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)
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
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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