Shakespeare

Marriage and Family

John Shakespeare: the father of William Shakespeare-  successful glover and town official.

William Shakespeare: 

Born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, 

Renowned playwright and poet, known for his significant contributions to English literature, including 37 plays and numerous sonnets.

William Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616, his death was likely due to a cerebral hemorrhage.

Anne Hathaway (26 and pregnant)  married Shakespeare at the age of 18.

Shakespeare’s Children:

1585- Hamnet (Death by Bubonic Plague at age 11)

Judith (Twin of Hamnet)

1583- Susanna (1st child)

Key Dates

1564: Year of Shakespeare's birth in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

1616: Year of Shakespeare's death in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Key Events

The Elizabethan Age refers to the period of Queen Elizabeth I's reign (1558-1603) and is part of the English Renaissance.

The term 'groundlings' refers to the audience members who stood in the pit of the Globe Theatre. There was a large divide between the rich and the poor.

Shakespeare's sonnets are a collection of 154 poems, known for their themes of love and beauty.

Construction of the Globe Theater (1599): The establishment of a dedicated venue for Shakespeare's plays, enhancing the theatrical experience of the time. 

The original Globe was destroyed by fire in 1613 but rebuilt in 1614 before being closed in 1642 and demolished in 1644.

A modern reconstruction, known as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, opened in 1997, allowing audiences to experience performances in a similar setting to Shakespeare's time.

The Great (Bubonic) Plague (1564): A significant event that impacted Shakespeare's life and works, as it led to the death of many, including family members.

He joined the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a leading theatrical company, which later became known as the King’s Men after the ascension of King James I.

He returned to Stratford around 1610, living as a wealthy country gentleman until his death in 1616.

Lost Years

1585 and 1592

Moved to London

No documentary records of Shakespeare’s activities 

Speculation occurred that he was a teacher during this time or had to work other various jobs

Overview of his Work

He wrote 37 plays, including 15 comedies, 12 tragedies, and 10 histories.

His vocabulary ranged from 17,000 to 34,000 words, significantly larger than the average educated person's vocabulary today (around 15,000 words).

Cause and Effect

Themes

Fate:

In the beginning chorus- they are fated to a FATAL end (them taking their own lives)

Romeo thinks he is fortune’s fool (being used as entertainment for the gods)

Unkind fortune

Everyone’s future is solidified.

The curse from Mercutio is that they will be stained by the blood and conflict of each other.

Romeo and Juliet died with love.

Love:

Overcomes the hatred between the two families

First appears when we see Romeo in pain because of his unrequited love for Rosaline

Bird color symbolizes peace and purity

Religious imagery becomes prominent when he meets Juliet

Desire and ownership

The story ends where it began (with a kiss)

Hate:

Human choice that results in prejudice

Drives the conflict

Both families hate each other by association  (learned prejudice)

The result of their hatred is their children’s deaths.

Death:

Only with their death can the families make up

Romeo risks death to meet her in her home

Personified death as the one who will take her “maidenhead”

Death “lays” with Juliet when they think she has died

Death and Love become synonymous