The Times and Life of

William Shakespeare

Part I: The Life of Shakespeare

The Mysteries about Shakespeare1. With only an 8th grade education, how did he know

about court life, foreign countries, history, writing, diplomacy, the classics?

2. Was he forced to marry Anne Hathaway due to her pregnancy?

3. Why did his father’s fortunes change: alcoholism, religious tensions, illegal wool trading?

4. How did Shakespeare get his theatre training?5. Why did he live in London when his wife and three

children lived in Stratford?

Early LifeA. Born on April 22 or 23rd in 1564 in

Stratford-upon-Avon (Galileo also born)

1. Mary Arden and John Shakespeare married in 155

2. Father was a glove maker by trade in

Strafford, involved in local politics

3. Father was upstanding citizen: ale-taster, constable, alderman, bailiff, chief alderman

4. Father was a glove maker, Involved with illegal wool trading

5. Around Will’s 13th birthday, father’s fortunes change: does not go to alderman’s meetings, sells Mary’s properties/fortunes, restraining order placed, does not attend Protestant church services

Glover’s Workshop

Shakespeare’s MarriageA. November of 1582, at age

of 18, married Anne Hathaway (she was 8 years his senior; she was possibly pregnant (Susanna born in May of 1583)

1. three children: Susanna, Hamnet and Judith (twins)

2. “second best bed” mystery: in his will he left his wife the second best bed; controversial—first best bed reserved for guests

Shakespeare’s CareerI. 1592 jealous playwright makes mention of Shakespeare, indicating he had moved to

London to write/act, and had already served an apprenticeship: “There is an upstart crow, beautiful with our feathers, that with his tiger’s heart wrapped in a player’s hid supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you, and being an absolute Johannes-factorum is in his own conceit the only Shakes- scene in a country.”

A. By 1594 he was an actor and playwright in a new theatrical company— Lord Chamberlain’s Men a. one of London’s two chief companies b. actors sometimes looked down upon by university men c. not considered suitable profession for gentlemen, but considered part of the upper/middle class became King’s Men’s in 1603/stayed w/company until B. He retired in 1611

Shakespeare’s Career C. In 1596 Shakespeare and his father possibly received a coat of arms—

“gentlemen” status D. 1597 Shakespeare bought property in Stratford (very nice property for the time) E. Between summer of 1592-1594 theatre shut down due to the plague

II. Achievements: A. First 8 plays don’t have his name on it (not unusual)B. after 1598, his name does appear on printed playsC. Shakespeare was a stockholder in theatreD. completed his first 16 plays by 1598E. wrote 13-15 plays in the following 10 years of his lifeF. wrote 37 plays in all, 154 sonnets; two non-dramatic poems/one elegyG. 5,000 to 25,000 new words invented by Shakespeare

III. Inscription on tombstone: Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares my stones And cursed be he that moves my bones.

The Globe Theatre

Parts of the Globe1. Flag: indicates a performance is going on/every day but

Sunday2. Trumpet: sounded to announce performance3. The Heavens: ceiling (trompe l’oeil): area where sound

effects made, god-likecharacters lowered to the stage, represented “Heaven,” deus ex machina (god from a machine)

4. Behind the theatre: area for costume storage/waiting area/offices for actors

5. Balcony: musicians and wealthy patrons6. Two Penny Gallery: middle class seating7. Private Rooms and Boxes: seating area for the wealthy

(queen & king never at Globe)

Parts of Globe, Continued8. Stage: Main stage area/two doors for exits and entrances of

characters

9. Curtained Recess: third entrance for actors10. Strap Door: considered “Hell,” area where “bad” characters

appear and disappear: Hamlet’s father’s ghost, Macbeth’s witches, etc.

11. One Penny Audience: “cock-pit” or groundling area; audience would not often throw food at actors, but drank and stole (once an audience tied a man to the stage posts who was caught stealing)

12. The Entrance: (self-explanatory)

About the Globe The original Globe Theatre: built in 1599 by the acting

company the King’s Men and destroyed by fire in 1613 after a cannon in Richard III lit the roof on fire.

The Globe Theatre was rebuilt in 1614, closed in 1642, and demolished in 1644. No records left of original Globe.

A modern reconstruction of the original Globe, named "Shakespeare's Globe Theatre", opened in 1997.

