R and J study Flashcards
where was William Shakespeare born and when (year)?
Born - Stratford-upon-Avon - 1564
When was his first playwright?
Some schooling in his younger years
By 1592 - an established playwright
when was his first 4 tragedys wrote and when was his fist folio published?
1601-1606 wrote 4 great tragedies
First folio published after death
What was entertainment in Shakepeares time?
No theaters in London –
across Thames
Entertainment - Bear
baiting, Cock fighting
when did shakespeare performe in the globe theater? who attended these plays?
1598 - on Shakespeare performed Globe Theater
King James I patron (King’s Company)
1st Globe burned down & a new one was rebuilt
Elaborate stage/Few props
All levels of society attend plays
Issues with the Globe theater?
No lights
Bad weather
No sound system
No curtain – throw away lines
Dangers from the audience
No women
Aspects of Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Story of one person
Ends in hero’s death
Suffering and calamity are exceptional
Hero - person of “high degree’- but not pre-eminently good
Hero both fated and free, Hero – Tragic Flaw (Fatal Gift)
This leads to greatness and RUIN
Hero has tragic realization
Supernatural forces confirm and direct the hero
Uses chance or accident to create dramatic action
R and J
1591-1595
Ideal Love
Sources- Greek Myth Pyramus & Thisbe and Italian tale translated into verse (poetry) by Arthur Brooke 1562.
Modern day allusions in plays, films, songs, West Side Story etc. Verona
Action – 5 days
Montagues & Capulets
Uses sonnets & poetry upper class
Prose – lower class
On Reading the Play
Read holistically - get sense of the entire passage
Use the glossary- help w/ unfamiliar words
Find the simple sentences - find subject, verb of long phrases
Rearrange inverted sentences - place subject first
Interpret metaphors/puns - figure out images
Follow cause and effect - note how one action leads to next
Visualize the scene- plays should always be acted out
