Министерство образования и науки
Российской Федерации
Муниципальное образовательное учреждение
средняя общеобразовательная школа № 45
с углубленным изучением отдельных предметов
естественнонаучной направленности
РЕФЕРАТ
по английскому языку
«SOUL OF THE AGE»
Выполнил:
учащийся 10 класса
Капитонова Наталья
Дмитриевна
Научный
руководитель:
учитель английского языка
высшей категории
Рогова Галина
Владимировна
Тверь, 2011
1
Contents
INTRODUCTION
3
Chapter 1. THE GREATEST ENGLISH POET AND DRAMATIST
1.1.
Shakespeare’s Parents
1.2.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
1.3.
Shakespeare’s School
1.4.
Shakespeare’s Wife
1.5.
Shakespeare in London
1.6.
Hall’s Croft
1.7.
The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre
1.8.
«The Birthday» Ceremony
4
4
4
5
6
6
8
8
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Chapter 2. THE HISTORY OF THE GLOBE
2.1.
Burbage’s Theatre
2.2.
The Globe
2.3.
A Cultural Quiz «Do You Know Shakespeare?»
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11
11
13
CONCLUSION
15
SOURCES
16
APPENDIX
17
2
INTRODUCTION. THE AGE OF SHAKESPEARE
The last half of the XVI and the beginning of the XVII centuries are known
as the golden age of English literature. It was the time of the English Renaissance,
and sometimes it is called «the age of Shakespeare». By that time England had
become a powerful state, English trade was flourishing. The yoke of the feudal
barons had been thrown off. New branches of science were developing. There
appeared new names in literature: Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, etc. They created
a new poetry free from the medieval influence and more relevant to the century
interests.
Shakespeare was a great humanist. He believed in the high and noble
features of man’s mind and heart. He created characters of great depth and unusual
intellect. We see a philosopher in Hamlet, a learned in Horatio, a cunning diplomat
in Claudius (the King of Denmark).
Shakespeare alone is the whole epoch in world literature. As I am very
interested in Shakespeare’s literary career I decided
1. to know as much as possible about his biography;
2. to describe in detail the traditions connected with this great writer;
3. to find information about the history of the Globe;
4. to hold a cultural quiz «Do you know Shakespeare?» among the students in
order to know how well they are informed in this question.
3
Chapter 1. THE GREATEST ENGLISH POET AND DRAMATIST
Soul of the age!
The applause, delight, the wonder of our stage!
Ben Jonson
1.1.
Shakespeare’s Parents
William Shakespeare, the greatest English poet and dramatist, was born on
or about April 23, 1564 at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in England.
Stratford is a small country town in a farming district near the centre of England.
At that time Stratford-upon-Avon was a prosperous, self-governing market town
with impressive streets and buildings; it was well known for its markets and fairs
and had contacts with the outside world. The Avon, which is a pretty river with
grass and trees all along its banks, runs through Stratford.
Not much is known of Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare. He was a
man of some importance in Stratford. He was one of the town officers and a dealer
in corn, meat, leather, and other products of the farm.
The poet’s mother, Mary Arden, was one of the eight daughters of Robert
Arden, a rich farmer in the village of Wilmcote, where the Arden farmstead may
still be seen. Of all the buildings associated with Shakespeare and his family, Mary
Arden’s House is the last known and yet perhaps the most picturesque and
interesting. It is situated four miles from Stratford-upon-Avon. It is an excellent
specimen of farmstead of Tudor date. It is of striking size and proportions. The
house was occupied as a farmhouse till 1930 when it was purchased for
preservation by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
1.2.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
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John Shakespeare and his wife lived in a well-built house of rough stone
which was two storeys high with small windows cut in the roof. The house is still
standing. It is now a museum.
William Shakespeare was born here in a small room. He was the eldest son
and third child of marriage. In general appearance the house remains much the
same as it looked at that time. Simple and ordinary-looking, it is still the most
famous house in England and one of the most famous in the world because of the
boy who was born in it. The house where Shakespeare was born and spent his early
years is a half-timbered building of the early sixteenth century.
