William Shakespeare

1
William Shakespeare

• Life and times
• Language
• His works (plays and sonnets)
• Historical context

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April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616

• Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon (center of
  England). It is said that he was born on April
  23rd
• 1 of 8 childrenhis parents (John and Mary) lost
  two children before William was born

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His early years

• It is believed that he went to junior school and
  then on to Stratford Grammar School by the age of
  seven, where he studied Latin and Greek
• William probably saw his first plays as a boy.
  Accounts show that traveling actors appeared in
  Stratford more than thirty times.

4
Marriage and family

• Married Anne Hathaway at age 18 - she was 26
• They had three children together Susanna, Judith
  and Hamnet - son).
• Shakespeare apparently left for London while his
  family stayed behind in Stratford.
• The Lost Years 1586-1592
• (we are not really sure what he was doing)

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His writing years

• Shakespeare became an actor and a playwright by
  1592.
• He worked with the theatrical company known as
  the Lord Chamberlains Companylater called the
  Kings Men, when King James came to the throne
  and supported the company by being its patron.
• Shakespeare wrote a total of 37 plays and 154
  sonnets (14- line poem with a specific rhyme
  scheme) in his lifetime. None of his plays were
  published until seven years after his death.
• Shakespeare also coined many words and
  expressions such as catch a cold, pomp and
  circumstance, assassinate, lonely, and
  the green-eyed monster.

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Shakespeare and Theater

• The Theatre was the first public playhouse
  built in London (only 20 years before Shakespeare
  began writing). Shakespeare and the acting
  company performed there until 1599 when their
  lease expired. Then they built the Globe Theater.

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His Theater

• Called The Globe - opened in 1599. Shakespeare
  referred to it as the Wooden O as it was a
  large, round theater made from wood.
• Plays were performed in the afternoon - no
  artificial lighting.
• Probably accommodated an audience of 3,000 from
  all social classes.
• The groundlings paid a penny to get in and
  stood on three sides of the stage. Upper classes
  sat or stood in tiers covered from rain.
• Worked with limited props the outcome of each
  play depended solely upon Shakespeares words,
  the actors talents, and the participation of the
  audience.

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His Theater (cont.)

• Three stories high, three-level seating
• Octagon-shaped
• Had a thatched roof
• Large platform stage that projected into the
  audience pulleys and trap doors
• No fancy sets, basic costumes
• All parts were portrayed by males
• Eventually burned in 1613, was rebuilt, but later
  torn down in 1644. A new Globe Theater stands
  today.

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The Globe / Wooden O today
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• Outside of the new Globe Theatre
  (opened in 1997)

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Touring the Globe Theater

• Lets take a quick virtual tour of Shakespeares
  theater.
• http//www.shakespeares-globe.org/virtualtour/

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About the plays

• Because he wrote nearly four hundred years ago,
  some of Shakespeares language poses problems for
  modern readers
• Much of Much Ado is written in iambic pentameter
  (five sets of an unstressed syllable followed by
  a stressed syllable)
• Thou WILT be LIKE a LOVer PRESentLY,
• and TIRE the HEARer WITH a BOOK of WORDS
• He wrote comedies, tragedies, and histories, and
  sometimes romance (types of plays)
• His plays were meant to be seen, not read

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Shakespeares Plays

• A few of his 37 plays include
• Macbeth
• Hamlet
• Julius Caesar
• The Taming of the Shrew
• Othello
• A Midsummer Nights Dream

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Five-Part Dramatic Structure
Act III Crisis or Turning Point
Act II Rising Action/ Complications
Act IV Falling Action
Act I Exposition/ Introduction
Act V Climactic Moment/ Resolution (denouement)
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Much Ado About Nothing

• Genre Romantic Comedy
• Setting In Messina, on the eastern tip of
  Sicily
• The men have returned from war and its time to
  celebrate!

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The Characters

• Beatrice and Benedick Long-time verbal sparring
  partners

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The Characters

• Claudio wishes to marry Hero, Governor Leonatos
  daughter. Alas, he is too shy to approach her.

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The Characters

• Don Pedro The leader of the soldiers. Claudio
  enlists his aid in wooing the fair Hero.

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The Characters

• Don John The bastard brother of Don Pedro. As
  a villain, he is determined to make trouble and
  spoil anyones happiness if he can.

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The Characters

• Dogberry The bumbling sheriff of Messina. With
  his constable Verges, they add humor and wit to
  the play as they become involved in the drama.

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The Elizabethan Age (1558-1603)

• Named for the reigning Queen, Elizabeth I. She
  assumed the throne after her older half-sister,
  Mary, died. Elizabeth became Queen at age 25.
• Full of ambition, achievement, promise.
• English drama was developed at its highest.
• Bubonic plague (Black Death) closed theaters for
  time periods
• Renaissance (rebirth) of thought, art, and vision
  for England.

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Elizabethan Age continued

• London center of everythingbooming town
• Theater was a true common denominatorall
  social classes intersected in the theatre. It was
  the main source of entertainment of its day.
• Elizabeth was succeeded by her cousin, James,
  when she died in 1603.

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Some Elizabethan Words
Archaic Word Modern Meaning
Owes Owns
Wot Know
Good morrow Good morning
Good day Afternoon greeting/parting
Good eve or eventide Good evening
God ye good den God grant
I bid you adieu Goodbye
By your leave With your permission
Shrift Confession
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Get Ready!

• Place your Much Ado characters bedroom on your
  desk
• Prepare to share it with a small group
• Introduce your character
• Explain who your character is
• Show the objects in the room and explain what
  they represent about your characters personality

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Please respond in your Reading Section

• What do you think might go wrong with Don Pedros
  plan to disguise himself as Claudio and ask Hero
  to marry him?
• At the ball, how might Beatrice and Benedick act
  toward each other when each is wearing a mask?
• 3. Because we know Don John is a villain who has
  vowed revenge on Don Pedro, what do you think he
  might do to spoil Don Pedro and Claudios plans
  for the masked ball?

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Stop and Say Something

• Read the script aloud
• Stop at the stars in your text to discuss the
  passage
• Every member of the group will say something
• Example starter phrases
• -I wonder -I bet that
• -I think this means -This character
• -Im confused by -I feel

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Choose Your Character(s)
Don Pedro Beatrice Hero, Ursula Claudio Baltha
sar, Borachio Benedick Margaret
Antonio, Don John
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Write a Summary
Somebody Wanted But So
Leonato Hero to be married and happy Antonios servant reported the wrong info. He told Hero to prepare for a proposal from Don Pedro
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Write a Summary
Somebody Wanted But So
Claudio
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Act II Masks, Tricks, and Deceit

• What plan might Don Pedro and Claudio create to
  make Benedick and Beatrice fall in love with one
  another?
• How might Don John try to ruin the upcoming
  wedding between Claudio and Hero?

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Get Organized!
Use the list on the side board to organize your
folder. Folder check tomorrow!
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Why a Masquerade?
Talk with your partner and jot down a list of
things that were able to happen because
characters were wearing masks. (Reading Section)
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Tricks and Deceit
Who plays tricks in Much Ado? Who wears a
mask? What are they hiding?
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Choose Your Roles

• Recorder
• Timekeeper
• Materials Manager
• Taskmaster

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How Has Your Character Worn a Mask?

• Three relevant quotes to show how they
• have tricked or been tricked by others
• Explanation of what this reveals about your
• character
• Simile and picture of the simile