Shakespeare

Shakespeares date of birth, baptism, and death?

Shakespeares date of birth, baptism, and death?

Birth- April 23rd 1564

Baptism- April 26th 1564

Death- April 23rd 1616

Birth place and Church he was baptized and buried in?

Stratford Upon Avon

Holy Trinity Church

Information about the Holy Trinity Church

Oldest building in Stratford

Few years before Shakespeare’s name was entered into the baptismal register at the church, the church lost its connection with Rome; The England of Elizabeth, The England of the Reformation which was began by Henry the eighth. The Shakespeare’s were affected by the enforced change in their religious practice.

After Henry the Eighth…

Protestant Edward the Sixth

Catholicism with Mary

Elizabeth who was determined to rule in the protestant way

Startford during Shakespeare’s birth…

Town of 2,000 people

A market town

War trade was famous

What happened during the Plague (The Black Death)?

Gave trouble for Stratford to keep 2,000 people

The year Shakespeare was born was a bad year for the plague

In July 1564, 3 months after Shakespeare was born, it was recorded that a lot of people have died (about 200 people, a seventh of the population)

Children born in the same year as Shakespeare died in the plague

Shakespeare’s family…

Father, John Shakespeare

Mother, Mary Arden

They both already lost 2 baby girls before Shakespeare was born

John Shakespeare

John started in Stratford as an apprentice glove maker, then became a mail tester, checked if bread was made properly, then became Mayor of Stratford when William was 4

He was also known as a glove maker and produced really fine white leather. John made those fashionable high quality gloves made for the wealthy.

John’s work

William would have been in contact with a all kinds of people through the trade connections with his father. They may have helped give William inspiration and language for the colourful characters in his plays.

John had a mysterious side, it was possible that he was a secret Roman Catholic. The reason he may have not attended church was because he received a fine from the queen. His name may have been in a list nailed to the church door. Or that he was exposed in dealing illegally in wool. If you are a wool merchant, you pay taxes to the crown on your transactions, John did not pay. John was fired and wool was taken away from him. He ends up in big debt; lost wealth and property but did not lose the house in Henley’s St. Things got better and he was granted his own coat of arms in 1592.

King Edward School…

Foundation of King Edward the Sixth

Shakespeare read Ovids (metamorphoses)

More about Shakespeare

Moved to London since he did not want to start his career in Stratford because although his father was rich, there was money problems

During his career, William bought land in his birth place and also a house since he was able to gain literary and financial success in London. He was also popular in Stratford.

Goes back to Stratford at times. He has been a Stratford man. He bought a big house for his family early in his career. He hanged on to his wealth and spends them at Stratford.

Shakespeare’s family

Married Anne Hathaway in 1582. He was 18 but she was 8 to 9 years older.

His children: Susanna the first born, then the twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11 from the outbreak of the plague.

Shakespeare’s career…

Wrote Romeo and Juliet.

1585-1592 was a time of frustration for Shakespeare historians. We don’t know why he became a playwright. He may have joined a travelling group of players (performers) who come to Stratford. In 1587, the queens men came to Stratford, they were travelling players backed by Queen Elizabeth. They were a variety act. The company or troop Shakespeare joined was called the Kings Men and he got inspired to write his versions of the plays that they produced, Shakespeare got a role because one of the players died so that’s how he got to London.

Became a playwright because he missed acting and that it was his true calling. Hollinshed’s Chronicles helped Shakespeare as a source and he used the version of 1587.

Falstoff was Shakespeare’s most famous character.

He entertained the Queen in court with his plays.

Shakespeare had great success when published Venus and Adonis. It was inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

The Tempest was the last play Shakespeare wrote on his own.

London…

Hundred times bigger than Stratford

200,000 people

A city

The Globe

Shakespeare’s theatre- the Globe in Bankside. The republication of the first Globe welcomed its first audience in 1997.

Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and King Lear had their first performance at the Globe.

The Globe’s destruction

1613 it was burned down

During Henry the Eighth, they were using canons and one of them sent the theatre on fire when it blew up.

Shakespeare’s death and last will and testament

His death was unexpected and sudden. He signed his will a month ago saying his health was fine.

He left money for his wife, sister, niece, nephews, children, grandchildren, friends, and to the poor of Stratford.

First Folio

Published in 1623, seven years after death

Records the collected plays, 18 plays may have been lost forever without the Folio.

Shakespeare pictures and possible illustrations of what he looks like…

The monument at Holy Trinity Church

Droeshout portrait in front of the First Folio

In 2009, the Cobbe family had a portrait of Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s legacy

Lots of our language is from Shakespeare

Some phrases of Shakespeare: “Vanish into thin air,” “fight fire with fire,” “to be made of sterner stuff”

Shakespeare is the ultimate inspiration for musics, films, theatrical productions, operas, ballets, novels, and poems