Introduction to Shakespeare

1. Introduction to Shakespeare English I Mrs. Graham Mar. 12, 2012

2. William Shakespeare • Greatest writer in the English language • Nickname: “The Bard” • From Stratford-on-Avon, England • Born April 23(ish), 1564 • Died April 23, 1616

3. His Work • Actor, poet, playwright • Wrote 154 sonnets • Wrote 37 plays

4. Sonnets • Form of poetry • 14 lines • 3 quatrains (stanzas of 4 lines each) • Ends with a couplet (pair of rhyming lines that emphasizes the theme) • ABAB CDCD EFEF GG • Iambic pentameter • Pattern of unstressed, stressed • 5 stressed syllables per line

5. Types of Plays • Shakespeare wrote: • Comedies - happy endings • Tragedies – disastrous endings • Histories – involve events or persons from history

6. Lesser-known Facts • Teen father: married pregnant 26 year-old Anne Hathaway when he was 18 • Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for London at age 22 • Father of twins (Judith and Hamnet), and Susanna

7. London • Crowded • Open sewers • Bubonic Plague • Bathing considered dangerous • Queen Elizabeth I (Renaissance Era)

8. Clothes • One set used all year long, rarely washed • Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed • Clothes handed down from rich to poor

9. The Globe Theatre • Across the Thames River • Open ceiling • No artificial lighting • Three levels

10. Actors • Only men and boys • Young boys whose voices had not changed played the women’s roles • No kissing/hugging on stage • Women on stage would have been considered worse than prostitution

11. Spectators • Upper class—pay extra for cushions • Liked the POETRY • Middle class—sit on benches • Liked the PLOT • Lower class (called “groundlings” or “penny stinkards”) had to stand • Like the dirty JOKES • Lots of audience involvement

12. Romeo and Juliet • Written around 1595 • Tragedy • Set in Verona, Italy • Theme: Going to Extremes • Act I—Words vs. Actions • Act II—Love vs. Lust • Act III—Love vs. Hate • Act IV—Old vs. Young • Act V—Fate vs. Freewill

13. The Montagues Lord Montague – father of Romeo Lady Montague – mother of Romeo Romeo Montague – in love with Juliet Benvolio – cousin of Romeo Balthasar – servant to Romeo Abram – servant to Montague

14. The Capulets Lord Capulet – father of Juliet Lady Capulet – mother of Juliet Juliet Capulet – in love with Romeo Tybalt – cousin of Juliet Nurse – takes care of Juliet Peter – servant to Juliet’s Nurse

15. The Royal Family Prince Escalus – ruler of Verona Mercutio – kinsman of the Prince and best friend of Romeo Count Paris – a young nobleman who wants to marry Juliet ; kinsman of the Prince

16. The Priests Friar Laurence – a Franciscan priest and Romeo’s adult confidant Friar John – another Franciscan priest who is supposed to deliver a letter to Romeo

17. Things to think about… • What would you do if your parents did not approve of someone you were dating? • How important is the opinion of your family in decisions that you make? • Does violence solve problems?

18. Learning Targets • I can cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (RL.9-10.1) • I can analyze the development of a theme over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped by specific details. (RL.9-10.2) • I can analyze how complex characters advance the plot and develop the theme. (RL.9-10.3)

19. Thinking Strategies • Inferring—using facts plus schema to make an educated guess (or “reading between the lines”) • Synthesizing—integrating your background knowledge with new information to form a new perspective, conclusion, or product

20. SOURCES • Mr. Graham • http://exchange.guhsd.net/public.php?searchcatalog=shakespeare&searchcontent=&searchsubject= • Introduction to Shakespeare • Shakespeare Powerpoint • Shakespeare’s Life and Time