Shakespeare's Life and World

Flashcards on Shakespeare's Life and World

William Shakespeare

Greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist.

Shakespeare's Time

Time characterized by the social and religious consequences of the Reformation period, including unemployment and greater class distinction.

Shakespeare

Criticized Elizabethan society and politics and used classical sources and comedy to evade censorship, essential figure who spread the ideals of the Renaissance and Humanism and contributed greatly to the establishment of the Modern English Language as the standard literary language.

War of Roses (1455-1485)

Ended when Henry VII united the House of Lancaster and the House of York, giving birth to the Tudor dynasty.

Tudor government under Henry VII (1485-1509)

Marked by a strong central authority, a focus on maintaining order and finding practical solutions to problems, transitioned away from many medieval practices, such as the reliance on feudal ties, as people were no longer bound to states or estates in the countryside.

Reformation Period

A return to pure Christianity, the breakup of Western Christendom as different regions adopted Protestantism or remained Catholic, leading to religious and political conflicts, contributed to the secularization of society.

Mary (1553 to 1558)

Became unpopular for putting the church under Roman control again and marrying King Philip of Spain, reigned under Spanish control, made war on France and chose her husband as her heir to the throne of England.

Elizabeth I (1558 to 1603)

Considered the Golden Age of English history, produced poets of the statue of Shakespeare and Spencer but also prosperity for the entire nation, destruction of Spanish ships and creation of colonies.

James I (1603-1625)

United Scottish and English monarchies, had a great impact on the literature of that time, extravagance and indulgence.

Charles II (1649-1685)

Was declared King, stayed in Scotland attempting to rally support against Oliver Cromwell, who had overthrown the English Monarchy and turned England into a republic, escaped to France where he remained until the restoration of monarchy in 1660.

Humanism

Emphasized a return to classical knowledge and the promotion of individual reason and learning.

Literature in England

A new literary phase opened with poets and playwrights such as Spencer, Marlowe, and Shakespeare.

Morality Plays and Mystery Plays

Plays developed alongside mystery plays, which were performed by trade guilds with a religious objective, focused on dramatizing key events from the Bible, used allegory to depict the internal moral struggle that Christianity sees as central to human existence, to teach moral lessons, but they often incorporated humor to engage the audience while conveying their didactic message.

Elizabethan theatres

Design: simple, often round or hexagonal, five main components: the stage, a gallery with a window and balcony behind the stage, a pit for the common audience, an elevated gallery for the gentry, and a roof over these galleries, performances depended heavily on the actors' skills, and women were legally prohibited from acting on stage, so male actors played female roles, stage hung with curtains, costumes played a crucial role, simple machinery was used to raise or lower actors and only minimal stage props were utilized.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Born in 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, moved to London and became part of the Burbage's company in 1587, achieved the summit of his poetic achievement by writing the tragedies of Othello, King Lear and Macbeth,

Shakespeare's Characteristics

Mastery of the theatrical technique since his plays were not written to be read but to be performed a key element of this style is the use of the monologue, which he used to create a special atmosphere or develop a character's psychology, use of both verse and prose but he preferred Blank Verse, vocabulary was huge and he used metaphors and similes, inventive nature led him to coin new words and phrases, many of which have become integral to the English language.

Shakespeare's Comedies

Plays often revolve around love stories, set in distant lands, and are characterized by happy endings, minimize the presence of evil and sorrow, creating a vibrant and cheerful world filled with jokes, songs, and unrealistic characters.

Shakespeare's Historical Plays

Focused on the history of England and its notable leaders like Henry V and Richard II, Richard III serves as Tudor propaganda.

Shakespeare's Tragedies

Explored themes of misfortune and poor decisions leading to disaster, cruel and supernatural characters, mental instability, and a world marked by chaos and division.

Shakespeare's Tragicomies

Often follow a common pattern where division among characters, caused by a fatal error, is resolved by reconciliation and harmony at the end, feature a world of shadows and lights, reflecting both suffering and hope.

Shakespeare's Poetry

Themes explored are varied, including the passage of time, love, and the meaning of life.