a brief (and witty) look at the life and times of william shakespeare
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A Brief (and witty) Look at the Life and Times of William Shakespeare. How Shakespeare Wrote Plays. His Tools. A quill: the hollow, rigid shaft of a bird’s feather. Fun Fact: The word “pen” is derived from the Latin name for “feather”—“ penna .” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
A Brief (and witty) Look at the Life and
Times of William Shakespeare
How ShakespeareWrote Plays
His ToolsA quill: the hollow, rigid shaft of a bird’s feather. Fun Fact: The word “pen” is derived from the Latin name for “feather”—“penna.”Introduced in 500 A.D. and was the writing instrument of choice until 1850
Lighting
Did he use dictionaries?
How setting affected his writingUsed dialogue to make up for sparse decorationsImaginative cooperation of the audienceInformal stage created intimacy between the actors and audience
CensorshipManuscripts had to be submitted for approval.The authorities allowed the theater to deal with political issues only if they did not refer too obviously to current affairs. An acting company could alter a script as they saw fit—with or without a playwright's approval. Did any of Shakespeare’s original manuscripts survive?
The Five Act Play
Gustav Freytag: Dramatic Technique
Act 1: Exposition. We meet the dramatis personae, and time and place are established. We learn about the antecedents of the story. Attention is directed toward the germ of
conflict and dramatic tensions.Marlin’s cautious nature is shown when he goes in and out of the home indefinitely, checking for danger.Nemo’s ‘lucky fin’ is revealed, showing that he was physically affected by the baraccuda attack.We also see that Nemo is a regular kid, annoyed by his father’s worrying.Marlin is socially awkward, tells bad jokes.
Act 2: Complications (Rising Action). The rising action is the series of
adventures the characters go on. Each adventure slowly takes them towards the climax. Quality
stories get increasingly suspenseful and tense as the climax approaches. The rising action begins with an
event known as the “inciting incident.”
Essential CharacteristicsSeveral mini-adventures within the main plotLongest act of the storyBuilds tension, excitement, and suspense over time
Examples of rising action from Finding Nemo:Inciting incident: Nemo is taken by the divers!Marlin encounters the sharks.Marlin goes through the jellyfish.Nemo gains the friendship of the aquarium fish.Nemo attempts to escape the aquarium.
Act 3: The Climax. The development of conflict reaches its
high point, the Hero stands at the crossroads, leading to victory or defeat,
crashing or soaring.
Example from Finding Nemo: The search for Nemo intersects with Nemo’s own adventures in the dentist’s office. The climax continues into the ocean, reaching its peak when Nemo rescues the fish trapped in a net.
Act 4: Falling Action. Reversals. The consequences of Act 3
play out, momentum slows, and tension is heightened by false hopes/fears. If it's a tragedy, it looks like the Hero can be
saved. If not, then it looks like all may be lost.
Essential CharacteristicsShows the outcome of the climaxTells the reader the status of the main characters Example: This is when Nemo saves Dorie and Marlin learns to trust his son.
Act 5: Catastrophe/Resolution. The conflict is resolved, whether through a catastrophe, the downfall of the hero, or
through his victory and transfiguration. The dénouement reveals how the characters
have “changed over time.”In Finding Nemo, the dénouement
shows:Marlin finally tells his whole joke.Marlin is no longer over protective of his son.Nemo is confident and happy.
The End