An Introduction to William

Shakespeare and the Tragedy

of Romeo & Juliet
 This presentation will
inform you about the life and work of the
mysterious William Shakespeare.
provide you details about Elizabethan
society and theater.
define basic terminology related to
Shakespearean poetry and drama.
April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-on-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare.
There is a baptismal registration for Shakespeare, but
few other written records exist. He was the 3rd of 8
children.
 Much of Shakespeares younger
years remain a mystery, but there
are rumors about what jobs he
may have worked.

Schoolmaster Lawyer
Butcher Apprentice

Lawyer
1582: According to church
records, Shakespeare married
Anne Hathaway.

At the time of their

marriage, William was
eighteen and Anne was
twenty-six.
William and Anne have
three children together
(Susanna, Hamnet, and Shakespeare left his family in
Judith). 1591 to pursue writing in
London.
August 1596:
Susanna
young Hamnet
died at the age of Hamnet
eleven. The cause Judith
of his death is
unknown.
 In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a reputation
as an actor and playwright.

As theatres were
beginning to grow in
popularity, it is probable
that Shakespeare began
earning a living writing
plays (adapting old ones
and working with others
on new ones).
1594: William became involved with a company of
actors named The Lord Chamberlains Men. This
group later (1603) changed their name to The Kings
Men.
 In 1598, Shakespeare, in collaboration
with other actors, designed and built
The Globe.

This circular theatre was the

first of its kind, breaking away
from the traditional
rectangular theatres.
1612: Shakespeare moved back to
Stratford where he retired both rich and
famous.
1616: William Shakespeare dies on his birthday.
At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have
written around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also
known to have contributed over two thousand words
to the English language.

Sniffledorfen
Shakespeare is
also known to
have written
around 884
words throughout
all of his works.
 Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloasedheare
Bleste be ye man [that] spares thes stones
And curst be he that moves my bones.
Which do you prefer?
Or..
 Shakespearean Theater
The Globe
Romeo, Romeo
Where for art thou
Romeo?
 Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts
The First Elizabethan Theater: The Wooden O
Built in 1576, first permanent stage in London
Built by James Burbage
Shaped in form of a tavern
1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeares company
used it to build The Globe Theatre
 Elizabethan Theatre Fun Facts
The Globe
Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard
No artificial light
Three stories high upper levels were for the weathy
The groundlings paid a penny a piece to stand on the floor in front
of the stage (800 people)
Large platform stage
Back of platform was curtained off inner stage
Two door entrances/exits on either side of curtain
Small balcony/upper stage
Elaborate costumes but no props
Young boys played the parts of women; women werent allowed to
be actors
 Fire and Rediscovery
Shakespeares Globe
burned down, but its
foundation was
discovered in 1990. It
gave us many clues to
the Elizabethan
experience such as
hazelnut shells! A
replica has since been
rebuilt. You can visit it
and see a play today.
 Dramatic Terminology
Tragedy: A narrative about serious and important actions that
end unhappily, usually with the death of the main characters.
The play is broken up into acts and the acts are broken up
into scenes.
Monologue: A long uninterrupted speech given by one
character onstage to everyone.
Soliloquy: A long uninterrupted speech given by one
character alone on stage, inaudible to other characters
Aside: A short speech given by one character, traditionally
the other characters cannot hear.
 Dramatic Terminology
Pun: A humorous play on words
After that poisonous snake struck at me in the Arizona
Desert I was really rattled. A gossip is someone with a
great sense of rumor.
A carpenter must have been here. I saw dust.
Energizer Bunny arrested - charged with battery.
Corduroy pillows are making headlines.
The executioner decided to drop out of Executioner
School. It was just too cut throat for him.
He who farts in church sits in his own pew.
 Dramatic Terminology
Dramatic Foil: A pair
of characters who are
opposite in many ways
and highlight or
exaggerate each
others differences.
 Poetic Terminology
Blank Verse: Unrhymed meter; unrhymed iambic pentameter
specifically.
Iambic Meter: Each unstressed syllable is followed by a
stressed syllable.
Couplets: Two consecutive lines that rhyme (aa bb cc).
Usually followed when a character leaves or a scene ends.
End-stopped Line: Has some form of punctionat at the end of
the line (,;.!?).
Run-on Line: Has NO punctuation at the end of the line and
meaning is continued to following lines.
Sonnet: A fourteen line poem using iambic pentameter and
the following rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg.
 Poetic Terminology
Internal Rhyme: Words rhyming inside one line.
End Line Rhyme: Words rhyming at the end of consecutive
lines.
Perfect vs. Slant Rhyme: ball & hall are a perfect rhyme (end
sounds the same). Ball & bell are slant rhymes (beginning
and end sounds the same; middle sound is different).
Alliteration: the repetition of the same beginning consonants
Assonance: the repetition of the same vowel sounds in the
middle of words
Consonance: the repetition of the same ending consonants
Onomatopoeia: words that are spelled much like how they
sound.
 Shakespeares 5 Part
Storytelling Pattern:
Act III: Crisis/Turning Point
A series of complications

Act IV: Falling Action

Act II: Rising Action
Results of the turning
A series of point; characters locked
complications into deeper disaster

Act I: Exposition Act V:

Climax/Resolution/Denouement
Establishes setting,
characters, conflict, and Death of the main characters and then
background the loose parts of the plot are tied up
 Tips for Understanding
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is based on Arthur Brookes long narrative
poem the Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562).
The play has a highly moral tone: disobedience, as well as
fate, leads to the deaths of two lovers.
Motifs in Romeo and Juliet
Power of Love
Violence from Passion
The Individual vs. Society
The Inevitability of Fate
MONTAGUE vs. CAPULET
Romeo Juliet
Lord Montague (his dad) Lord Capulet (her father)
Lady Montague (his mom) Lady Capulet (her mother)
Mercutio (friend) Tybalt (cousin)
Benvolio (cousin) Nurse
 A Pair of Star Crossed Lovers
My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen
unknown , and known too late!
~ Juliet; Act I, Scene V
FIN