ShakespeareShakespeare1563-16161563-1616Stratford-on-Avon, Stratford-on-Avon,

EnglandEnglandwrote 37 playswrote 37 playsabout 154 sonnetsabout 154 sonnetsstarted out as an actorstarted out as an actor

His careerHis career

1592. Actor1592. Actor for Lord for Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later Chamberlain’s Men (later known as “King’s Men)known as “King’s Men)

1590-1613 Wrote most of his 1590-1613 Wrote most of his playsplays

1599. The 1599. The Globe TheatreGlobe Theatre was was builtbuilt

Shakespeare Shakespeare wrote:wrote:

ComediesComediesHistorical playsHistorical playsTragediesTragediesRomance playsRomance plays

The Shakesperean The Shakesperean TragedyTragedy

Drama where the central Drama where the central character/s suffer character/s suffer disaster/great misfortunedisaster/great misfortune

In many tragedies, downfall In many tragedies, downfall results fromresults from

FateFateCharacter flaw/Fatal flawCharacter flaw/Fatal flawCombination of the twoCombination of the two

Great TragediesGreat TragediesKing LearKing LearHamletHamletOthelloOthelloMacbethMacbeth

Famous Famous ComediesComediesA Midsummer Night’s DreamA Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of VeniceTwelfth NightTwelfth NightThe Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the ShrewThe Merry Wives of WindsorThe Merry Wives of Windsor

Romeo and Romeo and JulietJuliet

Written about 1595Written about 1595Considered a tragedyConsidered a tragedy

Based on an Italian tale, it tells the story of the

unfortunate love of two young people belonging to

two feuding families.

The TheatreThe TheatrePlays produced for the Plays produced for the

general publicgeneral publicRoofless - open airRoofless - open airNo artificial lightingNo artificial lightingCourtyard surrounded by Courtyard surrounded by

3 levels of galleries3 levels of galleries

The TheatreThe TheatreBefore the first theatres were built in Shoreditch in the 1570s, plays were mostly performed in tavern yards, sometimes in the streets or on temporary stages or carts. Bankside in Southwark, outside the jurisdiction of the City fathers, quickly became the home of Elizabethan theatre, and it all started with the playhouse called 'The Rose'.

The RoseThe Rose

The GlobeThe Globe

Staging AreasStaging AreasStage: platform that extended Stage: platform that extended

into the pitinto the pitDressing & storage rooms in Dressing & storage rooms in

galleries behind & above stagegalleries behind & above stagesecond-level gallery- upper second-level gallery- upper

stage (famous balcony scene in stage (famous balcony scene in R & J)R & J)

Trap door - ghostsTrap door - ghosts““Heavens” - angelic beingsHeavens” - angelic beings

SpectatorsSpectatorsWealthy people sat on benchesWealthy people sat on benches““Groundlings” (poorer people) Groundlings” (poorer people)

stood and watched from the stood and watched from the courtyard (“pit”)courtyard (“pit”)

All but wealthy were All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterateuneducated/illiterate

Much more interaction than Much more interaction than todaytoday

Drama featuresDrama featuresNo sceneryNo scenerySettings: references in Settings: references in dialoguedialogue

Elaborate costumesElaborate costumesPlenty of propsPlenty of props

ActorsActorsOnly men and boysOnly men and boysYoung boys whose voices Young boys whose voices

had not changed play had not changed play women’s roleswomen’s roles

It would have been It would have been considered indecent for a considered indecent for a woman to appear on stagewoman to appear on stage

Blank VerseBlank Verseunrhymed verseunrhymed verseiambic (unstressed, iambic (unstressed, stressed)stressed)

Pentameter ( 5 “feet” to Pentameter ( 5 “feet” to a line)a line)

ProseProseOrdinary writing that is Ordinary writing that is not poetry, drama, or not poetry, drama, or songsongOnly characters in the Only characters in the lower social classes lower social classes speak this way in speak this way in Shakespeare’s playsShakespeare’s plays

PlotPlotThe sequence of The sequence of events in a literary events in a literary workwork

ExpositionExpositionThe plot usually The plot usually begins with this:begins with this:Introduces:Introduces:

settingsettingcharacterscharactersbasic situationbasic situation

Inciting MomentInciting MomentOften called “initial Often called “initial incident”incident”the first bit of action that the first bit of action that occurs which begins the occurs which begins the plotplot

