Shakespeare’s Career ¢Wrote 37 plays ¢Wrote comedies, tragedies, histories, and romances (not what you think) ¢Also wrote 154 sonnets and several narrative poems all dedicated to Sir Henry Wriothesley ¢He was an actor, writer, director, and business man ¢Became known for his imaginative use of language and timelessness. Brief Biography of William Shakespeare •He was baptized on April 26, 1564 –There were no such things as birth certificates at this time. However, babies were usually baptized three days after their birth—hence Shakespeare’s birth date of April 23, 1564 •He was married at the age of 18 to 26 year old Anne Hathaway •He fathered three children (two girls, one boy) –His son died young •He was part owner of the Globe Theater •He died on April 23, 1616

4. April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616

5. • He was baptized on April 26, 1564
– There were no such things as birth certificates at this time.
However, babies were usually baptized three days after their birth
—hence Shakespeare’s birth date of April 23, 1564
• He was married at the age of 18 to 26 year old Anne
Hathaway
• He fathered three children (two girls, one boy)
– His son died young
• He was part owner of the Globe Theater
• He died on April 23, 1616

6. • Everything else that is “known” about the world’s greatest
writer is speculation, best guesses, and agreed upon
facts.
• Due to the lack of actual evidence of Shakespeare’s life,
many people have questioned whether he really existed
or not.
– The collection of works credited to him are all too similar to be the
works of more than one person.
• Others argue that Shakespeare could not have been
smart enough to write such important literature.
– Pure genius is often misunderstood

7. William Shakespeare was one of seven children born to
John Shakespeare and Mary Arden
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon
His family was respected and wealthy—but not noble
He attended grammar school and learned Latin
There is no evidence of further education beyond this
By the early 1590’s Shakespeare had left his wife and
three children in Stratford-upon-Avon and traveled over
100 miles away to London to pursue his acting and
writing career. He lived there for most of his adult life.
He became VERY wealthy in his life time which afforded
him the chance to buy his family’s coat of arms (a sign of
nobility) and the largest estate in Stratford.
His patrons included Sir Henry Wriothesley and King
James I

8. Wrote 37 plays
Wrote comedies,
tragedies, histories,
and romances (not
what you think)
Also wrote 154 sonnets
and several narrative
poems all dedicated to
Sir Henry Wriothesley
He was an actor, writer,
director, and business
man
Became known for his
imaginative use of
language and
timelessness

11. Shakespeare's most important works are his
37plays, which include a number of historical
works, most relating to the Plantagenet era in
English history, and also numerous comedies and
tragedies. All of his plays are noteworthy, and a
great many, including Ham le t, Macbe th, Julius
Cae sar, He nry V, Richard III, King Le ar, O the llo ,
Anto ny and Cle o patra, AMidsum m e r Nig hts
Dre am , the Me rchant o f Ve nice , the Tam ing o f the
Shre w, and Me asure fo r Me asure are among the
most famous plays in the English language.

12. • Tragedies
Some probably inspired by Shakespeare's study of Live s
(trans.1597) by Greek historian and essayist Plutarch and
Raphael Holinshed's Chro nicle s (1587). Some are reworkings
of previous stories, many based on English or Roman history.
Titus Andro nicus first performed in 1594 (printed in 1594),
Ro m e o and Julie t 1594-95 (1597),
Ham le t 1600-01 (1603),
Julius Cae sar 1600-01 (1623),
O the llo 1604-05 (1622),
Anto ny and Cle o patra 1606-07 (1623),
King Le ar 1606 (1608),
Co rio lanus 1607-08 (1623), derived from Plutarch
Tim o n o f Athe ns 1607-08 (1623), and
Macbe th 1611-1612 (1623).

13. • Histories
Shakespeare's series of historical dramas, based on the
English Kings from John to Henry VIII were a tremendous
undertaking to dramatise the lives and rule of kings and the
changing political events of his time. No other playwright had
attempted such an ambitious body of work. Some were
printed on their own or in the First Fo lio (1623).
King He nry VIPart 1 1592 (printed in 1594);
King He nry VIPart 2 1592-93 (1594);
King He nry VIPart 3 1592-93 (1623);
King Jo hn 1596-97 (1623);
King He nry IVPart 1 1597-98 (1598);
King He nry IVPart 2 1597-98 (1600);
King He nry V1598-99 (1600);
Richard II1600-01 (1597);
Richard III1601 (1597); and
King He nry VIII1612-13 (1623)

