Intro to Shakespeare

William SHAKESPEARE Introduction: William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor of the Renaissance era. He was an important member of the King’s Men theatrical company from roughly 1594 onward. Known throughout the world, Shakespeare’s works—at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems—capture the range of human emotion and conflict and have been celebrated for more than 400 years. Details about his personal life are limited, though some believe he was born and died on the same day, April 23, 52 years apart. FULL NAME: William Shakespeare BORN: c. April 23, 1564 DIED: c. April 23, 1616 BIRTHPLACE: Stratford-upon-Avon, England, United Kingdom SPOUSE: Anne Hathaway (1582-1616) CHILDREN: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet 1 ● Side note: Renaissance literature places more emphasis on the individual. It also places less emphasis on religion, though religion still plays a part in it. More importantly, humanism placed greater emphasis on rational thought. Shakespeare’s career is separated into 4 periods The first period - up to 1595 Shakespeare’s early works are characterised by youthful optimism and general positivity, love, and imagination. Among the plays that are typical of these years are The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Richard II, and Richard III. These were probably all composed before 1595. Second period - 1595 to 1601 (becoming a member of ‘ The King’s Men theatrical company) As he matures we enter the the second period, from 1595 to 1601. During this period we see progress in his dramatic art. There is less exaggeration, more real power, and a deeper insight into human nature. An air of sadness is introduced into his plays as he philosophises about life and the harsh realities thereof. He also starts paying more attention to character development and growth. Plays from this period include The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV, Henry V, and As You Like It. Third period - 1601 to 1608 This is a disorienting time for Shakespeare full of trials and tribulations. His father passed away in 1601. His closest friends also go through, what he describes in Hamlet as "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”, or great misfortunes during this time. In 1601 Queen Elizabeth I executed the Earl of Essex for treason, and on the same charge threw the Earl of Southampton into the Tower (life imprisonment). ● Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (6 October 1573 – 10 November 1624) has been suggested; was the only son of Henry Wriothesley, 2nd Earl of Southampton, and Mary Browne. Shakespeare's two narrative poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, were dedicated to Southampton, who is frequently identified as the “Fair Youth” of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Fourth Period - 1608 to 1613 Again brought about by the death of a parent - his mother this time- we see yet another shift in Shakespeare’s work. Her death and the vivid recollection of her kindness and love may have been strong factors in causing him to look at life with kinder eyes. The plays of his fourth period, are remarkable for calm strength and 2 sweetness. The fierceness of Othello and Macbeth is left behind. In 1608 Shakespeare's mother. The greatest plays of this period are Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest. Poetry and Sonnets Early in his career, Shakespeare was able to attract the attention and patronage of Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated his first and second published poems: Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594). In fact, these long narrative poems—1,194 and 1,855 lines, respectively—were Shakespeare’s first published works. Wriothesley’s financial support was a helpful source of income at a time when the theatres were shuttered due to a plague outbreak. Shakespeare’s most well-known poetry are his 154 sonnets, which were first published as a collection in 1609 and likely written as early as the 1590s. Scholars broadly categorize the sonnets in groups based on two unknown subjects that Shakespeare addresses: the Fair Youth sonnets (the first 126) and the Dark Lady sonnets (the last 28). The identities of the aristocratic young man and vexing woman continue to be a source of speculation. Plays ● Shakespeare wrote 37 plays revolving around three main themes: history, tragedy, and comedy. Some plays blur these lines, and over time, our interpretation of them has changed, too. ● Shakespeare was very innovative, adapting the traditional style to his own purposes and creating a freer flow of words. 16th-century theatre Although the theatre culture in 16th century England was not greatly admired by people of high rank, some of the nobility were good patrons of the performing arts and friends of the actors. Two notable exceptions were Queen Elizabeth I, who was 3 a fan of Lord Chamberlain’s Men by the late 1590s after first watching a performance in 1594, and her successor King James I. The King’s Men Theatrical Company ● Shakespeare joined in 1594 and was a member for the rest of his career - he first acted but later, devoted more time as a writer ● First called Lord Chamberlain’s Men- renamed after King James came into power ● Considered the most important troupe of its time and was very popular Globe Theatre ● Open air theater ● Built in 1599 ● Built by Shakespeare and several of his fellow actors ● Built on the banks of the Thames River ● Very profitable ● Burnt down in 1613 during a performance ● The theatre company rebuilt and reopened in 1614 ● Theatres were outlawed in 1642 ● Globe was demolished in 1644 ● Rebuild and reopened in 1997 Shakespearean plays by Genre ● COMEDIES ○ All’s Well That Ends Well ○ As You Like It ○ The Comedy of Errors ○ Love's Labour's Lost ○ Measure for Measure ○ The Merchant of Venice ○ The Merry Wives of Windsor ○ A Midsummer Night's Dream ○ Much Ado About Nothing ○ The Taming of the Shrew ○ The Tempest ○ Twelfth Night ○ The Two Gentlemen of Verona ○ The Winter's Tale ● TRAGEDIES ○ Antony and Cleopatra 4 ○ Coriolanus ○ Cymbeline ○ Hamlet ○ Julius Caesar ○ King Lear ○ Macbeth ○ Othello ○ Romeo and Juliet ○ Timon of Athens ○ Titus Andronicus ○ Troilus and Cressida ● HISTORIES ○ Henry IV Part I ○ Henry IV Part II ○ Henry V ○ Henry VI Part