The Life &Work of

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

(1564 – 1616)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shakespeare.jpg

William Shakespeare was a dramatist and poet. He is regarded as the greatest writer to use the English language .

He was in the small town of Stratford on Avon. He is often referred to as “the Bard of Avon” or “the Bard”.

House in Stratford on Avon where William Shakespeare was born http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Shakespeares_birthplace,_Stratford-upon-Avon_26l2007.jpg

Very little is known about Shakespeare’s life. He received the basic education commonly given to upper middle

class children, but he never studied at a university.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/133408

An English “grammar” school built in the 17th century

• Shakespeare wrote his early plays during the reign of Elizabeth I. • Shakespeare and other playwrites of his generation are referred to as

“Elizabethan dramatists”• Shakespeare’s greatest plays were written during the reign of Elizabeth’s

succesor, King James I.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Darnley_stage_3.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:James_I,_VI_by_John_de_Critz,_c.1606..png

Elizabethan dramas were regarded as popular entertainment. They were usually performed in theatres like “The Globe”.

http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~twadley/classes/1102/fa05/a4_6.htm

• The most expensive places were the benches in the enclosed gallery.

• Cheaper places could be had in the “pit” – the open space just in front of the stage. Poorer spectators who stood in this space were called “groundlings”.

• Dramatists were careful to included in their plays sophisticated dialog for the better educated spectators in the gallery, as well as bawdy humor to entertain

the “groundlings”.

A modern reconstruction of “The Globe” in London

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Southwark_reconstructed_globe.jpg

• Shakespeare was a member and part owner of a group of actors called “the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

• Following the ascension of James I, the company changed its name to “the King’s Men”

• Shakespeare wrote plays for the company often acted in them.

• Women were not permitted to act in dramas. Men performed the parts of female characters.

http://cimacollina.com/WordPress/?p=191

http://englishstudio_ale.webs.com/williamshakespeare.htm

Shakespeare wrote 38 plays. These consist of :

Comedies Tragedies History plays

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-globe-theatre.htm

Comedies:

o As You Like Ito The Tempesto Twelfth Nighto The Taming of the Shrewo The Merchant of Veniceo A Midsummer Night’s Dream

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DeverellAsYouLikeIt.JPG

Scene from “As You Like It”: The Mock Marriage of Orlando and Rosilind (paint-ing by Walter Howell Deverell)

Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet Julius Cesar Macbeth Hamlet King Lear Othello Antony and Cleopatra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eug%C3%A8ne_Ferdinand_Victor_Delacroix_018.jpg

Gravedigger scene from “Hamlet”: (Painting by Eugene Delacrox)

History Plays: King John Richard II Richard III Henry IV (Parts I & II)

Henry V Henry VI (Parts I, II & III)

Henry VIII

http://www.richardcuddington.com/sample_verse_7.html

Scene from “Henry V” : The King’s speech before the Battle of Agincourt

Had I but died an hour before this chance chance – occurance

I had lived a blessed time. For from this instant There’s nothing serious in mortality; All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead; renown – honor, fame

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.

- Macbeth, Act II, Scene 3

Shakespeare wrote his plays in blank verse – a style of poetry that uses a prescribed meter (each phrase consists of five accented syllables) but is not rhymed. Minor variations prevent the meter from becoming monotonous and help the verse to more closely approximate normal speech.

drawn – poured out, empty lees – dirty liquid that remains at the bottom of a bottle after the wine has been poured out vault – (play on words) place where wine is kept; also, expanse of sky over the earth brag – boast

Shakespeare often varies his blank verse by introducing rhyming couplets. These rhyming couplets usually occur at the end of scenes, and serve to lend solemn emphasis to important utterances. For example, at the end of Act II, Scene 1 of “Macbeth”, the ringing of a bell marks the hour just as Macbeth is approaching King Duncan’s room in order to murder him.

Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell knell – church bell

That summons thee to heaven or to hell

…I have set my life upon a cast cast – throw of dice (as in a game of chance)

and I will stand the hazard of the die… - Richard III, Act IV, Scene 4

In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond, fair – handsome fond – familiar, affectionate

and therefore thou mayest think my ‘havior lightBut trust me gentleman; I’ll prove more trueThan those that have more cunning to be strange

- Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 2

One reason why Shakespeare’s language seems difficult for modern readers is that many common words have changed their meanings since his time. Readers should be prepared to consider alternate or peripheral meanings for familiar words.

stand – accept, submit to

hazard – chance, uncertainty

Modern writers often use many abstract, multisyllable words to communicate simple ideas. Shakespeare habitually uses simple metaphors and a limited number of common monosyllabic words in order to communicate complex ideas.

As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, wanton – irresponsable

They kill us for their sport. sport – fun, pleasure

- King Lear, Act IV, Scene 1

Meaning: In this life we have to endure many calamities and tradegies that make no sense, and God (or destiny or whatever) doesn’t seem to listen to our protests or care how much we suffer.

‘havior – behavior light – easy, not serious

true – faithful, constant

cunning – astuteness strange – cold, formal

Meaning: I show too much affection, but don’t think that I am “easy”. You’ll see that I am more serious than others who are clever enough hide their feelings and behave with greater formality.

Meaning: I have decided to risk my life and I am prepared to accept whatever happens.

• Shakespeare wrote his plays as material for his theatre company; he did not publish them.

• After his death, members of Shakespeare’s theatre company assembled and published a collection of his plays This collection is known as the “First Folio”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Title_page_William_Shakespeare%27s_First_Folio_1623.jpg

Shakespeare wrote many poems. The most famous are a group of sonnets. (A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines that obeys a specific rhythmic structure).

When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself, and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee,—and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Sonnet No.18 is probably Shakespeare’s most famous :

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Shakespeare included some of his finest poems as interludes in his plays. This funeral dirge is sung by two characters in “Cymbeline” as they lower into the grave one who had once been their enemy:

Fear no more the heat o' th' sunNor the furious winter’s rages;Thou thy worldly task hast done,Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.Golden lads and girls all must,As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

The sceptre, learning, physic, mustAll follow this and come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' th' great;Thou art past the tyrant's stroke.Care no more to clothe and eat;To thee the reed is as the oak.The sceptre, learning, physic, mustAll follow this and come to dust.

All lovers young, all lovers mustConsign to thee and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning flash,Nor th' all-dreaded thunder-stone;Fear not slander, censure rash;Thou hast finished joy and moan.All lovers young, all lovers mustConsign to thee and come to dust.

ta’en thy wages – taken your heavenly reward

chmney sweepers – boys who clean chimneys (in this context, flowers that are yellow in summer but in autumn change into balls of gray powder (resembling brooms used by chimney sweepers)

sceptre – symbol of a king’s power

learning – knowledge

physic – physical beauty, health and strength

reed – thin, delicate plant oak – large, strong tree

moan – lamentation

“Cymbeline”, sung by Loreena McKennitt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZIE83ZZJHI

William Shakespeare died in 1616 on April 23. This date coincides with the death of another great figure of literature, Miguel de Cervantes.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Cervantes

Shakespeare’s grave

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shakespeare_grave_-Stratford-upon-Avon_-3June2007.jpg

Miguel de Cervantes

Many questions legends, and superst i t ions are associated with Shakespeare. One question that puzzles scholars is the diversity of s ignatures that he used.

There are some who even claim that “the Bard of Avon” is not the real author of the plays attributed to him, arguing that a man of such l imited education as Will iam Shakespeare could not have writ ten works of such genius. Most serious academics dismiss these theories, but the debate continues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Judith_Shakespeare_Signature.svg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shakespeare_signature_6.JPG

http://mostinterestingfactsaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2010/08/top-5-most-expensive-signature-in-world.html

http://retartalillas.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/shakespeare-%C2%BFfue-o-no-fue-el-bardo-de-avon/

An interesting superstition about Shakespeare concerns “Macbeth”. The play is said to contain genuine witches’ spells. Angry that Shakespeare had revealed their secrets, the witches of England are said to have cursed his play. According to the superstition, performances of Macbeth are accompanied by unfortunate accidents and it is bad luck for anyone to utter the name, “Macbeth” in a theatre. When rehearsing the play, actors often use pseudonyms like “Macbee” to refer to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and they refer to the work itself as “the Scottish play”.

http://www.pathguy.com/chasseriau_macbeth.jpg