Shakespeare

Introduction This study guide is for review of topics covered in class. This is NOT a cheat sheet for the test. Most of the information will be provided, but you will be responsible for providing the meaning to quotations from Shakespeare’s plays and further explaining his Sonnets.

This study guide is for review of topics covered in class.

This is NOT a cheat sheet for the test. Most of the information will be provided, but you will be responsible for providing the meaning to quotations from Shakespeare’s plays and further explaining his Sonnets.

Shakespeare Shakespeare’s Background Shakespeare’s Texts Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Background

Shakespeare’s Texts

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Background Shakespeare was born in Straford-upon-Avon sometime between the 20 and 24 th of April, 1564. Shakespeare was married at the age of 18 to Anne Hathaway, who was 26 at the time. Shakespeare was one of few writers who could make a living writing. He was not financially well off because of his play writing though. Shakespeare was a share holder in the play company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and made his money from his shares. It was difficult for any writer in Shakespeare’s time to make a living because there were no copyright laws.

Shakespeare was born in Straford-upon-Avon sometime between the 20 and 24 th of April, 1564.

Shakespeare was married at the age of 18 to Anne Hathaway, who was 26 at the time.

Shakespeare was one of few writers who could make a living writing. He was not financially well off because of his play writing though.

Shakespeare was a share holder in the play company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and made his money from his shares.

It was difficult for any writer in Shakespeare’s time to make a living because there were no copyright laws.

Shakespeare’s Texts Richard III Much Ado About Nothing Macbeth Measure for Measure Sonnets These websites can be used to help you understand the texts.

Richard III

Much Ado About Nothing

Macbeth

Measure for Measure

Sonnets

These websites can be used to help you understand the texts.

Richard III Major Characters Richard – Duke of Gloucester, deformed body and mind, main character and villain of the play. King Edward IV- Eldest Brother to Richard, King of England. Clarence- Middle brother to Edward and Richard, assassinated by a henchman Richard hires. Buckingham- Richard’s most loyal subject. Margaret- Widow of King Henry VI from the house of Lancaster.

Richard – Duke of Gloucester, deformed body and mind, main character and villain of the play.

King Edward IV- Eldest Brother to Richard, King of England.

Clarence- Middle brother to Edward and Richard, assassinated by a henchman Richard hires.

Buckingham- Richard’s most loyal subject.

Margaret- Widow of King Henry VI from the house of Lancaster.

Important Quotes From Richard III Richard III Opening scene Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv’st, And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends. No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine, Unless it be while some tormenting dream Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils. Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog, Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity The slave of nature and the son of hell. Thou slander of thy heavy mother’s womb. Thou loathèd issue of thy father’s loins. Thou rag of honour, thou detested— (1.3.220–230) Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower, And was embarked to cross to Burgundy, And in my company my brother Gloucester, . . . Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling Struck me—that thought to stay him—overboard Into the tumbling billows of the main. (1.4.9–20) Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days; Compare dead happiness with living woe; Think that thy babes were sweeter than they were, And he that slew them fouler than he is. Bett’ring thy loss makes the bad causer worse. Revolving this will teach thee how to curse. (4.4.118–123)

Richard III Opening scene

Much Ado About Nothing Major Characters Beatrice- Witty, uses jokes and puns. Hater and lover of Benedick. Cousin to Hero. Benedick- Witty, uses jokes and puns. Friend to Claudio and a self-proclaimed woman hater. Don John- Villain of the play. Tries to create tension between Hero and Claudio to disrupt their happiness. Claudio- Falls in love with hero, but believes in false accusations about hero too easily. Hero- Daughter of Leonato and cousin to Beatrice. Loves Claudio.

Beatrice- Witty, uses jokes and puns. Hater and lover of Benedick. Cousin to Hero.

Benedick- Witty, uses jokes and puns. Friend to Claudio and a self-proclaimed woman hater.

Don John- Villain of the play. Tries to create tension between Hero and Claudio to disrupt their happiness.

Claudio- Falls in love with hero, but believes in false accusations about hero too easily.

Hero- Daughter of Leonato and cousin to Beatrice. Loves Claudio.

Important Quotes from Much Ado About Nothing The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and set them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write ‘Here is good horse to hire’ let them signify under my sign ‘Here you may see Benedick, the married man.’ (1.1.215–219) What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. (2.1.28–32) They say the lady is fair. ‘Tis a truth, I can bear them witness. And virtuous—’tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is no addition to her wit—nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her. (2.3.204–208)

The savage bull may, but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull’s horns and set them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted, and in such great letters as they write ‘Here is good horse to hire’ let them signify under my sign ‘Here you may see Benedick, the married man.’ (1.1.215–219)

What should I do with him—dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man; and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him. (2.1.28–32)

They say the lady is fair. ‘Tis a truth, I can bear them witness. And virtuous—’tis so, I cannot reprove it. And wise, but for loving me. By my troth, it is no addition to her wit—nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her. (2.3.204–208)

Macbeth Major Characters Macbeth- Kills the King and many others to maintain the throne. Lady Macbeth- Convinces Macbeth to murder. The Three Witches- Prophets who set the sequence of events in motion. King Duncan- King of Scotland, murdered by Macbeth. Malcolm- Son of Duncan and eventually reclaims the throne from Macbeth.

Macbeth- Kills the King and many others to maintain the throne.

Lady Macbeth- Convinces Macbeth to murder.

