Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is one of the world's most famous prolific playwrights. To understand Shakespeare's plays, one must be familiar with the life and time of Shakespeare.

PLAYBILL
	The Man	His Works
	English People	The Theatre
	Actors	Plays
	The Audience	Romeo & Juliet Study Page
	9th Grade Home Page

William Shakespeare

1564 - 1616

married Anne Hathaway - 3 children

born and died in Stratford-on-Avon

actor, writer, producer, and director

continued to act throughout career

Shakespeare's Work
works performed rather than published
37 plays & numerous poems
wrote tragedy, comedy, history
tragedy	Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet
comedy	A Midsummer's Night Dream, As You Like It
history	Henry IV
created world of illusion and fantasy/make believe
time frames often skewed - don't always mesh

British People

knew all men were not equal

accepted class differences

knew a hierarchy of rank existed (indicated by dress - livery of house)

did not rise above rank born into

believed world was rational

believed in moderation

believed in astrology - life determined by the stars

Queen Elizabeth I - introduced Golden Age

after long civil war (War of Roses) and period of religious upset

held theatre presentations at court

interest in science and humanities

classical learning of Greeks and Romans

looked to Greek & Roman civilizations for examples of government

The Theatre

first permanent theatre in London opened a few years before Shakespeare wrote

copied layout of the courtyard used for theatre productions

basic, open to the elements (roofless)

no draw curtains, no lights, no special effects, few props, no scenery

stage and courtyard formed a circle or octagon

covered galleries to the left and right of the stage - 3 levels with benches

stage juts out into the pit

inner stage with curtains

second level - balcony

music gallery

pit - open area where audience stood

Globe Theatre - famous theatre seated 2,000-3,000 people

The Actors

variety of troupes included all ages

Shakespeare's company - Lord Chamberlain's Men, later King's Men

no women - young boys played women's parts

wore elaborate costumes geared to the times

spoke rapidly

no major costume changes

The Audience

all levels of society

expected to be entertained

sophisticated - poetry, character development, situations

less sophisticated - clowns, wordplay, fignting, music & dance

did not expect realism

knew the form and most times the plot

wealthy in the galleries

poorer (groundlings) stood in the pit

vendors sold beverages and snacks in pit - hazelnuts and popcorn favorites

"The Play's the Thing . . ." ( Hamlet)
playwrights borrowed material fro other sources
rewritten from poems, Greek plays, other sources
followed conventional forms (Greek)
differed in stressed themes and characterization
lasted 2-3 hours during daylight hours
numerous troupes with writers and actors
Shakespeare's Plays - Five Act Plays
		Act III
		climax
	Act II		Act IV
	rising action		falling action
Act I				Act V
exposition				denouement