William Shakespeare. Born 1564 Died Two of the original theatre troupe publish 36 of Shakespeare s texts in The First Folio.

Transcription

1 William Shakespeare Born 1564 Died Two of the original theatre troupe publish 36 of Shakespeare s texts in The First Folio. Prior to this texts had been published in quarto versions which were likely not approved by Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote in a style of conversation and poetry that was similar to his contemporaries. His later works experimented and manipulated these standards to allow for more expressive perofmrnances.

2 Elizabethan Theatres Two types of theatres: Open Air public theatres Indoor Private Theatres All theatre controlled by the Master of Revels Indoor Theatres difficult to light Theatres often closed down due to the plague Theatres on the South Side of the Thames ( seedy side of London)

3 Open Air Public Theatres Seat Enclosed 3 tiered Galleries with thatched Roof Large central Yard or Pit Trapdoors in stage floor Tiring House at rear Deus Ex Machina Upper Stage

4

5 Elizabethan Theatre THEATRICAL STYLES Aside/Soliloquy Commedia dell arte (a slapstick style of comedy) Prologues/Epilogues Blank verse vs. prose Singing/dancing/playing instruments/indigent Sound effects Sword Fighting Minimal set Contemporary costume Heightened language/heightened Body & Voice

6 Shakespeare s World The Elizabethan Era The English Renaissance The Golden Age Economically healthy Expansion and trade Theatre was the most prevalent form of culture Several recurrences of the Black Death

7 INFLUENCES ON THE PLAYWRIGHT Elizabeth I (woman in a man s role) Protestant vs. Catholic Renaissance Renewed interest in ancient Greece Merchants opened the world Merchants sponsored the arts

8 SOCIAL Context (the portrayal of the ways that people relate) Women = property of fathers Colonialism = the forced capture of foreign lands and the enslaving or eradication of native people Travel is common place and trvel literature very popular Theatre is carefully regulated women are NOT allowed on the stage (all girls played by boys)

9 The Tempest Some Context Shakespeare s last play. Hard to categorise as a comedy or tragedy. Not a history. Possibly self-referential with Shakespeare being similar to the central character Prospero. Concepts of slavery are different to today with ideas of colonialism still strong Ownership and control over females by their fathers.

10 Language Plays are to be seen and heard, not read Elizabethan Language - Less words exist - Moving between old and modern English - Fitting into a poetic structure Prose and Poetry Poetic Form Hierarchy - Blank Verse similar to plain speaking - Rhyming Couplets where pairs of lines have rhyming ends - Sonnets groups of rhyming lines in a particular pattern - Lyrics like song, the highest form of poetry

11 Iambic Pentameter Poetry has both a pace and a rhythm that it follows. Iambic = weak sounds followed by strong ones Pentameter = ten beats or syllables Iambic Pentameter = ten beats which have a weak followed by a strong pattern of syllables I tend to like a bis cuit with my tea But I bought a hot choc late, sil ly me

12 Iambic Pentameter This doesn t mean you bounce when reading It helps when memorizing It means each sentence ends with an upward tone Breaks in the rhythm - Less beats = place a pause for the number of beats - An additional beat = a question or doubt - Flipping the stress = confusion or strong emotion

13 Common words anon right now, OR I come right away. Anon, good nurse! Speak! art are, OR skill Thou art dead; no physician s art can save you. dost or doth does or do Dost thou know the time? ere before We must leave ere daybreak. fain gladly I fain would bake Mr. Love cookies if I could get an A. fie an exclamation of dismay or disgust You cheated? Fie upon it! OR Fie! Are you mad? hark listen. Hark to the owl, OR Hark! The herald angels sing! hence away.. Get thee hence, beggar! OR We must hence before the army arrives. hie hurry Hie thee hence, or lose your life! hither here.. Come hither, young lad. thither there Look to the east thither doth the sun arise. hath has He hath killed many a man. OR He hath a horse. ho hey (roughly equivalent). Lucius, ho! [Brutus calling his servant] mark pay attention to.. Mark my words. marry indeed He says I should respond quickly; marry, I want to. pray/prithee a polite way of asking something I prithee answer the question. saucy cheeky; sassy Hence, thou saucy boy! sirrah a term of address used for inferiors Sirrah, bring the letter over here. thee you When will I see thee next? thou you Thou art a villain. thy your Thy name is more hateful than thy face. whence from where.. Whence came that news? OR Return to whence you came. wherefore why Wherefore dost thou leave?