Shakespeare Definitions Flashcards
tiring house
the area next to the stage where Shakespeare’s actors would rest, eat, and change into costumes for each performance
1564
year in which shakespeare was born
duing the Elzabethan Era
Iambic pentameter
a common feature of Shakespeare’s blank verse, in which five pairings of “unstressed —stressed” syllables occur
eg. “In sooth I know not where the day has gone”
Elizabeth 1
adored drama and frequently attended Shakespeare’s plays
Her influence made the viewing of plays a socialy acceptable and sophisticated activity
current monarch of England
Soliquoy
a speech that is delivered by a character while alone on stage
is intended to give the audience info about the character’s private feeling/plans
longer than an aside
eg. Viola’s confusion towards Oliva’s actions
1616
when Shakespeare died
London
the capital city of London, highest population, europe’s centre or business and finance
Shakespear’s acting troupe perfomed most of their plays in this area
Shakespeare lived most of his life here
Jacobean Era
period when King James was monarch of England
followed the Elizabethan Era
began in 1603
aside
character’s brief remark heard by audience, not heard by character’s
Aside vs soliloquy
Aside is shorter than a soliloquy and is delivered with other characters present
Hamnet
Shakespeares only son who died in his infancy
Critics believe that this tragedy influenced Shakespeare’s life to eventually writing more tragedies than comedies
dramatis personae
list of the characters and/or actors in a play (usually stated in order of importance)
Stratford—on—the—Avon
city in England
Shakespeare was born there
Shakespeare’s family experienced wealth here allowing him to god to school and read plays instead of doing child labor
blank verse
different from free verse as it does not rhyme
can still be rythmically structured, as in the case of iambic pentameter
anon
means once
a word that Shakespeare created
Shakespeare has invented 10% of the words in his plays
other words of his invention is bedroom, bump and assassination
Earl of Southampton
friend of Shakespeare who was of high social status
Shakespeare dedicated many of his plays to him and frequently made him attend performances sitting in the gallery
prose
spoken or written language that is like everyday speech in that there is no rigid rhythmic structure
The Plague
epidemic virus killed thousands in Europe in the 1600’s
tragedy
a serious play in which hero typically becomes engaged in a conflict, experiences much suffering, is finally defeated and dies `
poetry (contrasts to prose)
composition that evokes emotion and imagination by the use of vivid intense language
stanzas
group of lines in poetry
1623
year in which the First Folio (complication of Shakespeare’s plays) was published
quartos
piece of paper that is folded twice to create eight separate pages
groundlings
those who could not afford the gallery were forced to sit on the floor next to the stage
comedy (contrasting a tragedy)
type of play with a happy and humorous emotional atmosphere (unlike a tragedy)
Renaissance Period
during the fifteenth century Europe experienced a “rebirth” of arts and literature
Elizabethan Era occurred in this period
history
type if play (typically tragedy) depicting characters and times that are non-fictional
sonnets
lyric poem of fourteen lines that is typically composed by three quatrains and a rhyming couplet
rhyming scheme: “a-b-a-b-c-d-e-f-e-f-g-g”
Shakespeare wrote many famous sonnets
Lords Chamberlain’s Men
name of Shakespeare’s acting troupe during regin of Queen Elizbeth
The King’s Men
Shakespeare’s acting troupe during King James’s era
galleries
were people were able to sit on chairs and watch the performance,
people who could afford gallery were considered higher class that the "groundlings"
James 1
monarch of England in 1603 after death of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabethan Era
period in which Queen Elizabeth was the Monarch of England
most of Shakespeare’s plays were written and performed during this period
proscenium arch
lip shape part of the stage that extends into the audience
audience feel more emotionally engaged with actors because they are closer to them
The King’s Men
the revised name of Shakespeare’s acting trope to show respect for the new monarch King James
playwright
someone who writes a play through occupation
Shakespeare was a playright, actor and poet
boys
commonly portrayed women in dramatic roles
First Folio
first complication of Shakespeare’s plays (36 in total)
When was the First Folio published?
1623, seven years after Shakespeare’s death
The Globe
famous outdoor theatre in London
Where were most of Shakespeare’s plays performed?
The Globe
What are some other famous theaters?
The Rose and The Swan
Anne Hathaway
wife of Shakespeare
What makes Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway unconvential?
She was eight years older than Shakespeare.
