British Literature

British Literature: William Shakespeare (16th-17th centuries)

Background:
- Father: Glove maker.
- Wife: Anne Hathaway.
- Children: 3.
- Notable Venue: The Globe Theatre.
- Death: After a celebration.

Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth.
Comedies: The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing.
Historical Plays: Julius Caesar, Richard II.

16th Century
Structure: Represented three different elements - Hell, Earth, Sky/Heaven.
Audience Participation: Shouting, throwing things if they didn't like the play.
Criticism: Church viewed it as the "nest of the devil."
Location: Often outside city walls due to disapproval.
Participation: Audience visible to actors, enhancing involvement.

Born in Stratford upon Avon, son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden.
Married Anne Hathaway in 1582.
Moved to London in 1592, joined Lord Chamberlain's Men.
Bought Globe Theatre in 1599.
Wrote and adapted successful plays, gained favor from Queen Elizabeth I and James.
Died on April 23, 1616.
He is considered to be the greatest of all dramatists all over the World. He was born in Stratford upon Avon. He was the son of a glove maker John Shakespeare and his wife Mary Arden. He was their youngest son (he had one sister and one brother). William attended the Grammar school in 1582 he maried Anne Hathaway from a nearby village Shottery. She was 8 years older than William and they had two daughters - Susan and Judith and a son. Little of Shakespeare's life is known until 1592 when he came to London and joined a group of actors known as Lord Chamberlain Men. In 1599 he bought Globe Theatre. First, he helped to adapt or re-write plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very sucessful. Both the Queen Elizabeth I. and James liked him very much. His plays were first published in 1623. After acting and writing and after his son's death he went back to Stratford and lived a quiet life with his family. He made a fortune so he could buy a new fine house in Stratford. He died on the same day as he was born (on 23rd April). The legend says that he died after a loud and noisy celebration.

Tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet, children of feuding Verona houses.
Secretly married, Romeo kills Juliet's cousin, Tybalt.
Romeo banished, Juliet fakes death, Romeo believes her dead and kills himself.
Juliet awakens, finds Romeo dead, and takes her life.
Their deaths reconcile the warring families.
is about the unhappy love of Romeo and Juliet, the only children of two powerful houses of Verona - the House of Capulet and the House of Mantague. These two houses hate each other, and Romeo Montague meets Juliet at the ball. He falls in love with her although he knows that she is Capulet. They love each other very much and ask Friar Lawrance to marry them. Their love and marriage are secret and unofortuned coincidence Romeo kills Tibalt who is Juliet's cousin. Prince of Verona sends Romeo to the exile outside Verona and young Juliet is forced to get married to a young nobleman called Paris. She asks Friar Laurence for help again and he gives her magic drops after which she falls asleep for several hours and looks as if she was dead. Romeo learns about Juliets death in Mantua and hurries to the Capulets Monument in a churchyard. He does not know about the trick and kill himself. Soon after that Juliet wakes up and when she sees Romeo dead, she kills herself too. Both Montague and Capulet Houses reconcile only after the death of their beloved children.