The Life and Times of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

Records

What we know about Shakespeare comes from church documents and legal records.Some documents that we have are baptismal registration, marriage license, and records of real estate transactions.

Elizabethan Age

Queen Elizabeth reigned from 1558 – 1603It is often considered the “golden age” of

English history because: The height of English Renaissance The flowering of poetry and literature Theater flourished Exploration and expansion abroad (North America/The

Artic) Largely internal peace (within the country) Increasing prosperity

Would you like to see what Queen Elizabeth I looked

like???

What do you think?

Elizabethan Age

Although considered the “golden age”, England was full of many problems during this time. Here are just a few of them: Serious lack of sanitation Streets filled with rotting garbage Sewers were often blocked and rivers were polluted

with domestic waste Growth of pests (rats, fleas, lice)

Such conditions led to diseases, such as: smallpox, measles, malaria, typhus, diphtheria, Scarlet fever, and chickenpox.

Elizabethan Age

The average life span of males was 47 years old

The life expectancy for Londoners was 35 for the more affluent and 25 for the less afluent.

Death in infancy was common.About 40% of the people died before their

teenage years.

Elizabethan Age

The theater flourished during this time. Rich and poor went to the theater (it only

cost one penny to get in, which is the equivalent to about 60 cents today)

The poor were called “The Groundlings” because they stood on the ground around the stage

The rich sat in the balconies that surrounded the stage

The wealthy persons view of the stage

“The Heavens” as seen by the Groundlings

Shakespeare’s Life

Shakespeare was the 3rd of eight childrenShakespeare was born April 23, 1564.Shakespeare was born in StratfordShakespeare’s dad was a shoemaker and

sometimes served as a justice of the peaceHe married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 (she

was 27 and 3 months pregnant when they married!)

She bore him 3 children: Susana, Hamnet and Judith (Hamnet died at 11 years old)

He had a successful career in London as an actor, playwright and part owner of a playing company.

Shakespeare’s Life

April 23, 1616 – Shakespeare died on his birthday

His surving works consist of: 38 plays (comedies, histories and tragedies), 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems.

Tragedies

One style of play that Shakespeare wrote, mostly towards the end of his career and life, were the tragedies.

Some basic elements: the protagonist must be an admirable but flawed

character, with the audience able to understand and sympathize with the character

tragic protagonists are capable of both good and evil insists on the operation of the doctrine of free will Character has a fatal flaw Almost everybody ends up dying

Tragedies

Romeo and Juliet

A love tragedy – based on an Italian tale •

A TRADITIONAL TRAGIC

ROMANCE

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare in 1594 or 1595.

Romeo and Juliet was an experimental stage piece, featuring several radical departures from long-standing conventions.

The themes of the play include the antithesis between love and hate, the use of a light/dark polarity, the use of time, and the use of Fate in the dreams, omens and forebodings that foreshadow the play’s tragic conclusion.

Your Assignment!

Read the Introduction to the play and the Introduction to Shakespeare in your book entitled Shakespeare Made Easy – Romeo and Juliet

Of course, you will be responsible for this material on our first content based test!

Please read it by next Monday!