ENGLISH AND SHAKESPEAREA Brief History

IN THE BEGINNING . . . The people of Britain were made of

many groups, including Angles Saxons Jutes Picts Scots Celts

Rulers were clan chief

FIRST CONQUERS Rome

Held power over the lower portions of England from around 30 BC to 350 AD

When the empire collapsed, local control returned to the native nobility

Clergy stayed, adding a Latin influence to the island

Hadrian’s Wall

THE NORMANS Battle of Hastings: October 14, 1066

Duke of Normandy (William I the Conqueror)

King Harold of the Saxon’s defeated King Harold was killed during the battle

William I became the first English King

MORE ON THE NORMANS Normans are “Northmen Branch of Scandinavians Normans controlled the northern regions of Europe Empire stretched from America and Iceland (Vikings) to

Russia (Danes) to Italy and Sicily (Normans) This particular group of Normans came from Normandy,

France. Normans were a more aggressive group of Scandinavians In 911 AD, William’s ancestors acquired Normandy from

France. They intermarried with English Royalty William had some legitimate claim to the English throne

MEDIEVAL ERA Feudalism – the government of the day

Three classes of society Nobility Clergy Serfs

Lord – Owner of the land Vassal – a lower noble who was granted a

portion of land in exchange for taxes, agriculture, military service, and loyalty

Fief – the plot of land granted to a vassal

Eilean Donan Castle

AFTER HASTINGS Only about 10% of the people in England

would have noticed the change Serfs were not affected Clergy were not affected Nobility was affected – Old English

nobility under King Harold of the Saxons replaced with new French nobility under William I the Conqueror

LANGUAGE AFTER HASTINGS Serfs spoke English (mix of Anglo-Saxon

(Germanic), Celtic (Gaelic), and Latin) Clergy spoke Latin Nobility spoke French

Earlier invaders of England attacked, pillaged, and left

Normans invaded but did not destroy. They accepted a great deal of Anglo Saxon culture

DOOMSDAY BOOK First census taken of England in 1086

Purpose was to tax more effectively Result was that people were taxed more

fairly Country of England prospered

Doomsday Book

END OF THE FEUDAL ERA Plague killed 1/3 of the population of

Europe Gunpowder Italian Renaissance

THE BLACK PLAGUE

RENAISSANCE PERIOD Italian Renaissance began in early 1400’s

Emphasized: literature, the arts, science, religion, politics, classics

Began with an emphasis on reviving learning and studying Greek and Roman literature

Split of Roman empire and fall of western Roman empire: Byzantium (Eastern Roman Capital became center of

Roman learning Italian Renaissance happened when Muslims took over

Constantinople (Byzantium) and renamed it Istanbul Orthodox Church fell from power, tool all manuscripts (including

Greek philosophers) and fled. Until this reintroduction, only partial manuscripts existed

ENGLISH RENAISSANCE (1500 – 1660)

Began during reign of Henry VII

Ended 1660 with end of Commonwealth Great Plague 1665

(Influenza) Great London Fire

1666

Henry VII

MONARCHS OF ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

Henry VII Henry VIII – Luther Reformation 1517, English

Reformation 1534 Edward VI Mary Elizabeth I – Shakespeare starts writing James I – New Bible Charles I Oliver Cromwell – Monarchy dissolved and

replaced with Commonwealth

LITERARY ASPECTS OF RENAISSANCE

Sonnets – Started with Italian Petrarch and Shakespeare

Blank Verse – no rhyme scheme Pastoral Verse – about Sheppard and folk

songs/stories Example – Spenser

Drama Iconoclastic – about religion Popular – about people

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Born April 23, 1564

(Baptism Records say 4-26-1564)

Holy Trinity Church – Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire

Died April 23, 1616William

Shakespeare

SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS Two Narrative Poems (1593 & 1594) 154 Sonnets – all printed in 1609 37 Plays Rumored 38th Arthurian Legend play–

Life of Merlin 36 plays published in the first folio Types of Plays: Comedies, Histories,

and Tragedies

THE FIRST FOLIO

GLOBE THEATER: open air theater where people either stood

or paid more to sit in the stands. Scenery was minimal, People went to the play to listen to the

words, not watch the movement. Female characters of the time had to be

sown into their costumes. Female characters were played by young

men whose voice had not begun to change

PLAYS AT THE GLOBE