In Shakespeare’s time it consisted of two separate houses: the one being the
Shakespeare family’s home where William was born in 1564, and the other a shop
or warehouse adjoining used by John Shakespeare, the poet’s father, in connection
with his trade as a glover. Part of the building is furnished and part accommodates
a unique collection of books, manuscripts, pictures and objects illustrative of the
life, times and works of the poet.
1.3.
Shakespeare’s School
Very little is known about the life of William, especially about his early
years. For several years he went to school in Stratford, where there was a free
school, called the Stratford Grammar School. William was sent to school at the age
of seven. He studied there for six years and besides reading and writing he was
taught Latin and Greek. The Grammar School, originally founded by the Gild of
the Holy Cross in 1291 for giving education to members of the Gild, became
known as King Edward VI’s Grammar School in 1553. The two-storied building
comprises an upper hall on the first floor in which it is believed that Shakespeare
was educated as a boy, while below is Stratford’s original Gild hall where
Shakespeare probably saw theatrical performances given by companies of
travelling players.
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In 1577 a change came over his father’s fortunes. John Shakespeare fell into
debt and had to sell the larger part of his property. William was taken from school
and for some time had to help his father in the trade. He never went to school
again.
Just what he did between his fourteenth and eighteenth year is not known.
We know nothing about these five years.
When still at Stratford, Shakespeare became well acquainted with theatrical
performances. Stratford was often visited by travelling companies of players.
Shakespeare may have also seen miracle plays in the neighbouring town of
Coventry.
1.4.
Shakespeare’s Wife
In 1582, when little more than eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, the
daughter of Richard Hathaway who belonged to a well-respected yeoman family.
Anne was eight years older than her husband and it is said that the marriage was
not a happy one. On May 26, 1583 their daughter Susanna was born and in
February of 1585 their twins named Hamnet and Judith were born. House where
they were living with its lovely old-fashioned garden and orchard, was the early
home of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway. It is a property unique in its
picturesque and architectural appeal.
The Cottage was originally a spacious farmhouse, the home of the
Hathaways who were a family of yeoman farmers. The oldest part of the structure
dates from the fifteenth century. The property remained in the ownership of
descendants of the Hathaway family until 1892, when it was purchased by the
Shakespeare Birthplace Trustees for preservation as a memorial to the poet.
1.5.
Shakespeare in London
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William Shakespeare lived in Stratford until he was about twenty-one, when
he left for London. He arrived in London about the year 1586. During the first
years of his life in London Shakespeare had to go through many difficulties.
Probably the first work he did there was at one of two theatres that there were in
London at that time. Then he became an actor and soon began to write plays for the
company of actors to which he belonged. Very many of his plays were acted in a
London theatre called The Globe.
We know almost nothing about the first six years Shakespeare spent in
London, but it is certain that he became an actor before he wrote for the stage. As
an actor he was learning in the best possible school – the stage; as an author he
probably tried his hand by writing bits for the plays of older playwrights. Without
friends, without money, he became known as a writer only in 1593.
There is a story that when Shakespeare reached London he went straight to
the theatre, determined to get work of some sort there; and that finding nothing
better to do, he began by holding the horses of the fine gentlemen who came to see
the plays. It is said that a little later he was employed to call out the names of
actors and the pieces, and after a time was given a small part to act. But he soon
showed that he could make himself most useful in changing old plays and that was
something which the actors themselves could not do. Every old play that
Shakespeare took in hand, he made into something different and far better. Then he
began to write plays himself.
Shakespeare’s first printed works were two long poems. Shakespeare’s fame
rapidly increased after 1594. In all he was an author of over thirty plays, two
poems and 154 sonnets.
Although Shakespeare made London his home, it is probable that he often
visited Stratford, where his family continued to live. Shakespeare bought the
largest house in his native town (New Place) in 1597, paid his father’s debts, but he
did not spend much time there till 1610. He spent the last years of his life mostly at
Stratford, but he often visited London and his friends among the actors and poets
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there. In 1611, at the height of his fame, he returned to Stratford, twenty-six years
after he had left it.
