitingBear-baiting RacesRaces GamblingGambling MusicMusic Drinking/socializingDrinking/socializing ProstitutionProstitution Public executionsPublic executions

Conditions in London-BAD!Conditions in London-BAD!

Thames River Thames River polluted with polluted with raw sewageraw sewage

Trees used up Trees used up for fuelfor fuel

PovertyPoverty

Personal hygiene/healthPersonal hygiene/health

Bathing considered dangerousBathing considered dangerousBody odor strongBody odor strongChildhood diseasesChildhood diseasesChildren often died before 5 yearsChildren often died before 5 yearsSmall PoxSmall PoxBubonic PlagueBubonic Plague

Living ConditionsLiving Conditions

No running No running waterwater

Chamber Chamber PotsPots

Open SewersOpen SewersCrowdedCrowded

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ClothesClothes

One set used all One set used all year long, rarely year long, rarely washedwashed

Underclothing slept Underclothing slept in, infrequently in, infrequently changedchanged

Clothes handed Clothes handed down from rich to down from rich to poorpoor

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Arts and EntertainmentArts and EntertainmentDuring theDuring the

Elizabethan PeriodElizabethan Period

Theater in LondonTheater in London

Performed in Performed in courtyards of innscourtyards of inns

The Theater-first The Theater-first public theater-1576public theater-1576

Daytime/open airDaytime/open air Limited set designLimited set design Relied on music, Relied on music,

sound, costumes, sound, costumes, props and great props and great descriptiondescription

Round, wooden, roofless Round, wooden, roofless buildingbuilding

Three galleries of seatsThree galleries of seats

The groundlingThe groundling

Poor audience Poor audience membermember

Stood around stage Stood around stage in “the pit”in “the pit”

Women not Women not allowed (had to allowed (had to dress up as men to dress up as men to attend)attend)

Threw rotten Threw rotten vegetables at bad vegetables at bad performancesperformances

ActorsActors

All menAll men Female parts Female parts

played by young played by young boysboys

No actual kissing or No actual kissing or hugging on stagehugging on stage

Shakespearean PlayShakespearean PlayTerminologyTerminology

Important TermsImportant Terms Tragedy:Tragedy: A serious play or drama typically dealing A serious play or drama typically dealing

with the problems of a central character, leading to with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending brought on, as in an unhappy or disastrous ending brought on, as in ancient drama, by a fate and a tragic flaw in this ancient drama, by a fate and a tragic flaw in this character, or in modern drama, usually by moral character, or in modern drama, usually by moral weakness, psychological maladjustment or social weakness, psychological maladjustment or social pressures.pressures.

Tragic Hero: A person of high rank who is Tragic Hero: A person of high rank who is brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in brought to eventual ruin by a flaw in his/her character.his/her character.Example: Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his Example: Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his

ambition which leads him into a series of ambition which leads him into a series of bloody and increasingly indefensible bloody and increasingly indefensible acts. acts.

Aside:Aside: Character’s quiet remark to the audience or Character’s quiet remark to the audience or another character that no one else on stage is another character that no one else on stage is supposed to hear.supposed to hear. Purpose: to reveal a character’s private thoughts Purpose: to reveal a character’s private thoughts

and feelings and to further the plotand feelings and to further the plot

Soliloquy: Soliloquy: A long A long speech given by a speech given by a character while alone (or character while alone (or supposed to be alone) on supposed to be alone) on stage. stage. Purpose: to reveal his Purpose: to reveal his

or her private thoughts or her private thoughts or intentions or intentions

Motif: A recurring image, word, Motif: A recurring image, word, phrase, or actionphrase, or action Purpose: To create mood, tone, Purpose: To create mood, tone,

characterization, and themecharacterization, and theme Examples: Light, dark, love, hate, time, death, Examples: Light, dark, love, hate, time, death,

destiny/fate, youth, age, innocence, destiny/fate, youth, age, innocence, experience, reason/logic, emotionsexperience, reason/logic, emotions

Comic ReliefComic ReliefA humorous scene, incident or speech A humorous scene, incident or speech

that relives the overall emotional that relives the overall emotional intensity.intensity.

AllusionAllusionA brief reference, within a work, to A brief reference, within a work, to

something outside the work that the something outside the work that the reader or audience is expected to know. reader or audience is expected to know. For example, the write might allude to a For example, the write might allude to a historical or current event or to a line historical or current event or to a line from another work of literature. from another work of literature. Shakespeare’s plays often contain Shakespeare’s plays often contain allusions to ancient Greek and Roman allusions to ancient Greek and Roman mythology and to the Bible.mythology and to the Bible.

FoilFoilA character whose personality or A character whose personality or

attitudes are in sharp contrast to those attitudes are in sharp contrast to those of another character in the same work. of another character in the same work. By using a foil, the writer highlights the By using a foil, the writer highlights the other character’s traits or attitude. other character’s traits or attitude.

Ex. Aunt Alexandra is a foil to Atticus FinchEx. Aunt Alexandra is a foil to Atticus Finch

Blank VerseBlank VerseShakespeare’s plays are written largely Shakespeare’s plays are written largely

in blank verse, a form of poetry that in blank verse, a form of poetry that uses unrhymed lines of iambic uses unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter, lines that ideally have five pentameter, lines that ideally have five unstressed syllables, each followed by a unstressed syllables, each followed by a stressed syllable.stressed syllable.