THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE AND
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
How The Great Bard Was Born
“He was not
of an age,
but for
all time”
Ben Johnson on William Shakespeare
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE CIRCA 1609
The most famous
writer in history
was just as
influenced by the
culture he was born
into as he
influences modern
culture. In learning
about his life and
reading his works,
we learn about
ourselves and about
human nature. It is
no mistake that
every high school
student in this
country studies
Shakespeare. He is
quite simply the
best and you are
about to experience
the power of his
writings.
THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD
THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Renaissance literally means “rebirth”
Rebirth of classical literature and art forms
A Renaissance occurs when life is good (people are not fighting for survival)
It is a high time for art and literature
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE
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Occurred from 1300-1550
A.D.
Marked as high time in
art (THINK Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles—
Michelangelo, Donatello,
Raphael, Leonardo)
Authors: Petrarch
(sonnets) and Castiglione
(courtier book)
Influenced the English
Renaissance Period
ENGLISH RENAISSANCE
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Occurred between 1400-1600
A.D.
Began with Henry VIII and
ended with King James I
Highest point occurred
during Queen Elizabeth I’s
reign
High time in literature:
Sidney, Spencer, Marlow,
Shakespeare
Courtiers (professional kissups) were very important
Social classes were strictly
enforced
Theaters thrived but were
considered low-class
SOCIAL MOBILITY
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During this time period,
it was nearly impossible
to rise above your birth—
if you were born a
peasant, you died a
peasant.
Family name and nobility
were very important
One way to try and rise
above your birth was
through the practice of
patronage—though how
far you could rise was
pre-determined by your
family name.
THE TUDORS
English Reformation and Renaissance
HENRY VIII
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From the Tudor line
Had SIX wives: Catherine of
Aragon(divorced), Anne
Boleyn(beheaded), Jane
Seymore (died), Ann of
Cleves(divorced), Kathryn
Howard (beheaded), Katherine
Parr (survived)
Divorced the Catholic Church
in order to marry his mistress
Wanted a male heir
Fathered two daughters (Mary
and Elizabeth) and one son
(Edward)
Was Catholic, Protestant,
Catholic, Protestant . . . .
PRINCE EDWARD
The sole male heir to
Henry’s throne
 He was Protestant
and upheld this faith
in the country once in
power
 Was ill and died
shortly after gaining
the throne
 Left behind no heir
(too young to do so)
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BLOODY MARY
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After Edward’s short
reign and early death,
Mary took the English
throne.
Devoutly Catholic and
looking to vindicate her
mother (Henry’s first
wife), Mary vowed to
wipe out Protestantism.
Ordered the mass
execution of Protestants
to restore the Catholic
faith.
Died of cancer
QUEEN ELIZABETH I
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“Bastard” Queen, daughter of
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Was both acknowledged and
disowned by her father when
he was alive
Devoutly Protestant
“Virgin Queen”—never
married, used her feminine
wiles to gain and maintain
power
The art of flirtation became a
lucrative enterprise during
her reign
Encouraged poetry and
theater
Powerful, wise, and
important monarch
Sustained many plots against
her life
KING JAMES I
Was Queen
Elizabeth’s Godson,
inherited her throne.
 Patron of theater—
Shakespeare’s King’s
Men were his favorite
acting troupe.
 Solidified the
Protestant faith with
the creation of the
King James Bible

A Difference in Viewpoints:
Medieval
and Renaissance
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Collectivism/Standardization
mentality, guilds were
strong
Preoccupied with the soul
and death
Feudalism
In wars, knights were rarely
killed; foot soldiers made up
the bulk of the fatalities.
Church in England; the Pope
was involved with its politics.
Parliament’s primary
function was to grant funds
to the King.
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Exaltation of the individual
Appreciation of life; art,
dance and music blossomed.
Nationalism
Gunpowder was used in
warfare; it killed knights and
foot soldiers alike.
Church of England; England
became a sovereign state.
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Parliament was utilized to
enact laws that helped
enforce government policy.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH
SHAKESPEARE????
William
Shakespeare was
born while
Elizabeth was
Queen and became
wealthy through
King James I
The Italian
Renaissance
influenced the
English
Renaissance
Henry VIII is the King at the
start of the English
Renaissance. His children
ruled most of this period. The
era ended soon after all of his
children were dead.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE
April 23, 1564-April 23, 1616
THE FIVE PROVABLE FACTS ABOUT
SHAKESPEARE
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He was baptized on April 26, 1564
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There were no such things as birth certificates at this
time. However, babies were usually baptized three
days after their birth—hence Shakespeare’s birth
date of April 23, 1564
He was married at the age of 18 to 26 year old
Anne Hathaway (she was pregnant)
 He fathered three children (two girls, one boy)
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His son died young
He was part owner of the Globe Theater
 He died on April 23, 1616
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IT IS A MYSTERY . . .