William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, at the age of 52 and was buried
in a fine old Parish Church at Stratford. On his grave one can see the following
inscription:
 Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare
 To dig the dust encloased heare:
 Blese be ye man yt spares thes stones,
 And curst be he yt moves my bones.
It was written by an unknown poet, but these lines give Shakespeare’s own
request. That is why Shakespeare’s body was left at Stratford and was not taken to
Westminster Abbey where the tombs of many famous English writers and poets
are found.
The monument with a bust by the London sculptor Gerard Johnson was put
up to him in this church a few years later.
The first complete edition of Shakespeare’s works was published by his
fellow-players and friends in 1623.
The wit and sayings of the English people, English folklore and London life
and manners all may be found in Shakespeare’s works.
1.6.
Hall’s Croft
Hall’s Croft, a fine Tudor town house near the Parish Church where
Shakespeare is buried, was the home of Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna and her
husband Dr John Hall. The doctor was one of the leading practitioners of his days.
The property was purchased for preservation by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
in 1949 and has since been restored and arranged for exhibition.
Hall’s Croft now accommodates a collection of rare furniture as well as an
exhibition and other attractions associated with the Shakespeare Festival.
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1.7.
The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre
The season of Shakespeare’s plays which is held annually at the Shakespeare
Memorial Theatre has become so established that it now carries the reputation of
an English tradition. In 1874, Charles Edward Flower, a prominent resident of
Stratford, began a scheme for building a theatre for the town, and he presented a
two-acre site on the banks of the river for this purpose. On April 23, Shakespeare’s
birthday, in 1879, the first Memorial Theatre was opened with a Shakespeare
Festival. From that time, Festivals were held for a few weeks every year. In 1926,
like two other famous theatres – Drury Lane and Covent Garden – Stratford’s
theatre was burned to the ground. But the fire did not stop the Shakespeare season.
For the next six years it was held at the local cinema, while the Chairman of the
Board of Governors, the Sir Archibald Flower, began a world-wide campaign for
funds to rebuild it. In 1929, three years after the fire, the foundation stone of the
new theatre was laid. The present Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, which was
opened in 1932 and was designed by Elizabeth Scott, does not attempt to imitate its
Gothic predecessor. The design is bold, and the rose-coloured brick matches the
surrounding houses. In 1950, the governors spent ₤ 100,000 on complete
redecoration and extensive alterations: more dressing rooms and a green room
were provided for the actors, an electronic switchboard was installed for stage
lighting, and 135 extra seats were added to the auditorium. The Theatre is now one
of the most comfortable and best equipped in the world, completely self-contained,
with its own wardrobes and workshops, library, picture gallery and restaurant. It
stands in an unusually beautiful setting on the banks of Stratford’s Avon.
1.8.
«The Birthday» Ceremony
All through the winter the people who live in Stratford can walk about the
streets in comfort. But during the rest of the year it is all very different. From April
till October thousands of people from all over the world come to the little town.
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The largest crowd is there on the Birthday, this is April 23rd, the day when William
Shakespeare was born at Stratford in 1564. He died on his birthday 52 years later.
The Birthday always begins early in the morning with the ringing of the
bells of Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried. There are flags on all
the shops and houses. Along the main street about 100 tall poles have been put up.
In the afternoon a band playing music and followed by many people marches up
the street. Soon bugles are blown and then one after another a flag appears at the
top of each pole. Each flag is of different country.
After seeing this ceremony many people go to see the house where
Shakespeare was born. The house is still the same as it was when he lived in it.
They visit the school where he had his lessons when he was a boy, and go to see
his grave in the church.
Then at night they go to the beautiful theatre by the side of the river. Here
they see one of his plays acted by some of the greatest actors in the country. And
every night until October every seat in this theatre is filled by people from all parts
of the world.
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Chapter 2. THE HISTORY OF THE GLOBE
He was not of an age, but for all times!
