Friday, September 14th: Shakespeare and his time

Coming Up: Vocabulary Quiz #2 Next Thursday! Words attached at the end of this blog post. Following the same format as the last vocabulary quiz.

In Class: Learning about the Shakespearean Era

Take out your notebooks:

Essential Question: How did the era in which Shakespeare lived influence his writing and why is he still relevant today?

Opening Question:
Take a minute to write down in your notebook: What do you know about Shakespeare? What do you want to know about Shakespeare? We will discuss this briefly as a group.

The Elizabethan Era (1558-1603)

• . . . And the religious war continues
• She restored Protestantism in England 
• Excommunicated from the Catholic Church 
• 1585: All Catholic priests were forced to leave England 
• They were fining people for not attending Church, and trying to assassinate the Queen twice didn't help either. . .

What was the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism and how did this impact Shakespeare?

Life in the 16th Century

• Towns grew
• Gap between wealthy and poor increased:
• Social Classes:
• Nobility
• Gentry/Merchants
• Craftsmen & Farmers
• Poor/Peasants
• Punishment = physical
• Just like Shylock's punishment for Antonio
• Acting took place in market squares & courtyards (theaters were built later in prominent towns)

The Globe Theater in London, England

Gender Roles in the 16th Century

• Wealthy girls educated by their families at home, lower-class women were not and did housework
• Arranged marriages (usually married 18-21)
• Not allowed to wear pants
• Directly dependent on men for well-being
• Short life expectancy (probably because they had so many kids!)
• Primogeniture: oldest child inherits everything even if the oldest is a girl.

Transition to 17th Century: James I takes reign (1603)

• Crowns Shakespeare and his acting company, "The King's Men"
• Merchant status improves 
• Plague hit London again in 1603, 1636, and 1665
• probably what killed Shakespeare's son- Hamnet
• Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment - importance placed on questioning everyday life reality instead of accepting it.

Movie Time!

10 Things School Never Taught you about Shakespeare

Shakespearean Timeline

Year	Event
Unknown	Born to John (glovemaker) & Mary Shakespeare
April 23, 1564	Accepted date of birth near Stratford-upon-Avon
April 26, 1564	Baptized in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford
1571	Attends the King’s Free Grammar School in Stratford
November 1582	Married Anne Hathaway (26) at 18
May 1583	1st child, Susanna, born
1585	Twins, Judith and Hamnet, born
1590	Around the time of his first play, Henry VI
1585 – 1592	Shakespeare’s off the grid
1592	Becomes an established playwright/actor in London
1593	London Theatres close due to plague
1594	Theatres reopen
1594	Became a part of “Lord Chamberlain’s Men” – First Shakespearean Theatre Company
1596	Hamnet dies at age 11
1597	The Chamberlain’s Men lease ends at Theatre in Shoreditch – they begin to tour
1597	Purchased the “New Place” in Stratford (even though he was still primarily living in London)
1599	Globe Theater Built, The Chamberlain’s Men take up residency there
1601	Hamlet
1603	Elizabeth Dies, James I takes over and renames “Lord Chamberlain’s Men,” “The King’s Men.”
1609	154 Sonnets Published
1613	Wrote his last play, The Noble Kinsmen, retires from writing
29 June 1613	Globe Theater burns down after stage cannon misfired. It is quickly rebuilt the same year.
April 23, 1616	Shakespeare dies and is buried at the same church as his Baptism. Written on his grave: “Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forebear To dig the dust enclosed here.  Blest be the man that spares these stones,  And curst be he that moves my bones.”
1642	Puritans destroy The Globe Theater, and it is closed down. Later it is destroyed to make room for tenements.
1997	Globe Theater rebuilt and reopened.

                          

SO WHAT? How has Shakespeare impacted our own culture?

• For example, Rap and song lyrics constantly reference him and his writings:

• Some of the best Rap artists have used Iambic Pentameter: ex. Lose Yourself by Eminem

Over the weekend, think about how Shakespeare's works might influence your own pop culture and how issues he discussed are still relevant 😊

(P.S. - Here's another fun video to watch!):

Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Vocabulary List 2

1)     abridge (verb): to shorten by omission while retaining the basic content.

2)     appropriation (noun): the act of appropriating – to take for oneself (often without permission) 

3)     forfeit: 

a.     (verb): to lose or be deprived of 

b.     (noun): a penalty for learning

4)     imposition(noun): an overly burdensome demand or command.

5)     imputation (noun): the act of imputing – to attribute or ascribe.

6)     melancholy (noun): a gloomy state of mind, depression.

7)     prodigal (adjective): Wastefully or recklessly extravagant, spending unnecessarily 

8)     profound (adjective): very great/important, when a person or statement has great knowledge/insight.

9)     squander (verb): to waste something in a reckless/foolish manner

10)  supposition (noun): an uncertain belief, hypothesis, something supposed.