Download Romeo and Juliet Introduction PPT

AN INTRODUCTION TO
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND
THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO &
JULIET
Ninth Grade Literature
THIS PRESENTATION WILL…
•inform you about the life and work of the mysterious
William Shakespeare.
•provide you details about Elizabethan society and
theater.
•define basic terminology related to Shakespearean
poetry and drama.
April 23, 1564: William Shakespeare was born in
Stratford-upon-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare.
There is a baptismal registration for Shakespeare, but few
other written records exist. He was the 3 rd of 8 children.
Much of Shakespeare’s younger years
remain a mystery, but there are rumors
about what jobs he may have worked.
Schoolmaster
Lawyer
Lawyer
Butcher Apprentice
1582: According to church records,
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway.
At the time of their marriage,
William was eighteen and
Anne was twenty-six.
William and Anne have three
children together (Susanna,
Hamnet, and Judith).
Shakespeare left his family in
1591 to pursue writing in London.
August 1596: young
Hamnet died at the
age of eleven. The
cause of his death is
unknown.
Susanna
Judith
Hamnet
In 1592, Shakespeare began developing a reputation as an
actor and playwright.
As theatres were beginning to
grow in popularity, it is
probable that Shakespeare
began earning a living writing
plays (adapting old ones and
working with others on new
ones).
1594: William became involved with a company of actors
named “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” This group later
(1603) changed their name to “The King’s Men”.
In
1598,
Shakespeare,
in
collaboration with other actors,
designed and built The Globe.
This circular theatre was the
first of its kind, breaking
away from the traditional
rectangular theatres.
1612: Shakespeare moved back to
Stratford where he retired both rich
and famous.
1616: William Shakespeare dies on his birthday.
At the time of his death, Shakespeare is said to have written
around 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He is also known to have
contributed over two thousand words to the English language.
Sniffledorfen
Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the dust encloasedheare
Bleste be ye man [that] spares thes stones
And curst be he that moves my bones.
WHICH DO YOU PREFER?
OR…
SHAKESPEAREAN THEATER
“THE GLOBE”
Romeo,
Romeo…Where
for art thou
Romeo?
ELIZABETHAN THEATRE FUN FACTS
The First Elizabethan Theater: “The Wooden O”
Built in 1576, first permanent stage in London
Built by James Burbage
Shaped in form of a tavern
1599 theatre torn down, but Shakespeare’s company
used it to build The Globe Theatre
ELIZABETHAN THEATRE FUN FACTS
The Globe
Round/polygonal building with a roofless courtyard
No artificial light
Three stories high – upper levels were for the wealthy
The “groundlings” paid a penny a piece to stand on the floor in front
of the stage (800 people)
Large platform stage
Back of platform was curtained off inner stage
Two door entrances/exits on either side of curtain
Small balcony/upper stage
Elaborate costumes but no props
Young boys played the parts of women; women weren’t allowed to be
actors
ELIZABETHAN THEATRE FUN FACTS
Back then:
 1 penny= standing-room ticket
 2 pennies= seat (gentry)
 3 pennies = seat with a cushion (gentry)
Keep in mind, a penny was about one sixth of a working
man’s daily wage. So tickets were pretty affordable.
Better than today…
BROADWAY
Tickets for a hot Broadway show:
 $75 = cheapest balcony seat
 $325 = mid-level seat
 $600 = orchestra (best seating
Not quite as affordable…
FIRE AND REDISCOVERY
Shakespeare’s
Globe burned down, but
its
foundation
was
discovered in 1989. It
gave us many clues to the
Elizabethan
experience
such as hazelnut shells! A
replica has since been
rebuilt. You can visit it
and see a play today.
SHAKESPEARE’S 5 PART
STORYTELLING PATTERN:
Act III: Climax/Turning Point
A series of complications
Act II: Rising Action
A series of
complications
Act IV: Falling Action
Results of the turning
point; characters locked
into deeper disaster
Act I: Exposition
Act V: Resolution/Denouement
Establishes setting,
characters, conflict, and
background
Death of the main characters and then
the loose parts of the plot are tied up
TIPS FOR UNDERSTANDING
ROMEO AND JULIET
Romeo and Juliet is based on Arthur Brooke’s long narrative
poem the Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562).
The play has a highly moral tone: disobedience, as well as
fate, leads to the deaths of two lovers.
MOTIFS IN ROMEO AND JULIET
Power of Love
Violence from Passion
The Individual vs. Society
The Inevitability of Fate
MONTAGUE
Romeo
Lord Montague (his dad)
Lady Montague (his mom)
Mercutio (friend)
Benvolio (cousin)
VS.
CAPULET
Juliet
Lord Capulet (her father)
Lady Capulet (her mother)
Tybalt (cousin)
Nurse
A PAIR OF STAR CROSSED LOVERS…
“My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen
unknown , and known too late!”
~ Juliet; Act I, Scene V