Ben Jonson
2.1. Burbage’s Theatre
Playhouses first appeared in England in Queen Elizabeth’s reign. One of the
first builders of a playhouse in London was James Burbage, a carpenter, who had
become an actor and joined the Earl of Leicester’s Men. A playhouse, which was
called the Theatre, was erected by Burbage in 1576.
It was to the Theatre that William Shakespeare came when, in 1593 or thereabout,
he first appeared in London; and it is highly probably that The Comedy of Errors,
Romeo and Juliet and some other plays by Shakespeare were performed for the
first time on this stage.
After about seven years of activity Burbage was threatened by the landlord
of the site the Theatre was situated on. The landlord refused to renew the contract.
Soon Burbage died, and his sons, one of whom was a famous actor of the time,
decided to save their property. The old building was pulled down and the timber
and other materials were transported across the Thames. The place where the new
playhouse was to be erected was chosen on the Bankside, the part of the city that
had recently become the theatrical centre of London.
In designing the new playhouse the architect was helped and advised by the
actors, Shakespeare included. The new theatre was called the Globe. Until then
playhouses had erected and conducted in the interests of the proprietors rather than
in the interests of the actors. Now a new scheme was designed and a syndicate was
formed by the Burbages and the actors together.
2.2. The Globe
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The Globe was erected in Maiden Lane near the river, and it was approached
over a bridge. In shape the building was most probably polygonal on the outside
and circular within. It was made of timber, and the roof over the gallery was made
of thatch. In front of the entrance there was a sign-board, on which Hercules
bearing the globe upon his shoulders was represented.
In the public theatres of that time the pit was open to the sky, so that the
performance depended entirely upon the weather. Flags were hoisted when a play
was to be given, but if the weather suddenly changed for the worse, the flags were
pulled down and the performance did not take place.
The plays were well announced beforehand on bills placed on posts in
various parts of the city. It is a pity that none of these bills has been preserved. In
public theatres most plays were given in the afternoon. Enthusiastic citizens would
generally send their servants two or three hours before to occupy seats for them.
While waiting for the play to start, the public usually amused themselves by eating
apples and nuts, drinking ale, smoking, playing cards. Few women, except those of
the lowest classes, attended public theatres in Elizabeth’s time. If a lady went to
see a performance, she wore a mask.
On Thursdays there was no play-acting: it was forbidden by the queen, who
enjoyed bear-baiting and cock-fighting immensely and wanted bear-baiters to have
a chance to do good business at least once a week.
The Globe was opened to the public in 1599. Almost at once the Globe
Company rose to the position of leadership in the drama, for both William
Shakespeare and Richard Burbage were now at the height of their powers. The
other members of the company were also most famous actors of the time. It was
the golden age of the theatre in England. Most of Shakespeare’s plays after 1599
were first performed in the Globe.
In the summer of 1613 the Globe caught fire during the performance of a
play and was burnt to the ground. The details of the catastrophe we are supplied
with were as follows: it happened on a warm summer afternoon while a new
Shakespeare’s play King Henry VIII was being produced. Upon the entrance of the
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King in the first act a volley of shots was fired. Alas! The thatched roof was set fire
to by the wad of the gun. The public were greatly interested in the play and,
naturally, nobody thought of looking in the roof. So for some time the fire
overhead was not taken notice of. But soon the people had to run for their lives.
Necessary measures were taken to extinguish the fire, but the conflagration was too
great to be put out. Within an hour nothing was left of the stately Globe.
The old foundation of the building, which had not been seriously injured,
was made use of when the new Globe was being erected. The new Globe was said
to be the most beautiful theatre that had ever been built in England. However, with
this new Globe, Shakespeare had little to do. The little band of friends by whose
talent the Globe organization had been made famous was beginning to thin out.
Some of the best actors died. The most awful blow to the company fell in April
1616, when Shakespeare himself passed away. To the world, and especially to his
friends and companions it was a terrible loss: he had been the delight and wonder
of the stage.
Richard Burbage, another leading actor of the Globe died in 1619. He had
played Richard III, Hamlet, Lear, Othello and other leading parts in Shakespeare’s
plays. Burbage was not only an outstanding actor, but also an excellent painter.
