2. Who is he? A famous playwright and actor Born on 23rd April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon Son of John and Mary Shakespeare Married to Anne Hathaway and had three children Died on the 23rd April 1616 High social status Father was town mayor Mother was from a rich and ancient landowning family
3. Childhood Life Attended the King’s New School Left school at age fifteen or sixteen Became an apprentice in his father’s shop
4. How did he became a writer? He was an actor at first The bubonic plague closed the theatres of London, so Shakespeare turned to writing Inspired by other great writers of his age
5. Shakespeare’s Plays He wrote many plays Some famous plays include “Macbeth”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Plays were very well received and he grew rich, rich enough to buy the second largest house in Stratford
6. Shakespearian England An age of great poetry and drama Science and Medical knowledge was progressing very fast Many people believed in astrology Protestant Ruled by Queen Elizabeth I Affected by the Renaissance
7. Social System Everyone at any level of society was very likely to remain there Could not rise to a position of power through education Example a farmer’s son was likely to remain a farmer There was a system of hierarchy
8. Impact on Shakespeare’s Works His plays reflect the difference between the classes of people Usually about aristocrats or famous people
9. Elizabethan Theatres Theatres had no roof No electricity and lighting Central area contained a stage and a yard Contained seats at the higher floors Extra floors above the back of the stage which contained machinery Trapdoors going down through the stage Back stage No scenery
10. Impact on Shakespeare’s Plays His plays include inside scenes The backstage was used for Juliet’s tomb in “Romeo and Juliet” Sometimes, there were scenes which used the area under the stage, scenes such as tomb and prison scenes The actors could move freely Plays had to rely on words to show the audience where the scene was set
11. The Renaissance Rebirth of learning Increased interest in the art and learning of ancient Greece and Rome Marked the end of the middle ages and the start of the modern world Began in Italy in the 1400s
12. The Renaissance The scholars, scientists and artists had new ideas, but also turned to the past Greater knowledge of ancient science and beliefs Scholars were inspired think again about established religious thinking New theories such as the theory of the Sun being the centre of the Solar System
13. Impact on Shakespeare’s Plays One of Shakespeare’s plays, “Julius Caesar”, is based on the ancient Roman general, Julius Caesar His play “Richard II” illustrated the struggle of a heirless throne, in the case of Queen Elizabeth I
14. Shakespeare’s Influence He greatly influenced the English Language Before, the English Language was not fixed Once his plays became popular, they helped to standardize the English Language Many Shakespearean words and phrases became embedded in the English Language
