William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareAn introduction to Romeo and Juliet

His life • William Shakespeare (1564-1616) • Born in Stratford-upon-Avon• The exact date of his birth is unknown, but some

believe he was born on April 23, 1564• By the age of seven, William was able to read and write• He attended Stratford grammar school until he was 15,

where he would have studied Greek and Latin literature and Christian ethics (including knowledge of the Bible)• William was an intellectual, though he didn't attend the

university for various reasons. This upset some of his fellow playwrights because they believed that a dramatist should be educated

Family Life• William Shakespeare

married Anne Hathaway (he was 18, she was 26). • Anne was already

three months pregnant.• Children: Susanna,

Judith and Hamnet - Hamnet dies at the age of 11

Livelihood

• Now, with a family of three and a wife to take care of, Shakespeare took off to London.• he became quite a

successful theatrical player (actor) in London

Theatre Life

• In January 1593, the plague forced many London theaters to close

• Becomes key member of an acting troupe known as “Lord Chamberlain’s Men”

• Performed at the Globe Theater

• The theater held 2500 people

Shakespeare’s Death

• William Shakespeare died at the age of 52 on April 23, 1616, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

• This date it notable because…

Shakespeare’s Writings• William Shakespeare composed what many

believe is the most extraordinary body of work in the history of world drama• He wrote at least 37 plays • Comedies• Tragedies• Histories• Romances

• Of these, only 18 were printed in his lifetime.• He wrote 154 sonnets

Words, words, words• Shakespeare's surviving works add up to a

staggering 884,647 words and 118,406 lines.

• Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play, clocking in at 4,042 lines. His shortest is The Comedy of Errors, with 1,787.

• According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Shakespeare coined more than 500 new words, many of which are still commonly used in English speech. Popular Will-isms include: amazement, bump, lonely, countless, useful, radiance and lacklustre.

Queen Elizabeth I • “The Virgin Queen” is considered

one of the country's most successful and popular monarchs

• Elizabeth was a different kind of Queen: quick-witted, clever and able to use feminine wiles to get her own way.

• November 17, 1558 she became Queen

• She never married and once said, “I am already bound unto a husband which is the Kingdom of England.”

Queen Elizabeth I

• Died on March 24, 1603

• Her reign was known as the “Elizabethan era”

King James I

• King James I (who was also King James VI of Scotland) reigned in England from 24th March 1603 until his death on 27th March 1625.

• His reign is known as the Jacobean era, Jacob being an alternative form of James.

Shakespeare & Hollywood• Shakespeare has inspired many Hollywood

films, such as:• reproductions of his plays, including Romeo

and Juliet, Hamlet, • movies that are based on the plots of his plays,

such as:• “She’s the Man” (based on Twelfth Night)• “Ten Things I hate about You” (based on The

on Taming of the Shrew)• “O” (based on Othello)

Shakespeare has become a part of our pop culture!

Shakespeare’s Expressions• Shakespeare has contributed many expressions to our modern-

day language:• as luck would have it• budge an inch• foul play• in a pickle• my own flesh and blood• not slept one wink• seen better days• vanish into thin air• without rhyme or reason

Some more Shakespeare originals:

• Dead as a doornail• In my heart of hearts• Fortune’s fool• Knock, knock! Who’s there?• Laughing stock• Not a mouse stirring• O, brave new world!

So the big question… why do we study Shakespeare?• To appreciate Shakespeare’s genius language

skills• to enrich reading skills• To relate personally to some of his characters• To notice how our language is changing (would

Will know what it means to text or google?)• To enjoy dramatic interpretations of the play• For entertainment! To have fun! (it’s not

meant to be a torture!!)

Sources:• Introducing Shakespeare. The Global Shakespeare Series.

1997• http://wiki.answers.com • http://cho-oka.deviantart.com/art/Romeo-Juliet-173178806• http://www.solarnavigator.net/books/

william_shakespeare.htm• http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/23/

happy-450th-shakespeare/• http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/players/player23.html