One of the best portraits of Shakespeare is accredited to his brush. Shakespeare and
Burbage had been great friends. After Shakespeare’s death Burbage was given his
friend’s memorial ring.
After the passing of this group of men, whose names are known to all of us,
the history of the playhouse seems less important.
At the present time the site of the Globe is covered by a large brewery.
Tourists are shown a bronze memorial tablet on one of the walls of the brewery.
On the tablet the Bankside with the Globe Playhouse in the foreground is
represented. On the left of the tablet is a bust of the poet, on the right – a simple
inscription: “Here stood the Globe Playhouse of Shakespeare”.
2.3. A cultural quiz «Do you know Shakespeare?»
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1. The last half of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries are known as
the age of Shakespeare. Can you explain why?
2. When was Shakespeare born?
3. Why did Shakespeare leave Stratford?
4. What was his first job in London?
5. How many plays did Shakespeare write?
6. Which father has three daughters?
7. Who «loved not wisely but too well»?
8. «To be or not to be? That is the question.» What play are these words taken
from?
9. What girl falls in love with a man before she sees his face or knows his
name?
10.When did Shakespeare die?
The results of the quiz (24 students take part in it) show that
• 4 students answered 9 questions out of 10 correctly;
• 5 students answered 8 questions out of 10 correctly;
• 7 students answered 7 questions out of 10 correctly;
• 5 students answered 6 questions out of 10 correctly;
• 2 students answered 4 questions out of 10 correctly;
• 1 student answered only 3 questions correctly.
It means that teenagers of my form are fond of the English literature and
especially of William Shakespeare though some of them do not know much
enough about his plays but they are eager to learn more after the quiz.
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CONCLUSION
An English author once wrote: «Some books are to be tasted, others to be
swallowed or digested». This quotation tells us how to read books of different
kinds. Most travel books are to be tasted; it’s enough to dip into them and read bits
here and there. If you are fond of crime stories (A. Christie, G. Simenon and the
rest of the modern favourites) you will read them quickly, you’ll «swallow» them.
And then there are books that you’ll read slowly and carefully. If a book’s
on an important subject, and a subject you are interested in, you’ll want to chew
and digest it. And you’ll want to weigh what the author says and consider his ideas
and arguments. Shakespeare’s books are really to be digested.
To sum it up I discovered new things about William Shakespeare. And I
1. now knew much more about his biography;
2. described in detail the traditions connected with this great writer;
3. found information about the history of the Globe;
4. held a cultural quiz «Do you know Shakespeare?» among the students
in order to know how well they are informed in this question.
I dare say that now I know more about the greatest ever English poet and
dramatist William Shakespeare.
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SOURCES
1. Броуди Кеннет, Малгаретти Фабио. Обзор английской и американской
литературы. – М.: Айрис – пресс, 2003. – 400 с.
2. Кагарлицкий Ю.И. Шекспир и Вольтер. – М.: Наука, 1980. – 112 с.
3. Веселухина К.В. и Ковалева Л.И. Пособие по внеклассной работе. – Л.,
Просвещение, 1978. – 167 с.
4. Холлидей Ф. Шекспир и его мир. – Пер. с англ.; Предисловие Харитонова В.
– М.: Радуга, 1986. – 168 с.
5. http://ru.wikipedia.org/
6. http://www.google.ru/
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APPENDIX
Keys to the cultural quiz «Do you know Shakespeare?»
1. The last half of the XVI and the beginning of the XVII centuries are
known as the golden age of English literature. William Shakespeare was
the greatest and most famous of English writers and probably the greatest
playwright who has ever lived. That’s why this period of time is
sometimes called «the age of Shakespeare».
2. 1564.
3. Probably because his marriage wasn’t a happy one.
4. There is a story that Shakespeare’s first job in London was holding rich
men’s horses at the theatre door. But nobody can be sure that this story is
true.
5. 37.
6. King Lear.
7. Othello.
8. Hamlet.
9. Juliet, in Romeo and Juliet.
10.1616.
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