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Shakespeare introduction. Queen Elizabeth Elizabethan era = Golden Age = $$$$$ Center of World Commerce reigned for forty five years – from 1558-1603 . .
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Queen Elizabeth Elizabethan era = Golden Age = $$$$$Center of World Commercereigned for forty five years – from 1558-1603.
Bear Baiting was popular in England until the nineteenth century. From the sixteenth century, many herds of bears were maintained for baiting. In its best-known form, arenas for this purpose were called bear-gardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the "pit", and raised seating for spectators. A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck. A number of well-trained hunting dogs would then be set on it, being replaced as they tired or were wounded or killed. In some cases the bear was let loose, allowing it to chase after animals or people.
A theater that puts on a variety of different shows rather than one show continuously • Weren’t allowed to advertise. Flags advertised the play for the day: • Black=Tragedy • White=Comedy • Red=History
The Cost of a Show • 1 shilling to stand • 2 shillings to sit in the balcony 1 shilling was 10% of their weekly income
All classes of people attended plays there.Held about 3,000 peopleNo electricity – candles were expensive No roof so that they had sunlight.Thus, plays had to be during the day.No scenery!!! All descriptions are in the lines being delivered.
Problems at the Theatre • Fights • Spread of disease (the plague) • Drug dealing • Prostitution • Theft
Entrance View • Everybody entered at the same place regardless of where you paid to sit or stand. • The stage juts out onto the floor, so some people would view from the side.
The Pit - Groundlings • Poor people could get into plays for little money, but had to stand. They were known as Groundlings. • It would be very difficult to see unless you were right next to the stage. • Plays often lasted hours and the Groundlings would stand the whole time.
Second Floor View • The middle to upper class people could afford to sit on the second level. • The second level wrapped around both sides of the stage.
Third Floor View • Only the upper class could afford seats on the third level. • For extra money they could get a padded seat.
Stage View • The actors had to deal with many distractions: • Weather (no roof) • Rowdy Audience • Fruits and Veggies thrown at them if the play or the acting was bad.
The Heavens, Earth & Hell • The trapdoor would lead to the area under the stage, known sometimes as hell or the underworld at the new Globe. It is likely to have served as Ophelia’s grave in Hamlet and as the tomb of the Andronici in Titus Andronicus.
The stage platform was earth and the space beneath the stage was called hell. • This symbolism suggested, as Shakespeare often declared, that the theatre was like a little world, and therefore the world was like a theatre: ‘All the world’s a stage…’. Why else would Shakespeare’s playhouse be called the Globe?
The Tiring House • The tiring house (or ‘attiring house’) was the area behind the stage where costumes and props were stored and where actors dressed to prepare themselves before their performances. The most expensive items owned by acting companies were their costumes.
Costumes • Costumes had two functions on the Elizabethan stage. First, they created a spectacular effect, since many of the clothes actors wore on stage were made of fine materials such as silk, velvet and taffeta. • The second function of costume was to help the audience identify the characters: a clown, a nurse, a shepherd or a king would be instantly recognisable.
Only men were permitted to perform • Boys or effeminate men were used to play the women
Education and Childhood • William Shakespeare probably began school at seven years old. There is no record of him going to school, but it is said that his father sent him to the Stratford Grammar School near his house on Henley St. • While in school, Shakespeare would have learned the basics; how to read and write and Latin • Shakespeare was removed from school around age thirteen because of his fathers social and financial difficulties. • He emerged again in the late 1580’s as a professional actor, there are suggestions that he may have worked as a lawyer or schoolmaster, but no one is fully sure of what he did up until that point.
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at age twenty-six(she was 8 years older) They had there first child, Susanna, born May 26, 1583. In 1585, Shakespeare and Anne had twins. They were named Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died on August 11, 1596, at the age of eleven of an unknown cause, and Judith died in 1662.
Why is he still so famous? • His plays portray situations we all experience in our lives: love, marriage, death, mourning, guilt, the need to make difficult choices, separation, reunion and reconciliation • He wrote with great humanity, tolerance, and wisdom • They are constantly fresh and can be adapted to the place and time they are performed • They help us to understand what it is to be human, and to cope with the problems
Dramatic techniques • Monologue • One (mono) person with a long set of lines • Spoken to another actor • Soliloquy • Speech of moderate to long length • Spoken by one actor alone on stage (or not heard by other actors) • Aside • Direct address by actor to audience • Not supposed to be overheard by other characters
Unusual Word Arrangement • Shakespeare changed the order of words for poetic reasons or dramatic effect. • Note the change in the inflection of these sentences simply by changing the word order: I ate the sandwich.I the sandwich ate.Ate the sandwich I.Ate I the sandwich.The sandwich I ate.The sandwich ate I.
What is the key to breaking this code? These four words can create six unique sentences which carry the same meaning. When you are reading Shakespeare's plays, look for this type of unusual word arrangement. • Locate the subject, verb, and the object of the sentence. • Notice that the object of the sentence is often placed at the beginning (the sandwich) in front of the verb (ate) and subject (I). • Rearrange the words in the order that makes the most sense to For example: AteIthe sandwich. Iate the sandwich.
Omissions Again, for the sake of his poetry, Shakespeare often left out letters, syllables, and whole words. These omissions really aren't that much different from the way you speak today. "Been to class yet?""No. Heard Hunt's givin' a test.""Wha'sup wi'that?" : We leave out words and parts of words to speed up our speech. If we were speaking in complete sentences, we would say: "Have you been to class yet?""No, I have not been to class. I heard that Ms. Hunt is giving a test today.""What is up with that?"
‘tis it is ope open o’er over ne’er never oft often e’er ever e’en even
What’s the key tobreaking the code? • Don’t skip words because you don’t know them. • Try reading the whole sentence to get a feel for what is being said, then, use the glossary • Locate phrases that you understand. • Put these phrases into your words. Essentially, you translate Shakespeare into our modern-day language
Finally, we must break the code to Shakespeare’s poetry. • Iambic pentameter: five beats of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables; ten syllables per line. I am so glad the day is near-ly done. To lie up-on my couch will be much fun. • Couplet: two lines of poetry that fit together. • Quatrain: four lines of poetry that fit together.
