William Shakespeare

1. William Shakespeare Widely regarded as the greatest writer in English Literature

2. Shakespeare • 1564-1616 • Stratford-on-Avon, England • wrote 37 plays • 154 sonnets • started out as an actor

3. On Stage • Actor Lord Chamberlain’s Men • Principal playwright for them • 1599 Lord Chamberlain’s Men built Globe Theater • Most Shakespeare’s plays performed at Globe

4. Shakespeare’s Plays • Comedies • Histories • Tragedies

5. Romeo and Juliet • Written about 1595 • Considered a tragedy • West Side Story (Movie) based on R&J

6. The Theater • Plays produced for the general public • Roofless and open air • No artificial lighting • Courtyard surrounded by 3 levels of galleries

7. Spectators • Wealthy got benches • “Groundlings” (poorer people) stood and watched from the “pit” c • All but wealthy were uneducated/ illiterate • Much more interaction than today

8. Staging Areas • Stage - Platform that extended into the pit • Dressing & storage rooms in galleries behind & above stage • Second-level gallery / upper stage - famous balcony scene in R & J • Trap door – Ghosts appear/ disappear • “Heavens” - Angelic beings

9. How Different From Our Plays? • No scenery • Settings - References in dialogue • Elaborate costumes • Plenty of props • Fast-paced, colorful - 2 hours!

10. Actors • Only men and boys allowed to act • Young boys whose voices had not changed play women’s roles • Would have been considered indecent for a woman to appear on stage

11. Elizabethan (QE1) Words • An,and: If • Anon: Soon • Aye: Yes • But: Except for • E’en: Even • E’er: Ever

12. More QE1 Words • Haply: Perhaps • Happy: Fortunate • Hence: Away, from her • Hie: Hurry • Marry: Indeed

13. More QE1 Words • Whence: Where • Wilt: Will, will you • Withal: In addition to • Would: Wish

14. Blank Verse • Much of R & J is written in it: • unrhymed verse • iambic (unstressed, stressed) • pentameter( 5 “feet” to a line) • ends up to be 10 syllable lines

15. Prose • Ordinary writing that is not poetry, drama, or song • Only characters in the lower social classes speak this way in Shakespeare’s plays • Why do you suppose that is?

16. Plot • The sequence of events in a literary work

17. Exposition • The plot usually begins with this: • Introduces . . . • setting • characters • basic situation

18. Inciting Moment • Often called “initial incident” • the first bit of action that occurs which begins the plot • Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the party

19. Conflict • The struggle that develops • Man in conflict with man • Man in conflict with himself • Man in conflict with society • Man in conflict with nature

20. Crisis • The point where the protagonist’s situation will either get better or worse • Protagonist = good guy • Antagonist = bad guy

21. Climax • The turning point of the story. Everything begins to unravel from here. Thus begins the falling action.

22. Resolution • The end of the central conflict

23. Denouement • The final explanation or outcome of the plot • If this is included in literature, it will occur after the resolution.

24. Shakespearean Tragedy • Drama where the central character/s suffer disaster/great misfortune. • In many tragedies, downfall results from • Fate • Character flaw/Fatal flaw • Combination of the two

25. Theme • Central idea or insight about life which explains the downfall

26. Metaphorical Language • Comparison of unlike things: • Paris standing over the “lifeless body” of Juliet, “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew…” • “Thou detestable maw…”Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth…” Romeo

27. Dramatic Foil • A character whose purpose is to show off another character • Benvolio for Tybalt Can you identify others?

28. Round characters • Characters who have many personality traits, like real people.

29. Flat Characters • One-dimensional, embodying only a single trait: • Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic relief even in a tragedy

30. Static Characters • Characters within a story who remain the same. They do not change. They do not change their minds, opinions or character.

31. Dynamic Character • Characters that change somehow during the course of the plot. They generally change for the better.

32. Monologue • One person speaking on stage while other characters are usually also on stage. • Example - The Prince of Verona commanding the Capulets and Montagues to cease feuding

33. Soliloquy • Long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage. In R & J, Romeo gives a soliloquy after the servant has fled and Paris has died.

34. Aside • Words spoken, usually in an undertone not intended to be heard by all characters

35. Pun • Shakespeare loved to use them!!! • Humorous use of a word with two meanings or spellings. Sometimes missed by the reader because of Elizabethan language and sexual innuendo.

36. Direct Address • Words that tell the reader who is being addressed: • “A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.” • “Ah, my mistresses, which of you all/ Will now deny to dance?”

37. Dramatic Irony • A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader/ audience knows to be true.

38. Verbal Irony • Words used to suggest the opposite of what is meant.

39. Situational Irony • An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience .

40. Comic Relief • Use of comedy within literature that is NOT comedy to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness. • In R & J, look for moments of comic relief that help “relieve” the tragedy of the situation (Clown, for example)