Elizabethan England
What life was like in
Shakespeare’s day.
•The age in which
Shakespeare lived is
known as the
Elizabethan age.
• Queen Elizabeth I
ruled during most of
Shakespeare’s life.
•Elizabeth belonged to
the House of Tudor and
was the daughter of one
of England’s most
famous kings, Henry
VIII.
Henry VIII
was
considered to
be quite
handsome,
and his
exploits and
lineage are
notorious.
Elizabethan England:
• Queen Elizabeth ruled England from 1558-1603
• During her reign, England was a prosperous,
powerful nation.
• Agriculture-based economy, with a strong military.
• Social classes determined status.
• Lowest class: the peasants. Very poor, unskilled
masses.
Elizabethan England:
• The next highest class was the laborers. These people
worked on various farms that were owned by others.
They were paid very little for their work.
• The next highest class was the gentleman class. These
people were merchants, vendors and business owners.
Some of these people did very well.
• The highest class of all was the noble class. These people
were landowners and royalty. Money was never a
problem for these people.
Elizabethan England:
• During this time, there was a huge gap between those who had
and those who had not.
• This inequality resulted in a rising number of slums in
London and peasant riots in the countryside.
• Prostitution was rampant and police protection was minimal.
• England’s population grows to 5 million people during
Elizabeth’s reign.
Elizabeth’s
nickname was “The
Virgin Queen”
because she never
married. Instead,
she used her beauty
to gain power over
the leaders of other
powerful countries.
She was able to fill
England’s treasuries
and accumulate
personal power by
stringing along the
crown princes of
Europe!
Elizabethan England:
• The bubonic plague brought an end to Glorianna’s
(Elizabeth’s) golden age.
• The disease, transmitted through fleas and a lack of
hygiene, killed one third of Europe’s population
between 1500 and 1600!
William Shakespeare
The Background of Literature’s Most
Widely Known Author.
William Shakespeare:
• Was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England, in 1564.
• His exact date of birth is not known, but it is celebrated
on April 23, the Feast of St. George.
• He was the third of seven children born to John and Mary
Shakespeare.
• His father was a tanner and glove-maker, and was also a
prominent political figure in Stratford.
• His father died in 1601 and left very little to William.
Shakespeare’s Family
Home
William Shakespeare:
• Attended a very good grammar school, where he
studied Latin, some Greek, and science, but no
ENGLISH!
• Married Anne Hathaway in 1582, while he was 18.
• Anne was at least 7 or 8 years older than Willy!
• First daughter, Susanna, was born 1583.
• Twins, Judith and Hamnet, were born in 1585.
• By 1592, William was an established playwright in
London – one problem, though – theaters were
closed most of the time because of the Plague!
There is a significant period of time in Shakespeare’s life, before
he becomes an established playwright, that remains a mystery
to modern historians. Where did Wild Bill go?
Little Willy’s Schoolroom
William Shakespeare:
• Did most of his theater work in northeast London at
theaters owned by a man named James Burba
•In 1599, Burbage built the Globe Theater in London,
which William bought stock in.
• Around 1598, he applied for and was granted a coat of
arms.
• This is important because it gave him the standing of a
gentleman.
• Actors were considered in the same class as vagrants and
criminals.
Shakespeare wrote 37
plays and 154
sonnets. The plays
were comedies,
tragedies, and
histories, or a mixture
of these three with a
little romance thrown
in for good measure.
Most of Shakespeare’s
plays, including his
famous tragic romance
Romeo and Juliet,
were performed at
London’s Globe theater.
The Globe was built
across the Thames river
from London proper in
1599.
The Globe theatre burned
down in 1613 when a
cannon was fired on stage
during a production of
King Henry VIII.
William Shakespeare:
• In 1603, his company was taken under the patronage of
King James I, ensuring is place in society and
above all else, financial well-being.
• Remember one thing, Shakespeare wrote plays for
one reason: MONEY!
• When the Globe burned down, Shakespeare
retired in 1613 and went home to Stratford.
• He died on April 23, 1616 a wealthy and famous
playwright.
The Globe Theater
"All the world's a stage, And all the men and
women merely players. They have their exits and
their entrances, And one man in his time plays
many parts, His acts being seven ages."
