Shakespeare's Life, Language, and Dramatic Conventions

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards detailing Shakespeare’s personal life, linguistic contributions, historical context of the Elizabethan era, and specific dramatic conventions used in his tragedies.

The Bard

The name by which William Shakespeare is known throughout history.

April 23, 1564

The date William Shakespeare was born in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon during the $16th$ Century.

Glover

The employment held by Shakespeare’s father, John.

Anne Hathaway

The woman Shakespeare married when he was $18$; she was $8$ years older and $3$ months pregnant at the time.

Histories

Dramatizations of events from England’s past, such as Henry VI, Richard III, and Henry V.

Comedies

Less serious stories with generally happy endings, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of the Shrew.

Tragedies

Plays that end unhappily and often with death, such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.

Shakespeare's Vocabulary

The estimated range of $18,000$ to $25,000$ words that Shakespeare possessed and used to invent many modern phrases.

Thee / Thou

Shakespearean language norms representing the word "you".

Dost

A Shakespearean verb meaning "do".

Pun

A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings.

Oxymoron

A phrase that combines two words that are opposite or contradictory in meaning.

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that presents an overstatement or exaggeration for emphasis.

Bubonic Plague

Also known as "the black death," this disease killed nearly half of the people in London alone between $1564$ and $1623$.

Lord Chamberlain’s Men

The acting troupe Shakespeare joined in $1594$ when the theatres reopened.

The Globe Theatre

The famous theatre rebuilt after the original performing space of Lord Chamberlain’s Men was torn down.

The King’s Men

The name the Lord Chamberlain’s Men took on after James I took over the throne and provided financial support.

The Pit

A circular, uncoveredyard area about $70$ feet in diameter where the lower classes stood for performances.

Groundlings

The audience members belonging to the lower classes who stood in the yard for the duration of the play's performance.

Gallery

More expensive, covered seating that ringed the pit in three tiers or levels for audience members with more money.

April 23, 1616

The date of William Shakespeare's death.

$14th$ Century Verona and Mantua, Italy

The setting for the story of Romeo and Juliet.

Tragic Hero

The protagonist who usually fails or dies because of a character flaw or a cruel twist of fate, often possessing a high rank or status.

Antagonist

The force working against the protagonist, which can be another character, a group, or something nonhuman like nature or society.

Foil

A character whose personality and attitude contrast sharply with those of another character to highlight both characters' traits.

Soliloquy

A speech given by a character alone on stage to reveal their thoughts or feelings to the audience.

Aside

A character's remark directed to the audience or another character that others on stage do not hear, revealing private thoughts.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more than the characters, helping to build suspense.

Comic Relief

A humorous scene or speech intended to lighten the mood and heighten the seriousness of the main action by contrast.

Roman Numerals

The system used to express Act numbers (e.g., $I, II, III$) and Scene numbers (e.g., $i, ii, iii$) in Shakespearean citations.