ENGLISH SLIDES

SPIEZIA PIETRO SIMONE

CLASSE: III D

THE RENAISSANCE

THE TUDOR

S

SHAKESPEARETHE

GLOBE THEATR

E

HUMANIST THOUGHT TRIUMPHED OVER MEDIEVAL SCHOLASTICISM ;

THE BREACKING DOWN OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH INTO PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC RADICALLY CHANGED PERSONAL AND PUBLIC LIFE ;

CHANGES IN POPULATION AND TRADE ALTERED ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIPS ;

ENGLAND WAS INFLUENCED BY ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM AND HIS ENGLISH DISCIPLES , THOMAS MORE AND JOHN COLET ;

PRINTERS AND BOOKSELLERS BECAME MORE NUMEROUS , LITERARY STUDY SERVED TO ENRICH AND ELEVATE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ;

THE POPULATION AND THE PRICE OF FOOD INCREASED ; THE MERCHANTS EXPANDED TRADE BEYOND NORTHERN

EUROPE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO THE SPANISH DOMINIONS ;

THE RENAISSANCE (1485-1625)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE WAS BORN AT STRATFORD ON AVON IN APRIL 1546 . HIS FATHER WAS A YEOMAN. WILLIAM WAS THE OLDEST SON AND ATTENDED THE LOCAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL WHICH GAVE HIM A THOROUGH GROUNDING IN THE USE OF LANGUAGE AND CLASSICAL AUTHORS . HE MARRIED ANNE HATHAWAY WHEN HE WAS ONLY EIGHTEEN . IN 1584 HE LEFT STRATFORD AND WENT TO LONDON. HE WAS RECEIVED INTO ONE OF THE COMPANIES THEN IN BEING , AT FIRST IN A VERY MEAN RANK.

HE GOT SUCH SUPPORT FROM A YOUNG NOBLEMAN ,THE EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON ,TO WHOM HE DEDICATED HIS POEMS. SHAKESPEARE BECAME A SHAREHOLDER AND THE MAIN PLAYWRIGHT OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANY OF ACTORS IN LONDON , THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN’S MEN. BETWEEN 1590 AND 1596 HE MAINLY WROTE HISTORICAL DRAMAS . THE GREAT TRAGEDIES WERE WRITTEN BETWEEN 1595 AND 1605 . HE DIED WHEN HE WAS 52 YEARS OLD AND WAS BURIED IN THE LOCAL CHURCH.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1546-1616)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WRITING TECHNICAL:

SHAKESPEARE’S FIRST PLAYS WERE WRITTEN IN THE CONVENTIONAL STYLE OF THE YEAR. HE WROTE THEM IN A STYLISED LANGUAGE THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS SPRING NATURALLY FROM THE NEEDS OF THE CHARACTERS OR THE DRAMA ;

THE POETRY DEPENS ON EXTENDED METAPHORS AND CONCEITS AND THE LANGUAGE IS OFTEN RHETORICAL-WRITTEN FOR ACTORS TO DECLAIN RATHER THAN SPEAK;

SHAKESPEARE STANDARD POETIC FORM WAS BLANK VERSE COMPOSED IN IAMBIC PENTAMETER . IN PRACTICE THIS MEANT THAT HIS VERSE WAS USUALLY UNRHYMED AND CONSISTED OF TEN SYLLABLES TO A LINE . IN THE LAST PHASE OF IS LIFE SHAKESPEARE ADOPTED MANY TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE THESE EFFECTS . THESE INCLUDED RUN-ON LINES , IRREGULAR PAUSES AND STOPS AND EXTREME VARIATIONS IN SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND LENGTH .

THE GLOBE THEATRE WAS A THEATRE IN LONDON ASSOCIATED WITH WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. IT WAS BUILT IN 1599 BY SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYING COMPANY, THE LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN, AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE ON 29 JUNE 1613. A SECOND GLOBE THEATRE WAS BUILT ON THE SAME SITE IN 1614 AND CLOSED IN 1642. 

A MODERN RECONSTRUCTION OF THE GLOBE, NAMED "SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE", OPENED IN 1997 THE GLOBE WAS OWNED BY ACTORS WHO WERE ALSO SHAREHOLDERS IN LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S MEN 

THE GLOBE WAS BUILT IN 1599 USING TIMBER FROM AN EARLIER THEATRE, THE THEATRE, WHICH HAD BEEN BUILT BY JAMES BURBAGE, IN SHOREDITCH IN 1576.ON 29 JUNE 1613 THE GLOBE THEATRE WENT UP IN FLAMES DURING A PERFORMANCE OF HENRY THE EIGHTH. A THEATRICAL CANNON, SET OFF DURING THE PERFORMANCE, MISFIRED, IGNITING THE WOODEN BEAMS AND THATCHING. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVING DOCUMENTS OF THE EVENT, NO ONE WAS HURT EXCEPT A MAN WHOSE BURNING BREECHES WERE PUT OUT WITH A BOTTLE OF ALE. IT WAS REBUILT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. LIKE ALL THE OTHER THEATRES IN LONDON, THE GLOBE WAS CLOSED DOWN BY THE PURITANS IN 1642.THE GLOBE'S ACTUAL DIMENSIONS ARE UNKNOWN, BUT ITS SHAPE AND SIZE CAN BE APPROXIMATED FROM SCHOLARLY INQUIRY OVER THE LAST TWO CENTURIES. 