The Three Witches- Prophets who set the sequence of events in motion.

King Duncan- King of Scotland, murdered by Macbeth.

Malcolm- Son of Duncan and eventually reclaims the throne from Macbeth.

Important Quotes from Macbeth Whence is that knocking?— How is’t with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

Whence is that knocking?— How is’t with me, when every noise appals me? What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.

Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

Measure for Measure Major Characters The Duke- Dresses as a friar observes how well Angelo rules in his leave. Lord Angelo- Moral, just, and is asked to rule while the Duke is gone. Isabella- A chaste woman who is very beautiful and sister to Claudio. Claudio- Brother to Isabella. Impregnates his fiancee and violates the law of the land.

The Duke- Dresses as a friar observes how well Angelo rules in his leave.

Lord Angelo- Moral, just, and is asked to rule while the Duke is gone.

Isabella- A chaste woman who is very beautiful and sister to Claudio.

Claudio- Brother to Isabella. Impregnates his fiancee and violates the law of the land.

Important Quotes from Measure for Measure "Reason thus with life: if I do lose thee, I do lose a thing that none but fools would keep." (3.1.6-8) "Ay, but yet let us be keen, and rather cut a little, than fall, and bruise to death." (2.1.4-6) "'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, another thing to fall." (2.1.17-18) "Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?" (2.2.38) “ Precise / scarce confesses that his blood flows” (1.3.35-36)

"Reason thus with life: if I do lose thee, I do lose a thing that none but fools would keep." (3.1.6-8)

"Ay, but yet let us be keen, and rather cut a little, than fall, and bruise to death." (2.1.4-6)

"'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, another thing to fall." (2.1.17-18)

"Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?" (2.2.38)

“ Precise / scarce confesses that his blood flows” (1.3.35-36)

Shakespeare’s Sonnets Sonnet 12 Sonnet 18 Sonnet 29

Sonnet 12

Sonnet 18

Sonnet 29

Sonnet 12 When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls all silver’d o’er with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, Then of thy beauty do I question make, That thou among the wastes of time must go, Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake And die as fast as they see others grow; And nothing ‘gainst Time’s scythe can make defence Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. Meaning: Only way to outsmart time is to have kids. The “when, and, when, and” provides a “tick-tock” feel to the sonnet. Turn in line 9.

When I do count the clock that tells the time,

And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;

When I behold the violet past prime,

And sable curls all silver’d o’er with white;

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves

Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,

And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves

Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,

Then of thy beauty do I question make,

That thou among the wastes of time must go,

Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake

And die as fast as they see others grow;

And nothing ‘gainst Time’s scythe can make defence

Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

Meaning: Only way to outsmart time is to have kids.

The “when, and, when, and” provides a “tick-tock” feel to the sonnet.

Turn in line 9.

Sonnet 18 Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee. Meaning: Time changes physical appearances, but not love. Turn comes in line 9. Quatrain 1 and 2 could be considered sarcastic.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

Meaning: Time changes physical appearances, but not love.

Turn comes in line 9.

Quatrain 1 and 2 could be considered sarcastic.

Sonnet 29 When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Reatured like him, like him with friends possess’d, Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope, With what I most enjoy contented least; Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate; For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings. Meaning: the subject is in distress, but he finds bliss in another person. Quatrain 1 and 2 present the story. Quatrain 3 is the turn.

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Reatured like him, like him with friends possess’d,

Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Meaning: the subject is in distress, but he finds bliss in another person.

Quatrain 1 and 2 present the story.

Quatrain 3 is the turn.

The Globe The Globe Theatre is considered to be “the house of Shakespeare.” Shakespeare started in “The Theatre” and “The Curtain”, but Lord Chamberlin’s Men eventually moved across the Thames and opened up “The Globe”. Artistic Rendition of The Globe. Modern day reconstruction of The Globe.

The Globe Theatre is considered to be “the house of Shakespeare.”

Shakespeare started in “The Theatre” and “The Curtain”, but Lord Chamberlin’s Men eventually moved across the Thames and opened up “The Globe”.

Artistic Rendition of The Globe.

Modern day reconstruction of The Globe.

View author of picture.

View author of picture.

Richard III – Winter of our discontent

Useful Websites Sparknotes - Richard III Sparknotes - Much Ado About Nothing Sparknotes - Macbeth Sparknotes - Measure for Measure Remember: Websites can be useful to help in the understanding of a text. Do NOT use it in place of the text.

Sparknotes - Richard III

Sparknotes - Much Ado About Nothing

Sparknotes - Macbeth

Sparknotes - Measure for Measure

Remember: Websites can be useful to help in the understanding of a text. Do NOT use it in place of the text.

Works Cited “ Clemson University”. Clemson University. 20 March 2008 <http://virtual.clemson.edu/caah/shakespr/VRGLOB E/images/Hllrglbd.jpg>. “ Great Travel with Virtual Vacations”. Far Explore. 20 March 2008 <http://www.farexplore.com/wordpress /wp-content/uploads/2007/7/globe/GlobeExt6.jpg>.

“ Clemson University”. Clemson University. 20 March 2008 <http://virtual.clemson.edu/caah/shakespr/VRGLOB E/images/Hllrglbd.jpg>.

“ Great Travel with Virtual Vacations”. Far Explore. 20 March 2008 <http://www.farexplore.com/wordpress

/wp-content/uploads/2007/7/globe/GlobeExt6.jpg>.