William Shakespeare

Background Information

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England

April 23, 1564

Married: Anne Hathaway (1582)

He was 18, she was 26.

three children• Susanna• Hamnet• Judith

Died on April 23, 1616

his 52nd birthday

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare: The Lost YearsAfter Shakespeare’s twins were born, he left Stratford. This began what is known as Shakespeare’s “Lost Years” (1585-1592; there is not much documented about him during this time period).There is speculation that William might have offended Sir Richard Lucy by poaching a deer on his grounds and had to leave Stratford to avoid prosecution ( No documented evidence supports this theory).But it is reasonable to assume that there must have been a strong reason to leave his wife, children and family to follow the life of an actor in London ( In Elizabethan times actors were classed as low-lives )There are many mysteries which surround the life of William Shakespeare - the Lost Years are the first of many!

http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/william-shakespeare-lost-years.htm

Shakespeare, con’t.Shakespeare was in the acting company, Lord

Chamberlain's Men (later called the King’s Men)He wrote:

37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 long poems His work was not published during his lifetime

but four years later in the "First Folio" book Shakespeare is considered a "man for all

seasons" because his plays appeal to everyone (all ages and across time)

Many of Shakespeare’s manuscripts were lost due to the burning of theaters by the Puritans.

The Shakespeare Debate

There is much speculation as to whether or not there was an actual “Shakespeare.”

Many historians claim that “Shakespeare” is actually a collection of several poets and playwrights’ works, while others claim that it was a pseudonym for another writer.

The three men most associated with the “Shakespeare Debate” are Edward De Vere, Francis Bacon, and Christopher Marlow.

The Shakespeare Debate

The reasoning behind the controversy seems to lie in the fact that many people find it difficult to accept that a man of poor education and upbringing could write such eloquent masterpieces and have such a strong command of the English language.

It is important not to focus on whether or not he was real, but instead we should focus on the great pieces of literature that we have attributed to him.

How Many New Words Did Shakespeare Coin?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary all the bold-faced words below (and some 500 more) are attributed to Shakespeare:

“[f]rom the spectacled pedant to the schoolboy, all gentlefolk recognize Shakespeare as a fathomless fount of coinages. The honey-tongued Bard had no rival, nor could he sate his never-ending addiction to madcap, flowery (or foul-mouthed!) neologisms. Even time-honored exposure cannot besmirch our amazement at the countless and useful words that lend radiance to our lackluster lives. All in a day’s work!

http://www.folger.edu/template.crm?cid=862

Shakespearean InsultsCombine one word from each of the columns below. Add “Thou” to the beginning to create the perfect insult

Example: Thou rank rump-fed hedge-pig!

Column A Column B Column C peevish clay-brained canker blossom grizzled dog-hearted clot pole greasy evil-eyed hedge-pig jaded lily-livered dogfish waggish mad-bred egg-shell purpled onion-eyed nut-hook rank paper-faced pantaloon saucy rump-fed rabbit-sucker vacant shag-eared snipe yeasty whit-livered younker

Shakespearean ComplimentsCombine one word from each of the columns below. Add “Thou” to the beginning to create the perfect insult

Example: Thou precious young-eyed wafer-cake!

Column A Column B Column C rare honey-tongued smilet sweet well-wishing toast fruitful fair-faced cukoo-bud brave best-tempered nose-herb sugared tender-hearted wafer-cake flowering tiger-booted pigeon-egg precious smooth-faced welsh cheese gallant thunder-darting song celestial sweet-suggesting true-penny delicate young-eyed valentine

Parts of the Globe

Tiring-House- The important backstage area which provided space for storage and business offices.

Stairs- Ascending to the first level, theatre goers reached the galleries by wooden staircases enclosed by stairwells.

Trap Door- Leading down to the Hell area where equipment included the winch elevator that raised and lowered actors or properties.