Romeo and Juliet “lock Romeo and Juliet “lock eyes” at the partyeyes” at the party

ConflictConflictThe struggle that The struggle that developsdevelopsman vs. manman vs. manman vs. himselfman vs. himselfman vs. societyman vs. societyman vs. natureman vs. nature

CrisisCrisisThe point where the The point where the protagonist’s protagonist’s situation will either situation will either get better or worseget better or worseProtagonist- good guyProtagonist- good guyAntagonist- bad guyAntagonist- bad guy

ClimaxClimaxThe turning point of The turning point of the story- everything the story- everything begins to unravel begins to unravel from here from here Thus begins the falling Thus begins the falling actionaction

ResolutionResolutionThe end of the central The end of the central conflictconflict

The final explanation The final explanation or outcome of the plotor outcome of the plot

DenouementDenouement

Metaphorical Metaphorical LanguageLanguage

Comparison :Comparison :Paris standing over the Paris standing over the “lifeless body” of Juliet, “lifeless body” of Juliet, “Sweet flower, with “Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I flowers thy bridal bed I strew…”strew…”

Dramatic FoilDramatic FoilA character whose purpose is A character whose purpose is

to show off another characterto show off another characterBenvolio for TybaltBenvolio for Tybalt

look for others in R & Jlook for others in R & J

Round Round characterscharacters

Characters who have Characters who have many personality many personality traits, like real traits, like real people.people.

Flat CharactersFlat CharactersOne-dimensional, One-dimensional, embodying only a single embodying only a single traittraitShakespeare often uses Shakespeare often uses them to provide comic them to provide comic relief even in a tragedyrelief even in a tragedy

Static Static CharactersCharacters

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

Dynamic Dynamic CharactersCharacters

Characters that Characters that changechange somehow somehow during the course of during the course of the plot. They the plot. They generally change for generally change for the better.the better.

MonologueMonologueOne person speaking One person speaking on stage - maybe other on stage - maybe other character on stage toocharacter on stage tooex > the Prince of ex > the Prince of Verona commanding the Verona commanding the Capulets and Montagues Capulets and Montagues to cease feudingto cease feuding

SoliloquySoliloquy

Long speech expressing Long speech expressing the the thoughtsthoughts of a of a character alone on character alone on stage. stage. Ex: Hamlet’s “to be or not Ex: Hamlet’s “to be or not to be”to be”

AsideAsideWords spoken, Words spoken, usually in an usually in an undertone not undertone not intended to be heard intended to be heard by all charactersby all characters

PunPunShakespeare loved to use Shakespeare loved to use

them!!!them!!!Humorous use of a word Humorous use of a word with two meanings > with two meanings > sometimes missed by the sometimes missed by the reader because of reader because of Elizabethan language and Elizabethan language and sexual innuendosexual innuendo

Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony

A contradiction A contradiction between what a between what a character thinks and character thinks and what the what the reader/audience reader/audience knows to be trueknows to be true

Verbal IronyVerbal Irony

WordsWords used to used to suggest the suggest the opposite of what is opposite of what is meantmeant

Situational IronySituational IronyAn event occurs that An event occurs that directly contradicts directly contradicts the expectations of the expectations of the characters, the the characters, the reader, or the reader, or the audienceaudience

Comic ReliefComic ReliefUse of comedy within Use of comedy within

literature that is NOT literature that is NOT comedy, to provide “relief” comedy, to provide “relief” from seriousness or sadness. from seriousness or sadness.

In R & J, look for moments of In R & J, look for moments of comic relief that help comic relief that help “relieve” the tragedy of the “relieve” the tragedy of the situationsituation

Elizabethan WordsElizabethan Words

An,and:An,and: If IfAnon:Anon: Soon SoonAye:Aye: YesYesBut:But: Except forExcept forE’en:E’en: EvenEvenE’er: E’er: EverEver

Haply:Haply: PerhapsPerhapsHappy:Happy: FortunateFortunateHence:Hence: Away, from Away, from herher

Hie:Hie: HurryHurryMarry:Marry: IndeedIndeed

Elizabethan WordsElizabethan Words

Whence:Whence: WhereWhereWilt:Wilt: Will, will youWill, will youWithal:Withal: In addition toIn addition toWould:Would: WishWish

Elizabethan WordsElizabethan Words