An Introduction to William Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet

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An Introduction to William Shakespeare and
Romeo and Juliet

• Ninth Grade Literature

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This presentation will

• inform you about the life and work of the
  mysterious William Shakespeare.
• provide you details about Elizabethan society and
  theater.
• define basic terminology related to Shakespearean
  poetry and drama.

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April 23, 1564 William Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-upon-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare.
There is a baptismal registration for
Shakespeare, but few other written records exist.
He was the 3rd of 8 children.
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Much of Shakespeares younger years remain a
mystery, but there are rumors about what jobs he
may have worked.
Lawyer
Schoolmaster
Butcher Apprentice
Lawyer
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1582 According to church records, Shakespeare
married Anne Hathaway.
At the time of their marriage, William was
eighteen and Anne was twenty-six.
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William and Anne have three children together
(Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith).
Shakespeare left his family in 1591 to pursue
writing in London.
August 1596 young Hamnet died at the age of
eleven. The cause of his death is unknown.
Susanna
Hamnet
Judith
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In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a
reputation as an actor and playwright.
As theatres were beginning to grow in popularity,
it is probable that Shakespeare began earning a
living writing plays (adapting old ones and
working with others on new ones).
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1594 William became involved with a company of
actors named The Lord Chamberlains Men. This
group later (1603) changed their name to The
Kings Men.
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In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration with other
actors, designed and built The Globe.
This circular theatre was the first of its kind,
breaking away from the traditional rectangular
theatres.
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1612 Shakespeare moved back to Stratford where
he retired both rich and famous.
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1616 William Shakespeare dies on his birthday.
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At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to
have written around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He
is also known to have contributed over two
thousand words to the English language.
Swagger, Elbow, Skim Milk
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Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare To digg the
dust encloasedheare Bleste be ye man that
spares thes stones And curst be he that moves my
bones.
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Which do you prefer?
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Or
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Shakespearean Theater The Globe
Romeo, RomeoWhere for art thou Romeo?
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Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts

• The First Elizabethan Theater The Wooden O
• Built in 1576, first permanent stage in London
• Built by James Burbage
• Shaped in form of a tavern
• 1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeares company
  used it to build The Globe Theatre

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Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts

• The Globe
• Round/polygonal building with a roofless
  courtyard
• No artificial light
• Three stories high upper levels were for the
  wealthy
• The groundlings paid a penny a piece to stand
  on the floor in front of the stage (800 people)
• Large platform stage
• Back of platform was curtained off inner stage
• Two door entrances/exits on either side of
  curtain
• Small balcony/upper stage
• Elaborate costumes but no props
• Young boys played the parts of women women
  werent allowed to be actors

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Fire and Rediscovery

• Shakespeares Globe burned down, but its
  foundation was discovered in 1989. It gave us
  many clues to the Elizabethan experience such as
  hazelnut shells! A replica has since been
  rebuilt. You can visit it and see a play today.

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ShakespearesStorytelling Pattern
Act III Climax/Turning Point A series of
complications
Act IV Falling Action Results of the turning
point characters locked into deeper disaster
Act II Rising Action A series of complications
Act I Exposition Establishes setting,
characters, conflict, and background
Act V Resolution/Denouement Death of the main
characters and then the loose parts of the plot
are tied up
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Tips for UnderstandingRomeo and Juliet

• Romeo and Juliet is based on Arthur Brookes long
  narrative poem the Tragicall Historye of Romeus
  and Juliet (1562).
• The play has a highly moral tone disobedience,
  as well as fate, leads to the deaths of two
  lovers.

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Motifs in Romeo and Juliet

• Power of Love
• Violence from Passion
• The Individual vs. Society
• The Inevitability of Fate

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MONTAGUE vs. CAPULET

• Romeo
• Lord Montague (his dad)
• Lady Montague (his mom)
• Mercutio (friend)
• Benvolio (cousin)

• Juliet
• Lord Capulet (her father)
• Lady Capulet (her mother)
• Tybalt (cousin)
• Nurse

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A Pair of Star Crossed Lovers
My only love sprung from my only hate! Too
early seen unknown , and known too late!
Juliet Act I, Scene V
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ROMEO AND JULIET
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Prologue

• Two households, both alike in dignity,in fair
  Verona, where we lay our scene,from ancient
  grudge break to new mutiny,where civil blood
  makes civil hands unclean.From forth the fatal
  loins of these two foesA pair of star-cross'd
  lovers take their lifeWhose misadventured
  piteous overthrowsdo with their death bury their
  parents' strife.The fearful passage of their
  death-mark'd love,and the continuance of their
  parents' rage,which, but their children's end,
  nought could remove,is now the two hours'
  traffic of our stage.