Holds about 3,000 people 1625 women first allowed to act on stage

Strange Facts about The Globe

Reproduction made with authentic Elizabethan supplies: The Globe Theatre is 33ft high to the eaves (45ft overall) 6,000 bundles of Norfolk Water Reed were used on the

Globe’s roof 36,000 handmade bricks were used 90 tons of lime putty were used for the Tudor brickwork 180 tons of lime plaster went into the outer walls Sound effects of thunder made by rolling cannon balls over a

troth with wooden bumps

Theatre in EnglandI. Before Renaissance, most acting not done in

theatres, but as playacting in schools, pageantry in streets, masques at court, miracle plays, morality play, interludes, mystery play—emphasis often religious

A. Actors traveled from town to town B. Most female parts played by men C. Actors often performed in bearbaiting and

bull baiting arenas, courtyards of inns, great halls at court

Theatre, ContinuedII. 1576 James Burbage constructs a theatre on edge of city

—called The Theatre A. performances only in daytime—no artificial illumination B. typical Elizabethan theatre is polygonal, wooden, could hold

3,000 with 2,000 groundlings standing in yard “cockpit” C. exposed to sky

III. The Globe—built 1599 (Shakespeare & other actors pay to build)

A. 1613 burned down during 1st performance of Henry VIIIB. 1649 King Charles I executed/ Puritan revolution closed all

theatres; did not reopen until the restoration of the crown in 1660

The Reformation:Henry VIII and

Elizabeth I

Henry VIII splits from Catholic Church in 1533

Henry VIII wants to divorce Catherine of Aragon, Spanish

Pope refuses Henry breaks with Church Puts all English Churches under rule of

King No male heir; daughter Mary rules:

Bloody Mary restores Catholicism Elizabeth I rules after Mary: tries to be

tolerant of Catholics, but Pope declares her excommunicated/anyone to assassinate her a Catholic martyr

Creates great tension in Shakespeare’s day between Catholics and Protestants: lots of traitors heads on sticks of London Bridge

Shakespeare’s mother’s family was Catholic

Elizabeth also begins English Renaissance

Monastery door turned Henry VIII’s Castle

The Witches and King James I

King James II. King James

A. Followed Elizabeth I, who had no heirsB. Born at the only child of Mary Queen of Scots in 1566—

infant king C. (father mysteriously murdered; Mary flees into exile in England making James king at the age of one)

D. James VI of Scotland was cousin to Elizabeth (much angst about Liz’s successor)

E. Became King of England (1603-1625); retained Scottish crown

F. Man of contrasts: homely but vain, addled but erudite, called by Henry VI of France “the wisest fool in Christendom.”

James I, continuedG. Pressed Parliament about “divine right to rule”/authoritarian

H. “Kings are not only God’s instruments on lieutenants on earth…but

even by God himself they are called gods.” I. Angered public by making peace with Spain (long-time enemy of

England) J. Angered Puritans due to commitment to AnglicanismK. His Puritan/Catholic conference produces the King James BibleL. Placed all English theatre under royal patronage—King’s Men M. Son, Charles I beheaded due to insistence of absolutism

Obsession with Witches

I. James’ Obsession with Witches A. Participated in witch trials B. Wrote Daemonogie –pamphlet addressing the dangers of

witchcraft C. Many of the witches stories taken directly from trials of witches of

the day:

“In the night a cat was conveyed into the midst of the sea by all these witches sailing in their sieve and left right before the town of Lieth in Scotland: this done, there did arise such a tempest in the sea…

D. It was said that the said cat was the cause of the King’s Majesty’s ship at his coming forth of Denmark…” It was faith alone that saved the King’s ship from destruction.

Obsession with Witches, Con’t. Dances and circling believed to give power to spells Witches could turn themselves into animals (always

without a tail) Three Fates alluded to by Shakespeare—represent evil

and disorder that undermine stability of the state.

James I & ShakespeareI. The Question of Succession

Issues of succession present throughout Shakespeare’s plays; part of the consciousness of living under a monarchy

First performance of Macbeth in 1606, Aug 7th at Hampton Court for king

No real Banquo in Scottish history, yet Holinshed’s Chronicles invented a Banquo in Scottish history, where Banquo is complicit in Duncan’s murder. Then, Banquo is murdered on his way home from Macbeth’s feast. Macbeth ruled for 10 years until becoming tyrannical; Duncan wasa young, weak king.

Witches show Macbeth eight kings with Banquo last—Stuart kings who ruled Scotland, including James I

James/Elizabeth had to ensure Mary was out of the way to secure James as the successor to Elizabeth (Mary executed 1587-16 years before Liz’s death)

First public speech after the plague (1604) reinforces his links to English crown--the “loynes of Henry VII” who united England & Scotland.

Tours at the Globe

Thank you, Shakespeare!