Shakespeare: born 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon; died 1592 (as stated in the transcript). One of eight children of Mary and John Shakespeare.
Family and early life: father was an important community member, then fell into misfortune during Shakespeare’s teens. Married Anne Hathaway at age 18; she eight years older.
Career beginnings: associated with a players group; theatre closed and later reopened; joined a new company (Lord Chamberlain's Men) under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth. Had a financial share in the Theater, contributing to fame and wealth.
Wealth and family: became wealthy quickly; his son Hamnet died in 1596. Shakespeare bought New Place, reflecting his status.
The Globe Theatre and writing: owned a share in the Globe; wrote and performed to boost popularity and income.
Notable works by year: in 1598-1599, wrote As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, and Henry V. Between 1599-1600, wrote Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and All's Well That Ends Well.
Patronage and company: the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later renamed the King’s Men under James I; performed regularly at court.
Death and epitaph: left an epitaph reading, in effect, a request not to disturb his bones.
The Globe Theatre and Patronage
The Globe Theatre: iconic image of Shakespeare’s era; innovative for its time and capable of more on-stage effects.
Financial stake: Shakespeare’s share in the Globe gave him incentive to create popular works for performance there.
Patronage system: poets/playwrights relied on royal or noble patrons to publish and survive; Shakespeare benefited from this system.
Notable productions and milestones: Globe era productions helped establish Shakespeare’s fame; the company’s name change to the King’s Men occurred after James I’s accession in 1603.
Other venues: also performed at Blackfriars, an indoor theater enabling different staging possibilities.
Epitaph and legacy: Shakespeare’s burial inscription and its implied respect from contemporaries.
Social Historical Context
Royal lineage and arranged marriages: Henry VIII’s marriages to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and others; marriages arranged for political/economic/military reasons, not love.
Religious upheaval: England shifts between Protestantism and Catholicism depending on ruler; religion deeply intertwined with politics and daily life.
Key monarchs and periods:
Edward VI (Protestant): 1547-1553; issued a Protestant reform (new prayer book).
Mary I (Catholic, “Bloody Mary”): 1553-1558; restored Catholicism; executed Protestants.
Elizabeth I (Protestant): 1558-1603; stabilized religiously and expanded national power.
James VI of Scotland / I of England (Stuart): 1603; promoted the divine right of kings; patron of Shakespeare’s company.
Divided inheritance and throne: women could not inherit the throne in some periods; succession and legitimacy were hotly contested.
The intertwining of church and state: religious reforms dictated social norms, laws, and culture; dissenters faced persecution.
Printing and knowledge: printing press expands the spread of ideas; Shakespeare could access printed works from the broader European Renaissance.
Machiavelli and political realism: The Prince’s ideas about ends justifying means informed political behavior at court; Claudius is read as Machiavellian.
Renaissance ideals in court life: the ideal Renaissance man should be accomplished across disciplines (artist, scientist, warrior, scholar, diplomat).
Quotes and social expectations: Hamlet’s line about a “noble mind” reflects courtly expectations of education, eloquence, and prowess.
Renaissance and Humanism
Printing press and dissemination: invented in Germany (≈ 1450); first English press in London (≈ 1476); accelerated idea spread.
Exposure to continental works: translations from French and Italian allowed English readers to access broader Renaissance ideas.
Humanist culture in drama: emphasis on human form, education, and worldly knowledge; Shakespeare is placed within this tradition.
Renaissance artists and humanism: painters like Michelangelo and Leonardo promoted human form and secular knowledge alongside religious art.
The Renaissance man: ideal of being skilled in many disciplines; Hamlet as a symbol of this ideal (courtiers, soldiers, scholars, orators, and fighters).
On-stage literacy and audience: Hamlet and Ophelia read books on stage; audience familiarity with classical and humanist references.
The two streams of art: humanist (secular, worldly achievements) vs. religious art (devotional and spiritual themes).
Religious Context
The Reformation and Luther: 1517 reformer Martin Luther’s 99 Theses criticized indulgences; Luther’s