Background notes for Romeo & Juliet

1. Background notes for Romeo & Juliet English 9, Unit 7

2. This presentation will… • inform you about the life and work of the mysterious William Shakespeare. • provide you details about Elizabethan society and theater. • Introduce you to the characters in Romeo and Juliet • define basic terminology related to Shakespearean drama.

3. April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare. There is a baptismal registration for Shakespeare, but few other written records exist. He was the 3rd of 8 children.

4. Much of Shakespeare’s younger years remain a mystery, but there are rumors about what jobs he may have worked. Lawyer Schoolmaster Butcher Apprentice

5. 1582: According to church records, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. At the time of their marriage, William was eighteen and Anne was twenty-six.

6. William and Anne have three children together (Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith). Shakespeare left his family in 1591 to pursue writing in London. August 1596: young Hamnet died at the age of eleven. The cause of his death is unknown. Susanna Hamnet Judith

7. In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a reputation as an actor and playwright. As theatres were beginning to grow in popularity, it is probable that Shakespeare began earning a living writing plays (adapting old ones and working with others on new ones).

8. 1594: William became involved with a company of actors named “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group later (1603) changed their name to “The King’s Men”.

9. In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration with other actors, designed and built The Globe. This circular theatre was the first of its kind, breaking away from the traditional rectangular theatres.

10. 1612: Shakespeare moved back to Stratford where he retired both rich and famous.

11. 1616: William Shakespeare dies on his birthday.

12. At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have contributed over three thousand words to the English language. Sniffledorfen

13. Shakespeare is also known to have written around 884 words throughout all of his works.

14. Which do you prefer?

15. Or…..

16. Shakespearean Theater “The Globe” Romeo, Romeo…Where for art thou Romeo?

17. Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts • The First Elizabethan Theater: “The Wooden O” • Built in 1576, first permanent stage in London • Built by James Burbage • Shaped in form of a tavern • 1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeare’s company used it to build The Globe Theatre

18. Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts • The Globe • Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard • No artificial light • Three stories high – upper levels were for the wealthy • The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the floor in front of the stage (800 people) • Large platform stage • Back of platform was curtained off inner stage • Two door entrances/exits on either side of curtain • Small balcony/upper stage • Elaborate costumes but no props • Young boys played the parts of women; women weren’t allowed to be actors

19. Shakespeare’s Globe burned down, but its foundation was discovered in 1990. It gave us many clues to the Elizabethan experience such as hazelnut shells! A replica has since been rebuilt. You can visit it and see a play today. Fire and Rediscovery

20. Actors and Actresses • In Shakespeare’s time, it was considered immoral for a woman to appear onstage. So the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays were performed by young men. Queen Elizabeth I

21. Marriage • In Shakespeare’s day, marriages were generally contracts set up by the parents. • When Juliet’s parents arrange a marriage for her, it seems strange to us; Shakespeare’s audience would have thought it was completely normal.

22. Shakespeare’s 5 Part Storytelling Pattern: Act III: Crisis/Turning Point A series of complications Act IV: Falling Action Results of the turning point; characters locked into deeper disaster Act II: Rising Action A series of complications Act I: Exposition Establishes setting, characters, conflict, and background Act V: Climax/Resolution/Denouement Death of the main characters and then the loose parts of the plot are tied up

23. Shakespeare’s plays can have LOTS of characters. Let’s try to get them straight in our minds… First of all, all of the characters in Romeo and Juliet are arranged around a central conflict between two rival families: the Montaguesand the Capulets. So Who’s Who Here?

24. MONTAGUE vs. CAPULET • Romeo • Lord Montague (his dad) • Lady Montague (his mom) • Mercutio (friend) • Benvolio (cousin) • Juliet • Lord Capulet (her father) • Lady Capulet (her mother) • Tybalt (cousin) • Nurse

25. The Montagues

26. The Capulets

27. The Prince of Verona: This ruler tries to mediate between the feuding families. He is pretty tired of all the bloodshed caused by their “ancient grudge.” Friar Lawrence: This religious leader is respected as a holy man by both sides, and would like to see them reconciled. As a friar, he’s interested not only in religion, but also in medicinal herbs—which becomes important later. The Peacemakers:

28. And finally… One other “character”: The Chorus The Chorus is not a part of the action, but a speaker who comes onstage to make comments on the action. The Chorus is kind of like a TV announcer in contemporary life—as far as the characters know, the chorus doesn’t exist, but he helps explain things to us.

29. Timeline Sunday – Act One Monday – Act Two Tuesday – Act Three Wednesday – Act Four Thursday – Act Five

30. Activity: Create a family tree for the Montagues and the Capulets! Make sure you write the character’s name and their relation to Romeo or Juliet. You can find the characters on pg. 807

31. Dramatic Terminology • Tragedy: A narrative about serious and important actions that end unhappily, usually with the death of the main characters. • The play is broken up into acts and the acts are broken up into scenes. • Monologue: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character onstage to everyone. • Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one character alone on stage, inaudible to other characters • Aside: A short speech given by one character, traditionally the other characters cannot hear.

32. Dramatic Terminology • Pun: A humorous play on words • After that poisonous snake struck at me in the Arizona Desert I was really rattled.A gossip is someone with a great sense of rumor. • A carpenter must have been here. I saw dust. • Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery. • Corduroy pillows are making headlines. • The executioner decided to drop out of Executioner School. It was just too cut throat for him. • He who farts in church sits in his own pew.

33. Dramatic Foil: A pair of characters who are opposite in many ways and highlight or exaggerate each other’s differences. Dramatic Terminology