(This handout was developed by Mrs. Melanie Minch-Klass--a teacher at Old Bridge High School East Campus.)


Things you should know about

Shakespeare!

Shakespeare became famous as a poet in London's intellectual group.

He wrote many SONNETS  expressing the idea that a poet can bring

immortality to a loved one by his writings.

MOSTLY DEDICATED ALL OF HIS SONNETS
TO HIS PATRON,
THE EARL OF SOUTH HAMPTON.

Shakespeare also used Blank Verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter)

in his plays (u/ u/ u/ u/ u/).

Then Shakespeare's fame grew as an
  Actor…
for 20 years from 1585-1605 (21-41 when he died)...

…and as a member and part owner of a repertory group called the
KING'S MEN after James I became king.

Shakespeare probably made most of his money as an actor and producer,

not as a playwright.

But today Shakespeare is known as the world's greatest

Playwright.

Shakespeare wrote at least 36 plays

--all were written for his company--the King's Men, who paid him about

$40 per play.

He wrote easily---to please the audience, intuitively, creatively--his characters are

real.

18 plays were published first as pamphlets (Quartos)

He got his ideas from other plays--from the works of Seneca, Ovid, Plutrarch's Lives,
Holinshed's Chronicles, Italian Plays:

RATHER THAN from personal  or local London Material.

"He could take any kind of dross and turn it into gold" Chute

Some things to note about Shakespeare's Style
Use of Blank Verse--Five feet to a line---each beat consisting of an unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable--technically know as iambic pentameter.
 

Use of Metaphors-- Comparing something in terms to something else such as   "a ship lows the seas"
Use of soliloquies --Someone talking to himself...
                                    ...revealing his thoughts to the audience.

Use of Asides--Saying something to the audience that other players can't hear.

 
Use of Conceits--Whimsical, fanciful, extravagant ideas or images

Use of Puns--Humorous play on words indicating different meanings.

HE GAVE THEM WHAT THE AUDIENCE WANTED
(and got!)
 
 

--Lots of ACTION--duels, murders, headless horsemen, drinking, soldiers, clowns,
as, witches, gods and a touch of sex.

-- Lots of Puns, Wit, Asides, "Conceits"
 

--Sense of satisfaction -- Evil overcome, patriotism, earthly humor


--Lots of Noise -- music, shouting, sound effects

A show lasted

about 2 1/2 hours (usually in the afternoon to use natural lighting)

--no "Acts" but frequent INTERMISSIONS

--End of scenes was indicated by "rhymed tag or a change of actors"

--No "Scenery" but elaborate props and costumes to give reality

--Many "DEVICES" such as trap doors, scaffolds, etc. to produce or make trees, gods and more disappear!

--No ACTRESSES-- men or boys took the parts of women, clowns, ghosts, witches

-- no "playbills"