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Drama

Shakespeare (aka, “The Man”)

- 1564-1616- Born in Stratford, England.- Extraordinarily prolific, he wrote

thirty-seven plays, of which eleven were tragedies.

- His theater company was called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

- They performed at the Globe Theater.

- (and he kind of looked like a pirate)

Shakespeare was a lot like this guy…

- Shakespeare made summer blockbusters. End of story.

- His plays were full of spectacle and special effects, crude humor, as well as deep, literary meaning.

- People from all walks of life came in droves to Shakespeare’s plays at The Globe Theater.

The Globe TheaterFun Facts!-Burned to the ground in 1613 because a theatrical cannon misfired… It happens.-Closed by Puritans in 1642 (of course).-Modern reconstruction completed in 1997 (see below).

More Fun Facts!- People too poor to pay for a seat could stand right up against the stage (like a mosh pit at Bonnaroo). They were called groundlings because they were, well, on the ground. They were often rough and seedy characters.

This kind of groundling. …Not these

guys.

…and the Minecraft version of The Globe Theater

(because I’m a hipster nerd)

Genres of His Plays

• Comedies: order is restored by everyone coming together in the end, usually in a big marriage (As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest).

• Tragedies: order is restored by the death of a central figure (Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear).

• History plays: centered on a historical event or figure and contained both elements of comedy and tragedy (Julius Ceasar, Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III).

Boring drama terms

• Dialogue: conversation between two or more characters.

• Monologue: spoken and performed by a single character who is usually alone onstage.

• Soliloquy: a character speaks to herself (and therefore to audience), relating thoughts and feelings. Conveys internal struggle.

More…

• Ancillary characters: set off or highlight protagonist and provide insight into action.

• Subplot: supplements the main plot, but can often be equally (or more) interesting and meaningful.

• Foil: a character who is meant to be compared and contrasted to the protag.

• Choric figure: connected to Greek Choruses of ancient drama. A figure who expresses ideas and commentary about the play’s major issues and actions.

And we’re almost done…

The Freytag Pyramid (p. 889)