SHAKESPEARE

Getting Started Finish this sentence William Shakespeare was…

Finish this sentence

William Shakespeare was…

Preview Today’s lecture will look at four different aspects of William Shakespeare’s life and work Who was Shakespeare? What are his major works? What is his influence on English? What are some controversies about him?

Today’s lecture will look at four different aspects of William Shakespeare’s life and work

Who was Shakespeare?

What are his major works?

What is his influence on English?

What are some controversies about him?

Shakespeare, the Man

Shakespeare’s Beginnings Born in a common household in 1564 and died in 1616 This period was called Elizabethan England Married Anne Hathaway and had three children He was 18 and she was 26 One of his children died Shakespeare’s father’s house in Stratford

Born in a common household in 1564 and died in 1616

This period was called Elizabethan England

Married Anne Hathaway and had three children

He was 18 and she was 26

One of his children died

Shakespeare’s father’s house in Stratford

Shakespeare’s Career Became famous around 1592, when his plays came to London Worked in an acting company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, from 1594 until 1603 In 1603, formed a new acting group with his partners, the King’s Men In 1599, Shakespeare and his partners opened a theatre on the River Thames, called the Globe He wrote fewer plays after 1607 and retired soon after and returned to his hometown, Stratford

Became famous around 1592, when his plays came to London

Worked in an acting company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, from 1594 until 1603

In 1603, formed a new acting group with his partners, the King’s Men

In 1599, Shakespeare and his partners opened a theatre on the River Thames, called the Globe

He wrote fewer plays after 1607 and retired soon after and returned to his hometown, Stratford

The Globe Theatre Was destroyed and rebuilt several times Built as a round amphitheater for better sound inside Had seating for both rich people and common people Was a famous London landmark

Was destroyed and rebuilt several times

Built as a round amphitheater for better sound inside

Had seating for both rich people and common people

Was a famous London landmark

The Names of Shakespeare Because of his fame, Shakespeare is known by names besides his given name William Shakespeare These names include The Bard of Avon The Bard Avon is Shakespeare’s birthplace and hometown – Stratford upon Avon A bard is a writer and performer of songs and stories

Because of his fame, Shakespeare is known by names besides his given name William Shakespeare

These names include

The Bard of Avon

The Bard

Avon is Shakespeare’s birthplace and hometown – Stratford upon Avon

A bard is a writer and performer of songs and stories

Shakespeare, the Writer

What Did Shakespeare Write? Shakespeare’s writing can be divided into two main varieties Plays Comedies Histories Tragedies Romances Sonnets

Shakespeare’s writing can be divided into two main varieties

Plays

Comedies

Histories

Tragedies

Romances

Sonnets

Shakespeare’s Plays Shakespeare wrote nearly 40 known plays Some were based on well-known stories (Hamlet, for example) while others were original His plays are written both as prose (stories) and as verse (poetry) The plays often used a soliloquy – a long speech by a major character that shows the character’s inner feelings Most of his plays were performed by men only!

Shakespeare wrote nearly 40 known plays

Some were based on well-known stories (Hamlet, for example) while others were original

His plays are written both as prose (stories) and as verse (poetry)

The plays often used a soliloquy – a long speech by a major character that shows the character’s inner feelings

Most of his plays were performed by men only!

Greatest Plays of Shakespeare Tragedies Hamlet Romeo and Juliet Julius Caesar King Lear Othello Macbeth Histories Henry V Romances The Tempest Comedies The Taming of the Shrew A Midsummer Night’s Dream All’s Well that Ends Well

Tragedies

Hamlet

Romeo and Juliet

Julius Caesar

King Lear

Othello

Macbeth

Histories

Henry V

Romances

The Tempest

Comedies

The Taming of the Shrew

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

All’s Well that Ends Well

Shakespeare’s Sonnets Shakespeare is also famous for writing 154 sonnets A sonnet is a kind of English poem form that follows special rules Most of his sonnets became famous after his death

Shakespeare is also famous for writing 154 sonnets

A sonnet is a kind of English poem form that follows special rules

Most of his sonnets became famous after his death

Sonnet Structure A sonnet follows special rules Sonnets consist of three sets of four lines (called quatrains) and a couplet (two lines) at the end There are fourteen lines total Shakespeare used iambic pentameter, meaning his poems (and even plays) had five beats per line Like this: da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM He used a special rhyme scheme (pattern) Like this: abab cdcd efef gg

A sonnet follows special rules

Sonnets consist of three sets of four lines (called quatrains) and a couplet (two lines) at the end

There are fourteen lines total

Shakespeare used iambic pentameter, meaning his poems (and even plays) had five beats per line

Like this: da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

He used a special rhyme scheme (pattern)

