Transcript here - Miss YONKE

An Introduction to William
Shakespeare and The Tragedy
of Romeo & Juliet
This presentation will…
inform you about the life and work of the
mysterious William Shakespeare.
provide you details about Elizabethan
society and theater.
define basic terminology related to
Shakespearean poetry and drama.
April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford -onAvon to John and Mary Shakespeare. There is a baptismal
registration for Shakespeare, but few other written records exist.
He was the 3 rd of 8 children.
Much of Shakespeare’s younger years
remain a mystery, but there are rumors
about what jobs he may have worked.
Schoolmaster
Lawyer
Lawyer
Butcher Apprentice
1582: According to church
records, Shakespeare married
Anne Hathaway.
At the time of their
marriage, William was
eighteen and Anne was
twenty-six.
William and Anne have
three children together
(Susanna, Hamnet, and
Judith).
August 1596: young
Hamnet died at the
age of eleven. The
cause of his death is
unknown.
Shakespeare left his family in
1591 to pursue writing in
London.
Susanna
Judith
Hamnet
In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a reputation as an
actor and playwright.
As theatres were beginning to
grow in popularity, it is
probable that Shakespeare
began earning a living writing
plays (adapting old ones and
working with others on new
ones).
1594: William became involved with a company of actors named “The
Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group later (1603) changed their name
to “The King’s Men”.
In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration with
other actors, designed and built The Globe.
This circular theatre was the first of
its kind, breaking away from the
traditional rectangular theatres.
1612: Shakespeare moved back to Stratford
where he retired both rich and famous.
1616: William Shakespeare died on his birthday.
At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written
around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have
contributed over two thousand words to the English language.
Fashionable
Shakespeare is
also known to have
written around 884
words throughout
all of his works.
Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloasedheare
Bleste be ye man [that] spares thes stones
And curst be he that moves my bones.
Which do you prefer?
Or…..
Shakespearean Theater
“The Globe”
Romeo,
Romeo…Where
for art thou
Romeo?
Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts
The First Elizabethan Theater: “The
Wooden O”
Built in 1576, first permanent stage in
London
Built by James Burbage
Shaped in form of a tavern
1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeare’s
company used it to build The Globe
Theatre
Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts
The Globe
Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard
No artificial light so all plays were performed at noon
Three stories high – upper levels were for the wealthy
The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the
floor in front of the stage (800 people)
Large platform stage
Elaborate costumes but no props
Young boys played the parts of women; women weren’t
allowed to be actors
Fire and Rediscovery
Shakespeare’s Globe
burned down, but its
foundation was
discovered in 1990. It
gave us many clues to
the Elizabethan
experience such as
hazelnut shells! A
replica has since been
rebuilt. You can visit it
and see a play today.
Terminology
Tragedy: A narrative about serious and important
actions that end unhappily, usually with the death of
the main characters.
The play is broken up into acts and the acts are broken
up into scenes.
Monologue: A long uninterrupted speech given by one
character onstage to everyone.
Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one
character alone on stage, inaudible to other characters
Aside: A short speech given by one character,
traditionally the other characters cannot hear.
Terminology
Diction – an author’s choice of words, especially
with regard to correctness, clearness, or
effectiveness
Tone – the author’s attitude towards the audience,
the subject, or the character
Shown through dialogue or descriptions
Mood – the feeling the reader gets from a story
Shown through setting and atmosphere
Archetype - a character, an event, a story or an
image that recurs in different works, in different
cultures and in different periods of time.
Terminology
Pun: A humorous play on words
After that poisonous snake struck at me in the
Arizona Desert I was really rattled.
A carpenter must have been here. I saw dust.
Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery.
Corduroy pillows are making headlines.
The executioner decided to drop out of
Executioner School. It was just too cut throat for
him.
Terminology
Dramatic Foil: A pair
of characters who are
opposite in many ways
and highlight or
exaggerate each
other’s differences.
Shakespeare’s 5 Part
Storytelling Pattern:
Act III: Climax
A series of complications
Act II: Rising Action
A series of
complications
Act I: Exposition
Establishes setting,
characters, conflict, and
background
Act IV: Falling Action
Results of the turning
point; characters locked
into deeper disaster
Act V:
Climax/Resolution/Denouement
Death of the main characters and then
the loose parts of the plot are tied up
MONTAGUE
Romeo
Lord Montague (his dad)
Lady Montague (his mom)
Mercutio (friend)
Benvolio (cousin)
vs. CAPULET
Juliet
Lord Capulet (her father)
Lady Capulet (her mother)
Tybalt (cousin)
Nurse
A Pair of Star Crossed Lovers…
“My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen
unknown , and known too late!”
~ Juliet; Act I, Scene V
FIN