I ○ Henry VI Part II ○ Henry VI Part III ○ Henry VIII ○ King John ○ Richard II ○ Richard III ● PLAYS NOT IN THE FIRST FOLIO ○ Pericles ○ The Two Noble Kinsmen TIMELINE OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS ● 1580 - 1590 ○ The Taming of the Shrew Considered to be one of Shakespeare's earliest works, the play is generally believed to have been written before 1592 ● 1590 - 1600 ○ Henry VI Part II Believed to have been written in 1591 and Shakespeare's first play based on English history ○ Henry VI Part III Written immediately after Part II, a short version of the play was published in Octavo form in 1595 ○ The Two Gentlemen of Verona Known to be written around the 1590s as it was mentioned by Francis Meres in his list of Shakespeare's plays in 1598, no firm evidence for a particular year ○ Titus Andronicus Written in 1591/92, with its first performance possibly in January 1594 5 ○ Henry VI Part I Generally assumed to be the 'harey the vi' performed at the Rose Theatre in 1592 ○ Richard III Could have been written in 1592, shortly before the plague struck, or in 1594 when the theatres reopened post-plague ○ The Comedy of Errors Was possibly written for Gray's Inn Christmas festivities for the legal profession in December 1594 ○ Love's Labour's Lost An edition of the play in 1598 refers to it being 'presented before her Highness [Queen Elizabeth] this last Christmas', and most scholars date it to 1595-96 ○ A Midsummer Night's Dream Often dated to 1595-96. Reference in Act 1 Scene 2 to courtiers being afraid of a strange lion may allude to an incident in Scotland in 1594 ○ Romeo and Juliet Astrological allusions and earthquake reference may suggest composition in 1595-96 ○ Richard II Typically dated 1595-96. Described in 1601 as 'old and long out of use' ○ King John Written between 1595 and 1597; an anonymous two-part King John was published in 1591 but Shakespeare's version is stylistically close to later histories ○ The Merchant of Venice Registered for publication in 1598, reference to a ship Andrew suggests late 1596 or early 1597 as a Spanish ship of the name was captured around that time ○ Henry IV Part I Probably written and first performed 1596-97, registered for publication in 1598 ○ Henry IV Part II Written around 1597-98 and registered for publication in 1600, both parts are based on Holinshed's Chronicles ○ Much Ado About Nothing Late 1598, not mentioned in Francis Meres's 1598 list of Shakespeare's plays but included the role Dogberry for Will Kemp, a comic actor who left the company in early 1599 ○ Henry V Written in 1599, mentions a 'general... from Ireland coming', could be referring to the Earl of Essex's Irish expedition in 1599 ○ As You Like It Typically dated late 1599. Not mentioned in Francis Meres's 1598 list of Shakespeare's plays, unless originally called Love's Labour's Won ○ Julius Caesar 1599. Not mentioned in Meres's 1598 list of plays, seen at the Globe by Swiss visitor Thomas Platter in 1599 ● 1600 - 1610 ○ Hamlet Dated around 1600, registered for publication in summer 1602. There are allusions to Julius Caesar, which was written in 1599 ○ The Merry Wives of Windsor Estimated 1597 - 1601, though an allusion to the Order of the Garter might indicate that it was performed at the Garter Feast in 1597 6 ○ Twelfth Night 1601. Not mentioned in Meres's 1598 list of plays and alludes to a map first published in 1599 ○ Troilus and Cressida Dated 1601-02, registered for publication early 1603 and alludes to the play Thomas Lord Cromwell, which was registered for publication in 1602 ○ Othello Dated 1604 though some argue for a slightly earlier date. It is recorded to have been performed in court in November 1604 ○ Measure for Measure Performed at court for Christmas 1604, probably written earlier the same year ○ All's Well That Ends Well No strong evidence for date written or first performed, but it is usually dated 1603-06 on stylistic grounds ○ Timon of Athens Estimated 1604-06 based on stylistic similarity to King Lear ○ King Lear Dated 1605-06. Performed at court December 1606 and seems to refer to eclipses of September and October 1605 ○ Macbeth 1606. Certainly more Jacobean than Elizabethan based on the play's several compliments to King James ○ Antony and Cleopatra Dated 1606-07, registered for publication in 1608 and perhaps performed at court in 1606 or 1607 ○ Coriolanus Perhaps written in 1608. Allusion to 'coal of fire upon ice' in Act 1 could refer to the great frost of winter in 1607/08 ○ Pericles 1608. Registered for publication in 1608; Wilkin's novel The Painful Adventures of Pericles, cashing in on the success of the play, was published in 1608 ○ Cymbeline 1610. A performance in 1611 is recorded. Theatres were reopened in spring 1610 after a long closure due to the plague ● AFTER 1610 ○ The Winter's Tale 1611. Performed at the Globe May 1611; dance of satyrs apparently borrows from a court entertainment of January 1611 ○ The Tempest 1611. Performed at court in November 1611; uses source material not available before autumn 1610 ○ Henry VIII 1613. The first Globe theatre burnt down in a fire that started during a performance of the play on 29 June 1613 ○ The Two Noble Kinsmen 1613-14; 'our loss' in the Prologue probably refers to the Globe fire of 1613 7 Death Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52. He died within a month of signing his will, a document in which he begins by describing himself as being in "perfect health". No extant contemporary source explains how or why he died. Interesting facts ● Shakespeare left most of his possessions to his eldest daughter; to his wife, he left his “ second best bed” ● He had twins- a boy and a girl- his only son died at the age of 11 ● His son, Hamnet, was named after a family friend ● Shakespeare has been credited with inventing or introducing more than 1,700 words and phrases to the English language (“ love is blind; neither rhyme nor reason; flesh and blood” etc) ● Shakespeare could not spell. It was never part of his schooling and he spelled his name a number of different ways, including Willm Shakp, William Shaksper, Wm Shakspe, William Shakspere, and Willm Shakspere! ● He was wealthy ● His sexuality has been questioned by many a scholar ● Nobody knows what Shakespeare did between 1585 and 1592 -these are simply referred to as his “ lost-years” 8