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William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare. An Introduction to Understanding “The Bard”. Intro to William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare b. April 26 th , 1564 (TODAY: Bill Shakespeare would be 448 years old!) Parents: John and Mary (Arden) Shakespeare Place of birth: Stratford-Upon-Avon

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William Shakespeare

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  1. William Shakespeare An Introduction to Understanding “The Bard”

  2. Intro to William Shakespeare • William Shakespeare b. April 26th, 1564 (TODAY: Bill Shakespeare would be 448 years old!) • Parents: John and Mary (Arden) Shakespeare • Place of birth: Stratford-Upon-Avon (named so because the town was on the banks of the Avon river) • Childhood home: Henley Street (can still be visited today)

  3. Parents • John Shakespeare: Married the daughter of his landlord (Mary) • Held many jobs: glover, money lender, wool and grain dealer • Prestige: Bailiff (= to mayor) • 1576 – Petitioned town for a coat of arms to become a gentleman • Petition expired without being granted

  4. Childhood • Education: father’s prominent position suggests that Shakespeare would have attended: • King’s New School (petty school=preschool): well respected, taught by Oxford grads • Grammar School (6-7am until 5pm) • Study Latin and some Greek • Read Roman authors Plautus, Ovid, Seneca, and Horace • Traces of these authors in his own later works • Did NOT attend University (Greek/Latin education)

  5. Wife and Children • November 1582 (age 18): Married Anne Hathaway (age 26) • May 1583 (6 mo. later): birth of first child, Susanna • February 1585: twins Hamnet and Judith • Hamnet would die at the age of 11 while Shakespeare was living in London away from his family

  6. London and The Stage • To London after twins’ birth (between 21 and 28 yrs. old) • (Most likely) went as an actor and slowly gained attention as a playwright • Jealous Much? • Robert Greene (1592) warned other University colleagues that the uneducated Shakespeare was trying to parade as a legit playwright • Shakespeare’s reputation for poetry provoked the envy of a failing competitor

  7. London and The Stage • 1593: All London theatres closed due to outbreak of the bubonic plague • During this time Shakespeare wrote the poems Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594) • Only two of his works that he seemed to have helped into print due to the presence of dedications • 1594: Theatres reopened; Shakespeare joined the acting company Lord Chamberlain’s Men

  8. London and The Stage Plays: • Early years: Histories • 1591-92: Henry VI, trilogy • 1592-93: Richard III • 1590s: Romantic Comedies • 1594: The Comedy of Errors • 1594-95: Love’s Labour’s Lost • 1595: A Midsummer Night’s Dream • 1598: Much Ado About Nothing

  9. London and The Stage • Plays (con’t) • Tragedies • 1595: Romeo and Juliet • 1599: Julius Caesar • 1600-1601: Hamlet • 1606: Macbeth • Total Plays: 37* • Histories: 10 • Comedies: 17 • Tragedies: 10 *This number is debated by scholars

  10. The Theatre • 1597: Success • Secure a coat of arms = gentleman • Purchase of New Place – one of the largest houses in Stratford • 1597: The boot • Lease expired with Lord Chamberlain’s playhouse (called The Theatre) • The company had to perform in various playhouses until 1599

  11. The Globe • 1599: Opening of the Globe Theatre • Built with lumber from The Theatre • Shakespeare just one of the shareholders in the theatre • 1613: Fire • Thatched roof caught fire during a production of Henry VIII – entire building demolished • The Second Globe was rebuilt quickly • 1642: Closed • All theatres closed under Puritan rule • Demolished in 1644 for tenements (apartments)

  12. The Globe

  13. The Globe

  14. The (new) Globe • 1996: Revival • A replica built near original site • Built with techniques and materials that would have been used then • Only added details that were required • Exits, illuminated signage, fire retardant materials, etc. • Go to see plays today!

  15. The (new) Globe

  16. The (new) Globe

  17. Final Days • William Shakespeare died on April 26, 1616 at the age of 52 (396 years ago today!) • Exact cause of death unknown • Believed to have been celebrating the marriage of daughter, Judith • Contracted a fever • Death imminent? • Changed his will in March of same year

  18. Publication • The First Folio • Published • 7 years after his death (posthumous) • By two members from his former company • First collection published • Printer folded each sheet only once (folio) • Folio was a larger and more prestigious book (usually reserved for works such as the Bible) • Contained 36 plays

  19. Legacy • The First Folio was the beginning of the process of constructing Shakespeare as England’s national poet and “The Bard of Avon” • Bard: Gaelic term for a poet • Contemporary playwright and friend, Ben Jonson wrote: “He was not of an age, but for all time!”

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