SHAKESPEARE
THEATRE AT THIS TIME
Shakespeare’s life ď Ž Where and when was he born?
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, xvi century. 2.When did he go to London? After getting married to Anne Hathaway, at a certain moment in his life.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
Anne’s cottage
In London: actor and playwright ď Ž What did he do in London?
He performed as an actor and wrote plays and poetry. He wrote: tragedies, comedies and historical plays. ď Ž Why were theatres so important at that time? They were the only type of entertainment
The Globe: characteristics Many of his plays were performed in the
Globe.Theatres at that time were different from today’s. The plays took place in the open air in daylight when the weather was good.There was no scenery on the stage. Boys played the female parts
THE GLOBE THEATRE Rounded
roofless Circular building
THE GLOBE: INSIDE Heavens FLAG Upper stage
Galleries
Pillars
Main stage Inner stage
The Globe: parts Three Galleries For nobles and gentlemen
FLAG(whitecomedy) Colour coding (black –tragedy) FRONS SCENAE STAGE
PIT( for Commoners Or Groundlings
YARD
THEATRE: MORE DETAILS Between two and three thousand
people, from all classes of society, were in the audience.Toilets didn’t exist. Did women go to the theatre? Yes, they did though it was considered immoral. That’s why many attended performances with masks (not to be recognised)
Theatre: more information Even legend says Queen Elizabeth I attended the Globe secretly sometimes. ď Ž How much did it cost?(depended on the comfort of the seats): To stand in the yard-one penny To sit in the gallery- two pennies To have a cushion- three pennies
WHEN WERE THEY CLOSED? During a short period of time theatres
were closed because they were blamed for the Bubonic Plague (Black Death) as The Puritans considered them immoral and the Death was a God punishment. Shakespeare died in 1616 and is buried in Stradford’s Holy Triniy Church
TYPES OF PLAYS ď Ž Shakespeare wrote poetry and 38
plays: tragedies, comedies and historical plays. ď Ž Tragedies: Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth are the most important ones. In tragedies: the ending is sad, many
TRAGEDIES Characters die. Time is against the characters The main characters are men, and they belong to aristocracy or monarchy( they are queen, kings,nobles etc) Lady Macbeth is an exception since she is a main character with an important role.
Comedies They have a happy ending. Time helps the characters to solve
problems Women have important parts and help to find solutions (cross-dressing) Characters don’t belong to monarchy.
Shakespeare’s time This period of time xvi was called the
Renaissance period: ( the culture of Greece and Rome was rediscovered) For these reason many of his plays are settled in Europe and Italy mainly: Romeo and Juliet, Othello etc.
HIS TIME: RENAISSANCE ď Ž The printing press resulted in more
books, more education and knowledge. • Humanism is also essential. God leaves his place to man: the most important being in the universe.We find characters who want something: to be richer, to be more powerful, to be more intelligent etc. These are humanist characters.
LITERARY IMPORTANCE Why do you think Shakespeare’s plays
have been so much adapted into films,musicals, paintings, operas etc? The answer is his topics are never out-of – fashion because he speaks about feelings and emotions: ( revenge, jealousy, ambition, love) so these are topics that can take
Shakespeare in love
Othello
IMPORTANCE Place in the XVI century or nowadays. Shakespeare is also famous for his quotations (citas) sentences that have become so famous that take part of our language, culture and everybody knows: Hamlet’s : “to be or not to be; that’s the question.” Othello: “Be aware of the green-eyed monster that mocks of the meat he feeds on ( refering to jealousy)”
Shakespeare’s importance It’s essential to understand other literary
works since authors quote him constantly. Most of his characters have become symbols: Othello is the symbol of jealousy, Hamlet is the permanent doubt, Macbeth is personified ambition and so on.