Shakespeare Learning Experiences
Introduction to Shakespeare Quick Write
Craft a 1-2 paragraph response
discussing your previous learning
experiences with Shakespeare. Things to consider:
●
Have you read any of Shakespeare’s plays or sonnets? If so, which ones?
When? Where? What were those experiences like? Focus on your
learning experience(s). For example, did you read the text(s) in class?
How? Did you have assigned parts if it was a play? Were your
experiences enjoyable? Why or why not?
Important Dates
●
1485:
medieval period ends; Renaissance begins
○
Battle of Bosworth Field (last medieval king--Richard III of the house of
Plantagenet-- killed by first Renaissance king--Henry VII of the house of
Tudor)
○
William Caxton brings first printing press to England, making information
more accessible
○
Called Renaissance (rebirth) because there is a rebirth of knowledge--
rediscovering past they didn’t know about, other cultures
●
1564:
Shakespeare’s baptism
●
1576
:
first purpose-built theater opens in London (outside city limits), but not a
lot of material out there for plays
●
1616:
Shakespeare’s death
Shakespeare’s Education
●
Start in morning, read Latin, translate it into English, translate it back into Latin
●
If started with prose piece, turn it into poetry; if started with poetry, turn it into
drama
●
Teaching about LANGUAGE, so the perfect education if you want to be a
playwright
●
No professional writers until late 16th century, coalesces in 1576 with need for
plays
●
Didn’t have access to Greek dramatists, but did have ROMAN dramatists
○
Domestic comedies: boy meets girl, wants to marry her but can’t because
of her family, or because she doesn’t have enough money, etc. BUT there’s
a happy ending
○
Sensational tragedies (Senecan; gruesome myths)
Shakespeare’s Start
●
So if you’re trying to be a playwright in 1580s London coming from
small market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, how do you become a
playwright?
○
Small jobs around playhouse
○
Working on others’ plays
○
Recycling other people’s ideas and models you know from school
●
First comedy:
Comedy of Errors
(1592-1593)
●
First tragedy:
Titus Andronicus
(1593-1594)
●
Othello
first performed (1604)
Shakespeare’s Theater
Shakespeare’s Theater
●
Outside, performed in daytime (no other lighting)
●
Created more interaction and involvement between actors and audience
●
Limited set; relied on costumes, props, and descriptive language
●
All male actors (younger boys played female parts until around 1660)
●
Church did not like playhouses, so built outside city walls
●
Affordable: cheapest seats 1 pence, but had to stand (groundlings)
●
Most important aspect was to HEAR the play, so more expensive seats
were ones that had best sound
●
Three tiers for audience (top most expensive)
●
Top part above stage (
heaven
with trap door to come down from); stage
itself (
earth
); below stage (
hell
with trap door to come up from)
●
Theatre (1576) built by James Burbage; located in Shoreditch, north-east of
City of London; dismantled in 1599 and rebuilt as Globe
●
Curtain (1577); built just south of Theatre; used up until 1620s
●
Rose (1587) built by Philip Henslowe; south of River Thames on Bankside;
demolished in 1606
●
Swan (1595) competitor to Rose; closed by government order in 1597
●
Globe (1599); first burnt in 1613; second given tiled roof
●
Fortune (1600); built by Henslowe; burnt down in 1621, but was rebuilt;
demolished in 1661
●
Blackfriars (1608); purchased by Burbage in 1596, but used by LCM from
1608 onward
Various London Theaters
○
Rehearse your lines: What is the tone of the lines? What
word(s) will you stress?
○
Afterwards: What are possible theme topics of the play you
might predict based upon this exercise?
15 Minute
Othello
Having engaged with Shakespeare's works in the past, I have read several of his plays and sonnets, such as Hamlet and Sonnet 18, during my high school literature classes. Our teacher assigned us different parts to read aloud, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the language and themes of Shakespeare. While challenging at first, diving into the intricate plots and beautiful verse was ultimately rewarding and expanded my appreciation for classical literature.
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Presentation Transcript
Introduction to Shakespeare Quick Write Craft a 1-2 paragraph response discussing your previous learning experiences with Shakespeare. Things to consider: Have you read any of Shakespeare s plays or sonnets? If so, which ones? When? Where? What were those experiences like? Focus on your learning experience(s). For example, did you read the text(s) in class? How? Did you have assigned parts if it was a play? Were your experiences enjoyable? Why or why not?
Important Dates 1485: 1485: medieval period ends; Renaissance begins Battle of Bosworth Field (last medieval king--Richard III of the house of Plantagenet-- killed by first Renaissance king--Henry VII of the house of Tudor) William Caxton brings first printing press to England, making information more accessible Called Renaissance (rebirth) because there is a rebirth of knowledge-- rediscovering past they didn t know about, other cultures 1564: 1564: Shakespeare s baptism 1576 1576
Shakespeares Education Start in morning, read Latin, translate it into English, translate it back into Latin If started with prose piece, turn it into poetry; if started with poetry, turn it into drama Teaching about LANGUAGE, so the perfect education if you want to be a playwright No professional writers until late 16th century, coalesces in 1576 with need for plays Didn t have access to Greek dramatists, but did have ROMAN dramatists Domestic comedies: boy meets girl, wants to marry her but can t because of her family, or because she doesn t have enough money, etc. BUT there s
Shakespeares Start So if you re trying to be a playwright in 1580s London coming from small market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, how do you become a playwright? Small jobs around playhouse Working on others plays Recycling other people s ideas and models you know from school First comedy: Comedy of Errors (1592-1593) First tragedy: Titus Andronicus (1593 1594)
Shakespeares Theater Outside, performed in daytime (no other lighting) Created more interaction and involvement between actors and audience Limited set; relied on costumes, props, and descriptive language All male actors (younger boys played female parts until around 1660) Church did not like playhouses, so built outside city walls Affordable: cheapest seats 1 pence, but had to stand (groundlings) Most important aspect was to HEAR the play, so more expensive seats were ones that had best sound
Various London Theaters Theatre (1576) built by James Burbage; located in Shoreditch, north-east of City of London; dismantled in 1599 and rebuilt as Globe Curtain (1577); built just south of Theatre; used up until 1620s Rose (1587) built by Philip Henslowe; south of River Thames on Bankside; demolished in 1606 Swan (1595) competitor to Rose; closed by government order in 1597 Globe (1599); first burnt in 1613; second given tiled roof Fortune (1600); built by Henslowe; burnt down in 1621, but was rebuilt; demolished in 1661 Blackfriars (1608); purchased by Burbage in 1596, but used by LCM from
15 Minute Othello Rehearse your lines: What is the tone of the lines? What word(s) will you stress? Afterwards: What are possible theme topics of the play you might predict based upon this exercise?
