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Shakespeare: Life & Times. • Born April 23, 1564 Died April 23, 1616 • Stratford-upon-Avon • Parents: John and Mary Arden Shakespeare • Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner • John— glovemaker , local politician, struggled with serious financial debt. Stratford-upon-Avon.
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• Born April 23, 1564 Died April 23, 1616 • Stratford-upon-Avon • Parents: John and Mary Arden Shakespeare • Mary—daughter of wealthy landowner • John—glovemaker, local politician, struggled with serious financial debt
Stratford-upon-Avon 100 miles northwest of London Small, rural community Built on a river
Schooling… Attended local grammar school: King’s New School Classical education: rhetoric, logic, history, Latin Did not attend university because of dad’s financial debt
Married Life… Married Anne Hathaway when he was 18 & she was 26 She was 3 months pregnant with their first daughter, Susanna (born 1583) 1585: Twins were born- Hamnet & Judith Sometime between 1585-1592, he moved to London and began working in theatre. (a.k.a. “Lost years”)
London During Shakespeare’s Era • Living/sanitation conditions were BAD!!! • Trees used up for fuel • Poverty • Thames River (primary source of water) polluted with sewage • Bathing considered dangerous= BAD B.O. • Childhood diseases (often died before 5 years old) • Small Pox • Bubonic Plague • Crowded
Theater during Shakespeare’s Time • Performed in courtyards of inns • Daytime/Open air • Limited set design/ minimal costumes & props • Relied heavily on good scripts & acting • Actors were ALL men • Shakespeare was a member & part owner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later called King’s Men • 1599: Globe Theater built by Lord Chamberlain’s Men with Shakespeare as primary investor
Rebuilt Globe Theater Original theater burned down in 1613 during one of Shakespeare’s plays
Shakespeare Writing • 38 plays firmly attributed to Shakespeare fall into three primary categories: • Histories - based on “fact” • Tragedies - end in death • Comedies - end in a wedding • Possibly wrote three others • Collaborated on several others • Wrote two major poems; numerous others • Wrote 154 Sonnets • Written in iambic pentameter • Rhyme Scheme (ababcdcdefefgg)
Romeo & Juliet: : Prologue Two households, both alike in dignity,In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.From forth the fatal loins of these two foesA pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;Whose misadventured piteous overthrowsDoth with their death bury their parents' strife.The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,And the continuance of their parents' rage,Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;The which if you with patient ears attend,What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.