english

When do we celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and what records tell us this date?

April 23rd, St. George’s Day. (He died on the same day.)

What did Shakespeare’s father do for a living?

Affluent glove maker.

Describe Shakespeare’s education.

Not much education, left school around age 14.

Who was Shakespeare’s wife and what was her family background?

Anne Hathaway. Oldest sibling. Both parents died young.

What scandalous circumstances surrounded Shakespeare’s marriage?

Their families were related. She was already a couple months pregnant when they married.

Describe Shakespeare’s family.

They had one girl and two twins.

What did Shakespeare leave his wife in his will? Explain two ways this could be interpreted.

He left her his second-best bed.

What were Shakespeare’s earliest works?

Two long poems and his earliest plays.

What business ventures was Shakespeare involved in throughout his London career?

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later The King’s Men.

What famous men and women supported Shakespeare’s career as patrons?

Folks and Ben Jonson supported him, Queen Elizabeth I.

How many tragedies, histories, and comedies did Shakespeare write?

He wrote 10 tragedies, 10 histories, and 18 comedies.

What are the common elements of tragedies?

Time works against characters.

What is a sonnet?

Poem with a specific structure of 14 lines (3 quatrains + 1 couplet).

What is the meter of a Shakespearean sonnet? What line from John Keats easily shows iambic pentameter?

ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Line: 'my chest of books divide among my friends.'

How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?

154.

What do we NOT know about Shakespeare’s sonnets?

Don’t know who the speakers are. Don’t know who they are intended for.

What are some possible interpretations for Shakespeare’s sonnets addressed to a young man?

Shakespeare could have just been friends.

What did Shakespeare’s contemporaries think about the sonnets? Were they popular?

Not initially a hit. Not a hit until after he died.

When did Shakespeare leave London?

1613.

What is significant about the day Shakespeare died?

It is the same day he was born.

What likely caused Shakespeare’s death?

Fever after meeting with friends (sickness).

Where is Shakespeare buried and what is special about the place?

Holy Trinity Church, his local parish church where he was baptized.

According to David Tennant, why is Shakespeare still important?

His themes are relevant today; he understood human emotions.

What are some common phrases we use today that we can attribute to Shakespeare?

Examples include: 'break the ice,' 'wild goose chase,' 'heart of gold.'

What are the common elements of histories?

The historical monarch as the main character.

What are the common elements of comedies?

When everything works out for the characters.