THE GLOBE THEATRE (1558-1625)

SHALL I COMPARE THEE:THE SPEAKER OPENS THE SONNET WITH A QUESTION ADDRESSED TO THE BELOVED: “SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY?” THE NEXT ELEVEN LINES ARE DEVOTED TO SUCH A COMPARISON. IN LINE 2, THE SPEAKER STIPULATES WHAT MAINLY DIFFERENTIATES THE YOUNG MAN FROM THE SUMMER’S DAY: HE IS “MORE LOVELY AND MORE TEMPERATE.”

SUMMER’S DAYS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY WINDS AND DAYS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD. IT’S AN EXTREME SEASON. IT IS VERY SHORT AND FINALLY WHEN IT ENDS START THE SADNESS OF AUTUMN . THE LOVE OF A MAN WILL LAST FOREVER AND WILL NEVER DIE. IN THE COUPLET THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS THAT THE BEAUTY OF HIS BELOVED LIVES AS LONG AS MEN CAN BREATHE.

SHALL I COMPARE THEE: TEXT ANALYSIS.SONNET 18 IS A TYPICAL ENGLISH OR SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET. IT CONSISTS OF THREE QUATRAINS FOLLOWED BY A COUPLET, AND HAS THE CHARACTERISTIC RHYME SCHEME: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. THE POEM CARRIES THE MEANING OF AN ITALIAN OR PETRARCHAN SONNET.

PETRARCHAN SONNETS TYPICALLY DISCUSSED THE LOVE AND BEAUTY OF A BELOVED, OFTEN AN UNATTAINABLE LOVE, BUT NOT ALWAYS. IT ALSO CONTAINS A VOLTA, OR SHIFT IN THE POEM'S SUBJECT MATTER, BEGINNING WITH THE THIRD QUATRAIN.

MY MISTRESS’EYES : TEXT ANALYSISIN THIS SONNET SHAKESPEARE ATTACKS ALL THE QUALITIES OF ANGEL WOMEN, AS DESCRIBED IN THE SONGBOOK OF PETRARCA. THE POET SAYS THAT THE EYES OF THE BELOVED DOES NOT SHINE LIKE THOSE OF THE SUN, THE LIPS ARE NOT AS RED AS CORAL, HER COMPLEXION IS NOT AS WHITE AS SNOW, AND HIS BREATH IS NOT AS SWEET AS THAT OF A PERFUME. FINALLY EXPLAINS THAT THE WORDS OF THE BELOVED HAVEN’T A PLEASANT SOUND LIKE THOSE OF A SONG. TO DESCRIBE THIS THE POET USES CONTRASTING IMAGES AND NEGATIVE COMPARISONS.

SONNET 130 IS A TYPICAL ENGLISH SONNET. IT CONTAINS THREE QUATRAINS AND A COUPLET. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY TYPICAL RHYME SCHEMES: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. THE SONNET ESSENTIALLY RAISES THE QUESTION "WHAT IS BEAUTY?". IMPORTANT IS THE FINAL COUPLET THAT THE POET USES TO DRAW A CONCLUSION :”I THINK MY LOVE IS AS RARE AS ANY SHE BELIED WITH FALSE COMPARE”.

THE TUDOR DYNASTY (1485-1603):

HENRY TUDOR DEFEATED THE LAST YORKIST AND BECAME KING HENRY VII IN 1485.

HE WAS NOT A MEMBER OF ROYAL FAMILY SO HE NEEDED TO JUSTIFY HIS NEW DYNASTY . PROPAGANDA WAS WRITTEN TO SUPPORT THE TUDORS;

HE STRENGTHENED THE MONARCHY AND TURNED ENGLAND INTO A MODERN STATE;

HE AIMED AT INCREASING AND REINFORCING ENGLAND’S TRAIDING POSITION;

HE LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF ENGLISH NAVAL POWER BY INCREASED SPENDING OR SHIPBUILDING;

HE SPONSORED THE VOYAGE FROM BRISTOL OF JOHN CABOT IN 1497 WHO DISCOVERED THE NORTH-AMERICA.

HENRY VII (1457-1509) :

HENRY VIII 1491-1547

HENRY VII WAS SUCCEDED BY HIS SON HENRY VIII.

HE WAS A NATURAL SPORTS MAN , POPULAR BOTH WITH THE ENGLISH CLITE AND THE ENGLISHPUBLIC. HE WAS CALLED GOLDEN PRINCE BOTH FOR HIS NATURAL GOOD LOOKS AND HIS CHIVALRY AND EDUCATION;

HE MARRIED CATHERINE OF ARAGON WHO BORE HIM A DAUGHTER MARY;

HE ASKED POPE FOR A DIVORCE TO MARRY HIS PREGNANT MISTRESS ANNE BOLEYN;

HE BROKE WITH ROME WHEN THE POPE REFUSED AND DECLARED HIMSELF SUPREME HEAD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND WITH THE ACT OF SUPREMACY ;

HE DISSOLVED THE MONASTERIES ;

HE HAD SIX WIFES : 4 FOR RELIGIOUS POLITICS AND TWO FOR ARISTOCRATIC AMBITIONS .

