William Shakespeare: A Background Story

Here’s the Big Idea!

I’m sure, as a high school student, you are familiar with William Shakespeare. Perhaps you have read one his plays or sonnets, or maybe you just have heard of his literary genius. Either way, you probably got the idea that his writing is tough to understand. This is because he was writing for a different audience in a different time period. Things were different in London, England in the late 1500’s and early 1600’s when Shakespeare was writing. That is why we are going to spend a little time today catching up on Shakespeare’s background. We are going to learn a little bit about who he was, and the time period in which he was writing. This brief lesson will provide some insight into the literary works of William Shakespeare that will hopefully bring further understanding of the texts we will be reading this semester!

Quiz Instructions

Please use your knowledge gained from the following slides to answer eight questions in an interactive quiz format.

Please use the arrows at the bottom of the screen to indicate whether you would like to “Continue” with the next slide, or if you would like to “Go Back”

To submit an answer to a question please click on the letter of the answer you would like to select.

Your evaluation on the quiz will be of a pass/fail nature considering your completion of the quiz.

Your evaluation on the short essay assignment on the following slide will be evaluated based on your analysis on a ten-point scale.

Modern vs. Shakespearean Impact

Here’s a short clip of a modern version of “Romeo and Juliet”. Please try to note some differences that this version and perhaps Shakespeare’s original version would have. Be prepared to complete a paragraph analysis. Please watch the video in full first if you chose to go back to the previous screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6NCVTEme3c&feature=related

Clip Analysis

Now that you have watched that clip, please write on a loose leaf piece of paper to turn in, a paragraph explaining the differences and similarities you have spotted between this modern version and what you think Shakespeare’s original version might have had. You will submit this assignment after completing the rest of this PowerPoint Presentaion.

Information for Quiz: Pre-Theater

William Shakespeare was baptized on April 26th, 1564.He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon,

England This was not an affluent section of England. Regular grammar school education: “King’s New School”

At age 18, he married Anne Hathaway (1582)He had three children

Susanna Twins: Judith and Hamnet

London-Authorship

Between the years 1585 and 1592, he moved to London and began a career in the theater business as an actor, writer, and later as part owner of a theater company.

He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 additional poems

His plays hit the stage as early as 1592

Career as a Playwright

Earlier works (histories/comedies) Richard III Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2) Titus Andronicus Comedy of Errors The Taming of the Shrew The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Influenced by 1587 edition of Rapheal Holinshed’s “Chronicles of England, Scotland, Ireland” (histories) Destructive result of weak or corrupt rule Origins of Tudor dynasty Thomas Kyd Christopher Marlowe

Career of Playwright Continued

Mid 1590’s romantic atmosphere was the greatest era of Shakespeare’s comedies. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Merchant of Venice Much Ado About Nothing As You Like It Twelfth Night All represent and draw on ELIZABETHIAN politics

and issues Contain cunning and perplex twists and structures of

plots

Career as Playwright Continued

Introduced prose comedy into the histories of the late 1590’s More complex and tender characters have developed Narrative variety between serious and comical scenes

of poetry and prose Henry IV (Parts 1&2) Henry V

Career as a Playwright Continued

Tragedies Romeo and Juliet Julius Caesar Measure for Measure Troilus and Cressida All’s Well That Ends Well Hamlet Othello Kings Lear Macbeth Antony and Cleopatra Corriolanus

Elements of Destruction Fatal Errors and Flaws

Evil Personalities Malicious Intentions Elements of Greed/Power/Pride

End of Career

Completed romantic tragicomedies which were not as humorous as his earlier comedies, but not as gory or depressing as his tragedies. The Winter’s tale

The Tempest

Cembeline

Quiz: Question #1

Where was Shakespeare born and raised? Paris, France

Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

London, England

Question #1: Answer

Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

Great Job! It’s important when analyzing Shakespeare’s literature to remember that he grew up in a less affluent town of England, because it allows great insight into the themes and plots of his literature.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #2

When did Shakespeare’s plays first hit the theater stages of London? Early 1500’s

Late 1500’s

Early 1600’s

Question #2: Answer

1592

Great Job! It’s important to remember when Shakespeare’s plays were popular amongst the public because they reflected and commented on current social and political issues.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #3

What genres did Shakespeare begin when writing his plays? Tragedies and Comedies

Comedies and Tragicomedies

Comedies and Histories

Question #3: Answer

Comedies and Histories

Great Job! It’s important to remember that Shakespeare’s tragedies came a little later, because it shows his evolution as development as a writer, and a change in his emotions.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #4

Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, which were apart of the mid 1590’s romantic atmosphere, drew specifically upon which category of politics and social issues? Elizabethian

Foreign

Shakespearean

Question #4: Answer

A.) Elizabethian

Great Job! It’s important to remember Queen Elizabeth’s influence on Shakespeare’s writing. There are references to reign in many of his plays and poetry.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #5

Shakespeare’s histories, most specifically Henry IV Parts 1&2 and Henry V, introduced _____ Comedy. This gave narrative variety between serious and comical scenes. Blank Verse

Couplet

Prose

Question #5: Answer

C.) Prose

Great Job! It’s important to remember that Shakespeare made iambic pentameter famous, and that it added emotion and stress on characters and their lines.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #6

Shakespeare’s tragedies were based on what two elements of destruction? Time and Place

Fate and Chance

Fatal Errors and Personality Flaws

Question #6: Answer

Fatal Errors and Personality Flaws

Great Job! It’s important to remember that Shakespeare created his tragedies based upon his evil characters and their actions.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #7

Tempest, Cembeline, and The Winter’s Tale were three of Shakespeare’s tragicomedies which came at the _____ of his career. Beginning

Middle

End

Question #7: Answer

C.) End

Great Job! It’s important to remember that the tragicomedies came at the end of Shakespeare’s career because of the tone and emotion they display as works of literature considering his place in life as a writer.

Proceed to next Question

Quiz: Question #8

How many plays did Shakespeare write? 28

35

38

Question #8: Answer

C.) 38 Plays

Great Job! It’s important to remember that one of the reasons Shakespeare is a literary genius is because of the number of plays he wrote in such a short amount of time.

Proceed to End of Quiz

CONGRATULATIONS!!

You have finished the 8 question quiz on a briefing of Shakespeare’s background and career as a playwright in the late 16th and early 17th century of English literature!

Summary

Great Job!You have learned about Shakespeare’s life before he was

a famous writer.Today you have learned a lot about Shakespeare’s career

as a playwright in Elizabethan England.You learned about the factors that contribute to the plots

and themes of Shakespeare’s writing.Also, you compared a modern version of “Romeo and

Juliet” to what you would think an authentic production of the tragedy would be like. This allowed you to consider how different our time period and

society is from Shakespeare’s. This is important because you now know how influential his surroundings were to his literature!

Images of Shakespeare

References

www.wikipedia.comNorton’s Complete Anthology of English

Literature: The 16th and 17th Centurieswww.youtube.comThe Riverside Complete Works of William

ShakespeareGoogle Images

CLICK FOR END OF SHOW!

Quiz Answer Result

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