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William Shakespeaqe
1564-1616 Stqatfoqdon-Avon -
Oveqview
Who was he? Why is he so famous? Life Works Tragedy Comedy History Poetry Elements of drama Dramatic technique Poetic technique
Life
Born around April 23, 1564; 3rd of 8 children Family
lived in Stratford-on-Avon, a market town about 100 miles NW of London.
standing in Stratford. Served as Justice of the Peace and High Bailiff (mayor). grammar and literature, Rhetoric (the use of language). No further formal education known.
Later life
1594 - became shareholder in a company of actors called Lord Chamberlains
Men.
1599 - Lord Chamberlains Co. Built Globe Theater where most of S. Plays were
performed.
1599 - Actor for Lord Chamberlains Men and principal playwright for them. 1603 James I became king of England; acting company renamed Kings Men.
Works
Editions of works: First Quarto (1603), Second Quarto (1604), Folio (1623)
Comedy
A Midsummer Night's The Merchant of
Dream All's Well That Ends Well As You Like It Cymbeline Loves Labours Lost Measure for Measure Much Ado About Nothing Pericles, Prince of Tyre The Comedy of Errors Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter's Tale
Tragedy
Antony and
Cleopatra Coriolanus Hamlet Julius Caesar King Lear
Poetry
A Lover's Complaint Sonnets (about 154) The Passionate Pilgrim The Phoenix and the turtle The Rape of Lucrece Venus and Adonis
The Plays
Early plays, 1590s, were mainly comedy Comedy (and this could be extended to most of Shakespeare's history plays as well) is social--leading to a happy resolution (usually a marriage or marriages) and social unification. Shakespeare began to focus on tragedy/dramatic themes in the early 1600s Tragedy is individual, concentrating on the suffering of a single, remarkable hero-leading to individual torment, waste and death 1608 marks a change in tone from tragedy to romance, light, magic, and reconciliation
Henry VI parts I, II, III 1590-92 Richard III 1590-92 King J ohn 1594-96 Richard II 1597-(?) King Henry IV part I, part II 1597-98 Henry V (1599) 1598-99 J ulius Caesar 1599-1600 Henry VIII 1613-(?) Antony and Cleopatra 1606-07 Coriolanus 1607-08
Language
Used over 20,000 words in his works. The average writer uses 7,500. The English Dictionary of his time only had
500 words. Hes credited with creating 3,000 words in the English Oxford Dictionary. He was by far the most important individual influence on the development of the modern English. He invented lots of words that we use in our daily speech.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Elements of drama
5-part dramatic structure corresponds to a plays 5 acts Exposition (introduction)
Establishes tone, setting, main characters, main conflict. Fills in events previous to play.
Rising action
Series of complications for the protagonist (main character). flowing from the main conflict.
Elements of drama
Crisis or Climax
Turning point in story. Moment of choice for protagonist. Forces of conflict come together.
Falling action
Results of protagonists decision. Maintains suspense.
Resolution or Denouement
Conclusion of play. Unraveling of plot. May include characters deaths.
Dramatic technique
Pun: play on words involving
Word with more than one meaning Words with similar sounds
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
Poetic technique
Blank verse: unrhymed iambic
pentameter. Iambic pentameter.
5 units of rhythm per line. primary rhythm is iambic ( U / ). Shall compre The to a smmers dy.
Elizabethan Theatre
Built in 1599 The most magnificent theater in London Shakespeare was 1/5 owner He earned 10% of the total profit, approximately 200-250 a year The Bard retired to Stratford and lived on the profits he earned from the Globe June 19, 1613 the Globe burned to the ground during a performance of Henry VIII