Everything else that is “known” about the world’s
greatest writer is speculation, best guesses, and
agreed upon facts.
 Due to the lack of actual evidence of
Shakespeare’s life, many people have questioned
whether he really existed or not.
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The collection of works credited to him are all too
similar to be the works of more than one person.
Others argue that Shakespeare could not have
been smart enough to write such important
literature.
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Pure genius is often misunderstood
EDUCATED GUESSES ON THE REST OF
SHAKESPEARE’S BIOGRAPHY
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William Shakespeare was one of seven children born to John
Shakespeare and Mary Arden
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon
His family was respected and wealthy—but not noble
He attended grammar school and learned Latin
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By the early 1590’s Shakespeare had left his wife and three
children in Stratford-upon-Avon and traveled over 100 miles
away to London to pursue his acting and writing career. He lived
there for most of his adult life.
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There is no evidence of further education beyond this
His marriage was not great—he rarely went home to visit his wife
and upon his death, he willed Anne his SECOND-BEST bed.
Everything else went to his daughters.
He became VERY wealthy in his life time which afforded him the
chance to buy his family’s coat of arms (a sign of nobility) and the
largest estate in Stratford.
His patrons included Sir Henry Wriothesley and King James I
SHAKESPEARE’S CAREER
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Wrote 37 plays
Wrote comedies, tragedies,
histories, and romances
(not what you think)
Also wrote 154 sonnets
and several narrative
poems all dedicated to Sir
Henry Wriothesley
He was an actor, writer,
director, and business man
Became known for his
imaginative use of
language and timelessness
EFFECTS OF THE MONARCHY
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Shakespeare had to adjust
his writings based on who
was in power in England.
Under Elizabeth—women
were portrayed as strong,
Catholicism was mocked,
marriage was not made to
be the ultimate goal for
characters
Under James—the
practice of courtiership
was mocked and
Shakespeare was freer to
fully develop his
characters
HAMLET
click for summary hyperlink
“This above all, to thine own
self be true,…”
Hamlet as first Renaissance drama;
Hamlet as first Renaissance man.
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Pre-Renaissance or pre-modern man
unitary, unified self
 man’s social position entirely determined by birth or other outside forces
(gods)
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Renaissance man
psychologically complex and multi-layered; internally divided against self
 self-made man--idea that man chooses his own experiences, determines
his own values
 Possesses a wide range of interests, talents and accomplishments
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Pre-Renaissance Drama
Primarily religiously themed
 Focus on telling moral lesson or retelling bible stories
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Renaissance Drama
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A re-birth of the ancient dramas from Rome and Greece
 Used classic dramatic models of comedy and tragedy Shakespeare also wrote histories.
How does Hamlet show its
Renaissance character?
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The internal complexity of modern man is reflected in
the play’s doublings
Both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
 A play within a play (and then the play within the play is
itself doubled into a dumb show and a play)
 2 mad persons: Ophelia and Hamlet
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and triplings
3 murdered dads: Fortinbras, Hamlet, Polonius
 3 avenging sons: Fortinbras, Hamlet, Laertes
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Traditions of tragic drama inherited by
Shakespeare
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European drama before Hamlet:
classical Greek and Latin tragedies, comedies, and
farces. These lost in the Dark Ages.
 medieval religious drama: lives of saints; reenactments of Bible stories
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Renaissance
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imitations of classical Latin drama
Hamlet
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first great drama after Euripides (Last of ancient
Greek tragic playwrights).
Shakespeare plays around with received
dramatic conventions
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Opening scene
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Rather than opening with highest ranked character or
tragic hero, Shakespeare opens with soldiers and delays
Hamlet’s entrance.
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We first hear of Fortinbras and meet Laertes (Hamlet’s two
rivals)
We meet Horatio (Hamlet’s friend) and Claudius (his enemy)
Not privileging plot over all other elements
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Tragedy typically depends on plot; Shakespeare instead
focuses on character and ideas.
Click for plot hyperlink
Source: http://www.60secondrecap.com/library/hamlet/
Standard Issues in Hamlet
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Is Hamlet mad or is he feigning madness?
Does Gertrude know that Claudius killed Old
Hamlet?
When (if ever) does Hamlet decide to believe the
ghost?
AS WE READ . . .
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Think about ghosts and spirits. Is
the ghost what it appears to be, or is
it really a misleading fiend? How
much can we know about a person
based on observation alone?
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A crime that has no witnesses
The state of Claudius's soul
The state of Hamlet's mind
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Think about the concepts of
CERTAINTY and UNCERTAINTY.
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Look for messages about
DEATH/DYING/SUICIDE.
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What might Shakespeare be trying
to tell us about REVENGE?
“To be or not to be, that is the
question” . . . . .
Wait until you see how it unfolds!