Background Information

Perhaps the most famous playwright/author in the world to this day

Born 1564 (April 23rd is celebrated as his birthday)

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England (100 miles west of London)Agricultural center, market town

Married Anne Hathaway of Stratford in 1582Had three children with her

“lost years” 1586-1592 – not much is known about him.

1592-1593 Theatres were closed due to outbreak of the

plague During this time, it is believed that

Shakespeare made social connections with others.

.1594 Theatres reopened. Shakespeare is listed as treasurer of

the Queens Chamber (an acting guild)

Between 1594 and 1599Shakespeare wrote a lotPrinciple actor and manager for

Chamberlain's men Prospered financially, made investments

1599 – became part owner of the Globe Theater 1603 – James I becomes king of England –

Shakespeare’s company performed for him 11 times.

Around 1608 – stopped writing plays Died in 1616 at the age of 52. Credited with writing 37 plays and 154 sonnets

Four Main “types” of writing Comedies Histories Poems/Sonnets Tragedies

Also other works attributed to him called “Aprocrypha”

Comedies Has a happy ending – usually involves marriages Light-hearted tone Emphasis on situations, multiple plots Clever servantsExamples – The Comedy of Errors, Midsummer

Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Taming of the Shrew

Histories Mostly based on the lives of English kings Used other people’s writings of English and Roman

history to write these plays Often viewed as Tudor propaganda Examples: King John, Richard II, Henry V, Henry

VIII

Sonnets About 154 poems Themes of love, time, beauty, mortality Structure:

14 lines total Three four-line stanzas (called quatrains)Final couplet (2 lines) in iambic pentameter

Rhyme Scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG)

Tragedies Linked to Aristotle’s ideas about tragedy:

Noble/Admirable Protagonist - Audience must like, understand, and sympathize with main character

Protagonist has a tragic flaw – Hamartia – character flawHubris - pride

Catastrophe/ Fall ending in deathFate/Fortune Catharsis – emotional purging – fall evokes pity and

terror in audience (ie. The audience feels bad for the main character)

Tragedies ALSO influenced by Roman Tragedies

Revenge plays a big role Tyranny – main leader with a lot of power over

othersExcessive violence/bloody horror (everyone dies)

Further influenced by the world he lived inHierarchy of people (kings, nobles, serfs, etc.)Order is given by God Order is disrupted in tragedy

Internal forces – human weaknessExternal forces – bad luck/fortune

Order is restored through an authority figure

Tragedies - Characteristics Noble but flawed characters Motivated by – spiritual virtues, feelings,

sincerity, glory/failurePlot - Key features -

Cause and effect “tragic destiny” or fateProtagonist has an inner struggle Always ends in death. At the very end, might leave audience with some

sort of “hope”.

Examples: Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, and many more

No women actors – women’s roles were usually played by younger boys

The plays were usually written by actors, people kept in mind certain people to play certain roles

Audience – close packed no reserved seats for commonersWould throw food/hiss/boo

No scenery - words describe what is supposed to be “seen”

Costumes were elaborate

Based on existing material – old poems and plays

First published in 1597Genre: tragedySetting: Italian city of Verona (mostly)

14th century Protagonists: Romeo and Juliet

Themes – a theme is a universal ideaHastiness Infatuation Selfishness Forcefulness of loveIndividual vs. Society Inevitability of fate

Motifs – help explore themes Light/dark Opposite points of view

“comic relief” in the form of lesser characters Specifically the nurse

“fights” to get audience excited about the play “thumb-biting” – like giving the middle finger Shakespeare uses “puns” or plays on words to

keep audience interested/entertained

Characters divided into two “sides” – kind of like two gangs. Capulets vs. Montagues

Theme, Motif, symbol , metaphor, simile, pun, allusion, analogy, aside, iambic pentameter, blank verse, characterization, irony, dramatic irony, monologue, oxymoron

(you already defined these in web activity)

Protagonist – “good guy” / who story is about

Antagonist – “bad guy” works against the main character

Dramatic structure – structure of the playConflict – struggle between characters or

forcesFigurative language – language that is

NOT meant to be taken literally.

Foreshadowing – hints or clues about what is coming up.

Imagery – language that appeals to senses Motivation – why a character does

somethingPersonification – figure of speech in which

something non-human is described as human

and/or given a personality Suspense – makes audience uncertain about

what’s going to happen next

Soliloquy – speech in which a character is alone on

stage and expresses thoughts aloud

Irony – portrays differences between appearance and reality

1. dramatic irony – contrast between what the audience

sees and what the character does not know2. situational irony – contrast between what is

EXPECTED and what actually happens 3. verbal irony – contrast between what is SAID

and what is meant (most common)