ANNE BOLEYN GAVE HIM A SECOND DAUGHTER , ELIZABETH

ON HENRY VIII’S DEATH IN 1547 HIS SON EDWARD BECAME KING AS EDWARD VI BEFORE HIS OLDER SISTERS .

THE ACHIEVEMENT OF HIS REIGN WAS THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION ;

HE WAS THE SON OF JANE SEYMOUR , ANOTHER WIFE OF HENRY VIII ;

HE MADE PROTESTANT DOCTRINE MORE FULLY ACCEPTED ;

HE FOUNDED THE SCHOOL REPLACE :THE OLD LATIN ;

IT WAS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BY HIS FATHER BECAUSE, BEING THE ONLY LIVING MALE HEIR, GUARANTEED THE MALE SUCCESSION TO THE ENGLISH THRONE AND THE CONTINUITY OF THE TUDOR DYNASTY: IN FACT, THE ONLY OTHER SURVIVING SON TO CHILDHOOD, AND MOREOVER ILLEGITIMATE (AND THEREFORE WITHOUT RIGHTS SUCCESSION), HENRY FITZROY, THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND SOMERSET, HAD DIED A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF EDWARD.

EDWARD VI OF ENGLAND (1537-1553) :

AFTER EDWARD VI BECAME QUEEN HIS SISTER MARY , THE DAUGHTER OF HENRY VIII AND CATHERINE OF ARAGON

SHE REFUSED TO ABANDON THE CATHOLIC FAITH

SHE MARRIED THE CATHOLIC PHILIP OF SPAIN

SHE TRIED TO RESTORE ENGLAND TO PAPAL OBEDIENCE

SHE DIED WITHOUT AN HEIR

SHE WAS CALLED BLOODY MARY BECAUSE DURING HER REIGN A LOT OF PROTESTANTS WERE KILLED

MARY I (1516-1558):

HENRY VIII AND ANNE BOLEYN’S DAUGHTER

BECAME QUEEN OF A DIVIDED NATION THE MAJORITY OF WHICH WAS ANTI-CATHOLIC AND ANTI-SPANISH

SHE WAS 25 AND HAD A STRONG PERSONALITY A LIVELY INTELLIGENT

HER CHURCH OF ENGLAND RESTORED THE COUNTRY FIRMLY TO PROTESTANTISM YET SHE GRANTED CATHOLICS FREEDOM OF WORSHIP

WAS UNMARRIED AND USED THIS AS A POLITICAL WEAPON

SAID THAT “THE QUEEN WAS MARRIED TO HER PEOPLE” AND BECAME THE “VIRGIN QUEEN”

WENT ON ROYAL PROGRESSES

INSPIRED LITERATURE , MUSIC , DRAMA AND POETRY RECOGNISED SPAIN AS HER MAIN TRADE RIVAL AND ENEMY

EXPANDED EXPLORATION AND OVERSEAS LAID THE BASIS OF ENGLAND’S EMPIRE CHARTHERING SEVEN COMPANIES;

ELIZABETH I (1533-1603):

POLITICAL REFORMATION:ENCOURAGED SEA-CAPTAINS FRANCIS DAKE AND WALTER RALEIGH IN THEIR PIRACY AGAINST SPANISH SHIPS AND TOOK A SHARE OF THE PROFITS

DEFEATED THE SPANISH ARMADA IN 1588

ELIZABETH I’S ACTS OF SUPREMACY AND UNIFORMITY AVODIED THE EXTREMES OF CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT ;

FINALLY, SHE WAS SUPREME GOVERNOR OF THE CHURCH, NOT HEAD .

THE COLONY OF VIRGINIA WAS THE FIRST BRITISH COLONY FOUNDED BY PURITANS FLEEING FROM ENGLAND BY THE WARS OF RELIGION .

FOUNDED IN NORTH AMERICA EXISTED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY AND LATER IN 1607 UNTIL THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

SO NAMED IN HONOR OF QUEEN ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND KNOWN AS THE VIRGIN QUEEN BECAUSE SHE NEVER MARRIED .

THE COLONY OF VIRGINIA :

I’D LIKE.I’D LIKE TO BE LIKE YOUSO BEAUTIFUL , SO NICEWHEN I STAY WITH YOU I THINK TO BE IN PARADISE;

I’D LIKE TO BE LIKE YOUYOU ARE IMPORTANT FOR ME I’D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND YOUYOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME;

I’D LIKE TO BE LIKE YOUI MISS YOU LIKE THE AIR THAT I BREATHI’D LIKE TO BE HAPPY WITH YOUYOU ARE MY SOUL MATE;

DON’T LEAVE ME,JUST LOVE ME… SPIEZIA PIETRO SIMONE