William Shakespeare“Not for an age, but for all time.”

Early Life

▪ Born April 23, 1564 (baptized April 26) in Stratford

▪ Father John was a wealthy merchant and served as mayor

▪ Attended Stratford Grammar School; studied Latin, classic lit and the Bible. Did not attend university.

▪ Married Anne Hathaway in November 1582 (he was 18, she was 26); first child, Susanna, was born May 1583 and twins Hamnet and Judith were born in February 1585

▪ No history from 1585-1592

▪ In 1592, Shakespeare left his family and moved to London

London Life

▪ 1592, began writing plays and making a name for himself

▪ Worked as an actor and playwright (considered disreputable professions)

▪ 1592-1594 London theatres closed due to plague

▪ 1594 Shakespeare joined Lord Chamberlain’s men, a group which performed in the Globe theater, Blackfriars theater, and performed 6 plays for Queen Elizabeth

▪ Became an actor and shareholder in the Globe

▪ 1596 Hamnet dies at age 11, giving his plays deeper meaning and tragedy

▪ In 1613, Shakespeare retired from London and returned to Stratford

Later Life

▪ 1613 Retired from London; returned to Stratford

▪ Died April 23, 1616 (52nd birthday

▪ Buried in Trinity Church, Stratford

▪ Wrote his own epitaph

▪ Left his wife his second-best bed

▪ Anne died in 1623

Contribution

First Folio

▪ Shakespeare’s friends published his work posthumously

▪ 38 plays; over 150 poems

▪ Ben Jonson: “Not for an age, but for all time”

Categories

▪ Comedies (Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night’s Dream, etc.)

▪ Histories (Henry V, Richard III)

▪ Tragedies (Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet)

▪ Romances (Winter’s Tale, Tempest)

Elizabethan Theatre

▪ Actors performed wherever they could find space and an audience

▪ Used portable stages; moved; scenery very limited

▪ Rowdy audiences yelled their approval or lack thereof

▪ No women actors; young boys played women

▪ Elaborate costumes; taught to sing and dance

▪ First permanent theater built 1576

▪ Trap door in stage used for “hell;” curtained balcony used for “heaven”

▪ Theatres were disassembled, burnt down, moved and rebuilt many times

Julius Caesar

• Lived from 102-44 BC (how does this compare to Oedipus?)

• In Caesar’s day, Roman world was constantly at war

• Caesar was a Roman military commander and dictator; moved his armies through Europe, Asia, and Africa

• Once home, Caesar, Pompey and Crassus formed the First Triumvirate (3 man governing body) in 60 BC

• Pompey married Caesar’s daughter, who died shortly afterward

• Pompey was angry at her death and began turning the senators against Caesar

Trouble in Rome

▪ Caesar wanted more power, so he left for the Gallic wars to get conquests and money, which he sent back to Rome to gain popularity

▪ Caesar considered himself the defender of the populares, but many said he got support from bribes and that he deprived the people of liberty and self-respect

▪ Pompey continued to sway the senators against Caesar; called for Caesar to resign his command

The Lead-up

• Caesar refused to resign his command and instead marched into Rome and took control

• Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was murdered

• Caesar declared dictator; made his supporters senators, Brutus included

• Erected a statue of himself with the inscription “To the Unconquerable God”

• Common people loved him and declared him Dictator for Life

• Many senators didn’t want Caesar to grow in power—their republic was coming under the rule of one again

• Caesar’s arrogance and power became unbearable for some senators and they made plans to assassinate him on March 15, 44 BC

• Shakespeare’s play opens one month before