Transcript File

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
The Man
The Myth
The Legend
Biographical Information

Born: Stratford-Upon Avon, England
 April 23, 1564
 Parents, John and Mary (Arden)
 7 brothers and sisters!
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Education
Attended a local grammar school in Stratford but
only until he was 15!!
 Only studied Latin, Logic, and Literature

The Bard Goes MIA

Little is known of what Shakespeare did from
the time he left school until 1592
(aka “the lost years”)
 What we do know:
 November
1582 married Anne Hathaway (she was
18, he was 26)
 Daughter Susanna born that following May
 In 1585, twins, Hamnet and Judith were born
 Hamnet dies in 1596
The Bard is BACK!

By 1592 he was established as a playwright,
poet, and actor in London.
 His success was immense. Shakespeare is
known to have written
154 sonnets and 37 plays!

In 1594 joined theater company:
Lord Chamberlain’s Men
 Most of his plays were played by them and he
even acted in several
Rumor Has It….
That Shakespeare couldn’t possibly have
written his plays
 Why?????

 Lacked
knowledge of the royal court
 With his middle class upbringing, he could not
have learned aristocratic sports and manners
 Lacked schooling
The End of His Career
Retires from theater in 1612 and moves
back to Stratford-upon-Avon
 1616, after his daughter Judith marries,
Shakespeare becomes ill
 A month later, April 23 he dies, buried at
Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare’s Theatre
• The Globe Theatre, also
known as the Shakespeare
Globe Theatre, was not only
one of most famous
playhouses of all time, but the
play house where
Shakespeare performed many
of his greatest plays.
• Built from oak, deal, and
stolen playhouse frames, the 3
storey, 3000 capacity
• Co-owned by William
Shakespeare
• Almost as famous as the
playwright himself
A Shakespearean Play
A show lasted about 2 ½ hours, usually in
open air theatres during the afternoon.
 There were no acts, but frequent
intermissions.
 There was no scenery, but elaborate
props and costumes to give reality.
 Devices such as trap doors and scaffolds
were used to make gods, witches, etc.
disappear.

A Shakespearean Play
There were no actresses. All parts were
played by men or boys.
 There were no programs.
 The closeness of stage to the audience led
to use of "asides" and "soliloquies“.
 In front of stage was a big open area
where the "penny-public" stood to watch
as they could not afford seats.
 The gallery seats were saved for lawyers,
nobles, and wealthy merchants
