Jae on Theater
Shakespeare’s Life
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Born in Stratford-upon-Avon
(England), baptized April 26,
1564
Married Anne Hathaway at age
of 18. She was at least five
years older than he and
pregnant with Susanna. Twins
Judith and Hamnet were born
in 1585
 Hamnet died at age 11
Lost years 1585-1592
Well known in theatre by 1592
Didn’t return to live in
Stratford until about 1613
Died April 23, 1616 (Feast of
St. George)
Map of London 1600
Globe Theater
The Reconstructed Globe
What Shakespeare wrote
37+ plays, including a
couple with coauthors
 154 sonnets
 2 long poems, Rape
of Lucrece and Venus
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and Adonis
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A few other middlelength poems
History on a need-to-know basis
Henry VIII – six
wives, needed to get
divorced so he made
England Protestant
instead of Catholic
Father of Elizabeth I
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Elizabeth I
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Virgin Queen (never
married at least) lived
1533-1603, Queen
beginning in 1558
Under her leadership, the
English navy defeated the
Spanish Armada
Kept England Protestant
Identified with England
Think about her when
you read about Hippolyta
(Queen of Amazons) and
Titania (Queen of Fairies)
The Renaissance
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“Rebirth” of Humanism of the
Greeks and Romans, including
their poetry, plays, science, math,
astronomy, chemistry, and
interest in the individual (as
opposed to theological study).
Back to Greek and Roman
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Sculpture
Art
Music
Literature
Drama
Democracy
Philosophy
Science
Renaissance, continued
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BEFORE the Renaissance, the Church was in control so
all of these areas of human endeavor were directed to
support of the Church and for worship of God.
In 1400’s (Quatrocento) Italy, France, and by 1500’s
England, re-started all of these OUTSIDE of the Church
control, partly because of Protestant Reformation &
Science combined, and partly because of manuscripts
discovered – writings from Greece & Rome
NOW a secular emphasis – not by church people, not for
church people, not about God
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Individualism/ Humanism: People are not TYPES, but individuals
People are not represented as primarily SPIRITUAL, but as
intelligent and individual, depending on oneself, rather than the
social structure
Renaissance Humanism
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“Renaissance Humanism” = a new concept of what
humans are
Emphasis on the above arts and endeavors, plus
Rich potential of human nature/ “Man’s” potential power
 Free creative play of human talent in every field
 The individual soul apart from all others
 A person who shaped his own destiny, free in mind & spirit
 Perspective in art
 Study of anatomy & astronomy & biology
 Less symbolism and more real, concrete reality
 Intense interest in things human and earthly
Began in Italy (Quattrocento) and went to France, Germany, Spain,
Netherlands, England
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Italian Renaissance Humanism
Petrarch and Laura
 Also see Dante’s
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Divine Comedy
Renaissance Humanism
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Michaelangelo
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Oration on the Dignity of Man
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http://public.wsu.edu/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_re
ader_1/pico.html
After thinking a long time, I have
figured out why man is the most
fortunate of all creatures and as a
result worthy of the highest admiration
and earning his rank on the chain of
being, a rank to be envied not merely
by the beasts but by the stars
themselves and by the spiritual
natures beyond and above this world.
This miracle goes past faith and
wonder. And why not? It is for this
reason that man is rightfully named a
magnificent miracle and a wondrous
creation.
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If you see a philosopher judging
things through his reason, admire
and follow him: he is from
heaven, not the earth. If you see
a person living in deep
contemplation, unaware of his
body and dwelling in the inmost
reaches of his mind, he is neither
from heaven nor earth, he is
divinity clothed in flesh.
The Early Modern Period
Another name for the Renaissance
 Emphasis is on looking forward from the
15th and 16th centuries to NOW – we see
the concerns and psychology of the
people of the Early Modern Period as
essentially akin to ourselves
 Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are the
defining literary texts which most
emphatically “prove” this point
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What is a sonnet?
Lyric (short) poem
 Rhymes
 Metered
 14 lines
 Usually there is a turn, either between the
8th and 9th lines (Petrarchan/ Italian) or
between the 12th and 13th lines
(Elizabethan/ Shakespearean)
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Shakespeare’s Sonnet Cycle
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Sonnets written 1593-1600, 2
published in 1599, rest published
as we read them in 1609,
dedicated to “the only begetter of
these ensuing sonnets, Mr. W. H.”
Usually read as the most
biographical of WS’s writings
Sonnets 1-126 to fair young man
(poet’s dear friend and patron)
Sonnets 127-152 to dark lady,
mistress for a time
153-54 were translations
BUT mistress steals affection of
the friend
Rival poet does , too
Homework for Monday, Nov. 7
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We will have a
guest, Dr. Michael
Warren, so please,
please have
finished Act 1 of
Twelfth Night.
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Quiz for Monday.
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Either write a sonnet with
iambic pentameter and
Shakespeare’s rhyme
scheme and a turn.
Or explain why Viola
turns herself into Cesario
and what the
consequences are for her.
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