William Shakespeare

“All the world 's a stage, /

And all the men and women

merely players.”——

Well-known Facts about Will• Great writer of England• Plays translated into all

languages, musicals, ballets

• Born Stratford-upon-Avon, (April 23rd? 1564)

• Well-to-do, affluent while alive

• Most quoted, other than the Bible

• Learned Latin in school• And attended school 9

hours a day

• Shakespeare wrote for and performed with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

• This group often performed for royalty and later became known as the King’s Men.

• Father was a glove-maker and served as mayor

• Mother was Mary Arden

Lesser-known Facts• Teen father: married pregnant 26

year old Anne Hathaway when he was 18

• Deadbeat dad: Left wife and children for London stage career

• Father of twins, Judith and Hamnet. And daughter Susanna

• Elizabethan rapper: uses rhythm and rhyme

• “Plagiarism” ?• Died on his birthday at 52 and

was buried in Stratford Holy Trinity Church.

Shakespeare’s Epitaph

Good Friend, for Jesus’sake forbear.

To dig the dust enclosed here.

Blessed be the man that spare these stones.

And Cursed be he that moves my bones.

The Competition

• Bear-baiting• Races• Gambling• Music• Drinking/socializing• Prostitution• Public executions

Conditions in London-BAD!

• Thames River polluted with raw sewage- could have led to bubonic plague.

• Trees used up for fuel

• Poverty• Actors held in low

regard

Personal hygiene/health

• Bathing considered dangerous• Body odor strong• Childhood diseases• Children often died before 5 years• Small Pox• Bubonic Plague- led to closing of theaters for

two years.

Living Conditions

• No running water

• Chamber Pots

• Open Sewers

• Crowded

                  

Clothes

• One set used all year long, rarely washed

• Underclothing slept in, infrequently changed

• Clothes handed down from rich to poor

Theater in London

• Performed in courtyards of inns

• The Theater-first public theater-1576

• Daytime/open air• Limited set design• Relied on music, sound,

costumes, props and great description

• The first theater to be constructed was “The Theater

• As a play was about to begin trumpets would sound as the first actor delivered the prologue.

• At the end of each play, no matter how sad, the stage would be filled with singers, acrobats, and tumblers for the grand finale.

• Theaters were located in the suburbs called “liberties”. Thieves, pickpockets, and scoundrels liked to hang out in these areas.

The Globe

• Built in 1599• Across the Thames-

“Wrong side of town”• King’s Players -

Shakespeare’s company• Perfomances in afternoon

because of lighting• Refferred as“The

Wooden-O” in Henry V.

The Globe

The white flag meant there would be a play that day. The color of The flag indicated the type of play being performed. Ex. Red was history

The Globe- parts

The Proper• Three story

wooden structure. • 16 sided polygon

(wooden O)

• Three main parts– Building proper– The stage– The tiring house

(backstage house)

The Stage• Jutted halfway into the

yard so actors were in closer contact with audience

• Trap doors under stage• Ceiling was painted with

suns, moons and stars,with trap door

Tiring House• 2-story back drop for

stage• Included balcony,

tower, and city wall scenes

• Scenery not abundant. When actor carried lantern, audience knew it was night

• Props were abundant.

• Interiors painted brightly

• Costumes were elaborate

Galleries• Three covered seating

sections• Costs more• Entrance- “gatherers”

stood at entrance to collect pennies. Patrons put pennies into a box, hence the term “box office”

Actors

• All men• Female parts played

by young boys• No actual kissing or

hugging on stage

The groundling

• Poor audience member• Stood around stage in “the pit”• Women not allowed (had to dress

up as men to attend)• Threw rotten vegetables at bad

performances• Penny• drank beer and played cards,

shouted at actors, also called “Penny Skinkards”

• Spread epidemics and plagues

Queen Elizabeth

• Bastard daughter of King Henry VIII

• And Ann Boleyn (2nd of 6 wives)

• Henry had Ann beheaded for “treason”

• Younger sister of “Bloody Mary.”

The Renaissance• 1500-1650• “Rebirth” of arts, culture, science • Discovery of “New World”• Copernicus: Sun-centered

Universe (1543)• King Henry VIII = renaissance man

(ideal)• Reformation of Catholic Church• Actors were held in very low regard

until Queen Elizabeth began to support them.

• He was dead as a doornail.• She’s a tower of strength.• They hoodwinked us.• I couldn’t sleep a wink.• I’m green-eyed with jealousy.• We’d better lie low for awhile.• Keep a civil tongue in your head.