--From As You Like It
The Globe Theater:
• The original theater was built in 1599.
• It burned down in 1613 (did I say that already?)!
• The Globe was rebuilt and reopened 1616.
• It remained open until 1642 until the Puritans closed it.
• It was pulled down in 1644 because room was needed
to build tenement dwellings!
The Globe Theater:
• Was an 8-sided theater in which many of
Shakespeare’s were performed that could hold
up to 2500 people.
• Seating areas consisted of 4 levels, with each level
mirroring the audience’s socio-economic class.
• Admission to the first level, the “yard” or “pit” was 1
cent. This was where the poorest members of
English society watched the play. The
“groundlings” were very rowdy!!
The Globe Theater:
• Admission to the lowest level of seats was 2-3 cents.
Usually reserved for those of the laborer class, only
usually to separate themselves from the
“groundlings.”
• Admission to the next-highest level of seats was 10 cents.
Usually reserved for those of the gentleman class.
• Admission to the highest level of seats, the gallery, was 20
cents. Usually reserved for the noble class.
The Globe Theater:
• The stage was split into 3 levels, with the main action
occurring on the main stage, with the second and
third levels serving as balconies and the heavens.
•The stage also had a trap door with a level beneath it,
usually called “hell.”
The Globe Theater:
The Globe theater was rebuild in the 1990’s
thanks to the hard work and determination of
American actor Sam Wanamaker.
Unfortunately, Sam died before the rebuilding
was finished.
The Globe Theater:
The Globe was also called the
Wooden “O” because it was built
in a circle and, in the center of
the building, the roof was open
to the sky.
This open roof design allowed
natural light to illuminate the
stage. Plays were only held during the day.
Shakespeare died almost 400 years
ago. Although , as Ben Johnson would
later write of the Bard, “He was not of
an age, but for all time,” his remains lie
undisturbed in the Church of the Holy
Trinity. Perhaps the words written on
his tomb capture the continuing power
of a master wordsmith, ensuring him at
least a physical peace.
Good frend for Jesvs sake forbeare,
To digg the dust encloased heare.
Bles be ye man yt spares thes stones.
And curst be he yt moves my bones.
Shakespeare's epitaph
ROMEO AND JULIET
“A Tale of Two Star-Crossed Lovers…”
Romeo and Juliet

“A tale of
Two StarCrossed
Lovers…”
ROMEO AND JULIET:
• Written in 1594.
• Setting: Verona, Italy
• Main characters:
• Romeo Montague
• Juliet Capulet
• Friar Lawrence
• Mercutio
• Tybalt
• Prince Escalus
• Benvolio
• Lord Montague
• Lord Capulet
ROMEO AND JULIET:
• Mercutio: Romeo’s quick-witted friend who happens to
be related to the prince of Verona. Defends
Romeo against Tybalt.
• Tybalt: The “fiery” cousin of Juliet. Hates Romeo and
all Montagues with a passion.
• Prince Escalus: the Prince of Verona.
• Benvolio: Romeo’s cousin.
• Lord Montague: the head of the Montague family
• Lord Capulet: the head of the Capulet family.
ROMEO AND JULIET:
• Romeo Montague: a quiet, sensitive, love-sick teenage boy.
Starts off the play in love with Rosaline, sees Juliet and
falls in love with her.
• Juliet Capulet: the innocent object of Romeo’s desire. Falls
in love with Romeo.
• Friar Lawrence: marries Romeo and Juliet in hopes that the
feud between their families will cease. Tries to cover
up his involvement and abandons Juliet.
ROMEO AND JULIET:
Main conflicts:
• the conflict revolves around the age old-feud
between the Montagues and the Capulets.
• all of the hate that is generated in the play comes
from this initial conflict.
• each character experiences inner-conflict over
what they think they should do.
• when their backs are against the wall, Romeo and
Juliet have no one to turn to.
ROMEO AND JULIET:
Survival Tips for Reading Romeo and Juliet:
1.
If you get stuck in a passage, re-read it.
2.
If you’ve re-read the passage and still don’t get it , read it out
loud.
3.
If you’re really stuck, use an outside resource, like Cliff
Notes or various internet sites.
4.
Most folks struggle with the language at first but eventually
pick it up. Stick with it!