14. • Comedies, again listed in chronological order of performance.
Tam ing o f the Shre w first performed 1593-94 (1623),
Co m e dy o f Erro rs 1594 (1623),
Two G e ntle m e n o f Ve ro na 1594-95 (1623),
Lo ve 's Labo ur's Lo st 1594-95 (1598),
Midsum m e r Nig ht's Dre am 1595-96 (1600),
Me rchant o f Ve nice 1596-1597 (1600),
Much Ado Abo ut No thing 1598-1599 (1600),
As Yo u Like It 1599-00 (1623),
Me rry Wive s o f Windso r 1600-01 (1602),
Tro ilus and Cre ssida 1602 (1609),
Twe lfth Nig ht 1602 (1623),
All's We llThat Ends We ll1602-03 (1623),
Me asure fo r Me asure 1604 (1623),
Pe ricle s, Prince o f Tyre 1608-09 (1609),
Te m pe st (1611),
Cym be line 1611-12 (1623),
Winte r's Tale 1611-12 (1623).

15. -Vocabulary
-Blank verse

16. 1. Invention:
• Misconception: Shakespeare "invented" many English
words.
• Truth: Shakespeare's works are often the earliest cited
written record of many words.

17. 1. Invention:
• Reason: Words are generally used in speech before
appearing in writing, and oral uses are not recorded,
therefore most words cannot be confirmed of their
origins.
• Dictionary: Oxford English Dictionary (OED) lists a
quotation from Shakespeare as its earliest example for
many words or senses of a word.

18. Amazement (Noun)
• Definition: Overwhelming wonder, whether due to mere
surprise or to admiration.
• Quotation: 1602 SHAKESPEARE Ham . III. ii. 339 Your
behauior hath stroke her into amazement, and
admiration.

19. Control (Noun)
• Definition: The fact of controlling, or of checking and
directing action; the function or power of directing and
regulating; domination, command, sway.
• Quotation: 1590 SHAKESPEARE Co m . Err. II. i. 19 The
winged fowles Are their males subiects, and at their
controules.

20. Lonely (Adjective)
• Definition: Of persons, etc., their actions, condition, etc.:
Having no companionship or society; unaccompanied,
solitary, lone.
• Quotation: 1607 SHAKESPEARE Co r. IV. i. 30, I go
alone Like to a lonely Dragon, that his Fenne Makes
fear'd, and talk'd of more then seene.

21. Submerge(Verb)
• Definition: pass. To be covered with water; to be sunk
under water.
• Quotation: 1606 SHAKESPEARE Ant. & Cl. II. v. 94 So
halfe my Egypt were submerg'd and made A Cesterne for
scal'd Snakes.

22. academe accused addiction advertising amazement
arouse assassination backing bandit bedroom
beached besmirch birthplace blanket bloodstained
barefaced blushing bet bump buzzer
caked cater champion circumstantial cold-blooded
compromise courtship countless critic dauntless
dawn deafening discontent dishearten drugged
dwindle epileptic equivocal elbow excitement
exposure eyeball fashionable fixture flawed
frugal generous gloomy gossip green-eyed

23. gust hint hobnob hurried impede
impartial invulnerable jaded label lackluster
laughable lonely lower luggage lustrous
madcap majestic marketable metamorphize mimic
monumental moonbeam mountaineer negotiate noiseless
obscene obsequiously ode olympian outbreak
panders pedant premeditated puking radiance
rant remorseless savagery scuffle secure
skimmilk submerge summit swagger torture
tranquil undress unreal varied vaulting
worthless zany gnarled grovel

24. • Blankverse is a type of poetry, distinguished by having a
regular meter, but no rhyme.
• Shakespeare's blank verse is one of the most important
of all his influences on the way the English language was
written
• Adaptation of free speech rhythm to the fixed blank-verse
framework is an outstanding feature of Shakespeare's
poetry

25. • Shakespeare developed the potential of blank
verse for abrupt and irregular speech.
• One blank verse line is broken between two
characters:
My lord?
A grave.
He shall not live.
Enough.
(King John, 3.3)

27. • Charles Dickens: quotations, titles
• Herman Melville: stage directions, soliloquy
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge: theme (self-consciousness)

28. 1. Wikipedia: Shake spe are ’s Influe nce
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare's_influence#cite_ref-
11
2. NoSweatShakespeare: Wo rds Shake spe are Inve nte d
http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespe
are-words.htm
3. Oxford English Dictionary
http://dictionary.oed.com