Like this: abab cdcd efef gg

Sonnet Themes Shakespeare’s sonnets show different ideas – some are about love, others about sex, some about society Some of his sonnets are parodies of sonnet forms The sonnets also have “characters” that the poems are written about The Fair Youth – a beautiful young man The Dark Lady – a mysterious woman The Rival Poet – a rival of Shakespeare’s, perhaps

Shakespeare’s sonnets show different ideas – some are about love, others about sex, some about society

Some of his sonnets are parodies of sonnet forms

The sonnets also have “characters” that the poems are written about

The Fair Youth – a beautiful young man

The Dark Lady – a mysterious woman

The Rival Poet – a rival of Shakespeare’s, perhaps

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 some time declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

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 some time declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Sonnet 130 My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red than her lips' red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

I grant I never saw a goddess go;

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

As any she belied with false compare.

Shakespeare and English

Shakespeare’s Influence on English Shakespeare is often considered the greatest English writer of all time He influenced English in two ways His first influence is on art Theatre after Shakespeare copied many of his themes and characters, like the tragic hero with a flaw Literature after Shakespeare became more psychological – just like Shakespeare’s soliloquies His second influence is on the English language

Shakespeare is often considered the greatest English writer of all time

He influenced English in two ways

His first influence is on art

Theatre after Shakespeare copied many of his themes and characters, like the tragic hero with a flaw

Literature after Shakespeare became more psychological – just like Shakespeare’s soliloquies

His second influence is on the English language

Shakespeare’s English Shakespeare was a “wordsmith” – a creator of words He introduced nearly 2,000 words into English His phrases made him the most-quoted writer in English history He also revitalized English by making it a language of art Before Shakespeare, English was “losing” artistically to the Romance Languages and German

Shakespeare was a “wordsmith” – a creator of words

He introduced nearly 2,000 words into English

His phrases made him the most-quoted writer in English history

He also revitalized English by making it a language of art

Before Shakespeare, English was “losing” artistically to the Romance Languages and German

Shakespearian Vocabulary accused addiction amazement assassination backing bandit bedroom courtship critic dawn design discontent embrace engagements excitements eyeball fixture glow hint luggage ode questioning reinforcement savagery tardiness watchdog

accused

addiction

amazement

assassination

backing

bandit

bedroom

courtship

critic

dawn

design

discontent

embrace

engagements

excitements

eyeball

fixture

glow

hint

luggage

ode

questioning

reinforcement

savagery

tardiness

watchdog

Shakespeare’s Controveries

Shakespeare’s Identity Questioned There are three main arguments people have about Shakespeare’s identity Did he have a mistress? Was he secretly gay? Did he really write all of his plays?

There are three main arguments people have about Shakespeare’s identity

Did he have a mistress?

Was he secretly gay?

Did he really write all of his plays?

Did Shakespeare Have a Mistress? Some historians claimed that Shakespeare had a weak relationship with his wife Anne because she was older or even possibly because they were forced to marry because she was pregnant Some people from Shakespeare’s time claimed that he was known to have affairs with women who came to his theatres The sonnets he wrote about The Dark Lady are written about a married woman, a possible mistress of Shakespeare’s

Some historians claimed that Shakespeare had a weak relationship with his wife Anne because she was older or even possibly because they were forced to marry because she was pregnant

Some people from Shakespeare’s time claimed that he was known to have affairs with women who came to his theatres

The sonnets he wrote about The Dark Lady are written about a married woman, a possible mistress of Shakespeare’s

Was Shakespeare Gay? Some people have claimed Shakespeare may have been gay Some of his poems suggest male love His first book of poems was dedicated with love to a young patron (sponsor), Henry Wriothesley

Some people have claimed Shakespeare may have been gay

Some of his poems suggest male love

His first book of poems was dedicated with love to a young patron (sponsor), Henry Wriothesley

Was Shakespeare Real? Some people believe Shakespeare didn’t exist or could not have written all of his works First, we know little about Shakespeare’s life – there’s not enough “proof” he did what we think he did Second, he was a commoner but had a massive vocabulary and no higher education – how? Third, some documents say Shakespeare died in 1604 but he kept writing plays afterwards – how? Fourth, some historians and actors believe Shakespeare was actually a group of writers who wrote in secret

Some people believe Shakespeare didn’t exist or could not have written all of his works

First, we know little about Shakespeare’s life – there’s not enough “proof” he did what we think he did

Second, he was a commoner but had a massive vocabulary and no higher education – how?

Third, some documents say Shakespeare died in 1604 but he kept writing plays afterwards – how?

Fourth, some historians and actors believe Shakespeare was actually a group of writers who wrote in secret

Any questions? The End

Any questions?