Shakespeare
Subject: English Literature
Topic: 4
Cambridge Code: 0486 / 0475
Shakespeare's Life
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) - Greatest English writer
Historical Context
Elizabethan Era (1558-1603):
- Queen Elizabeth I reigned
- Cultural flowering (Renaissance)
- London growing center of theater
- Protestant vs Catholic tensions
- Exploration and New World
Shakespeare's Career
Early life:
- Born Stratford-upon-Avon
- Grammar school education
- Married Anne Hathaway at 18
London career:
- 1590-1613: Active as playwright/actor
- Part of Lord Chamberlain's Men
- Later the King's Men
- Wrote 39 plays and 154 sonnets
Globe Theatre
Built 1599, rebuilt 1614:
- Circular outdoor theater
- Gallery seating, pit floor standing
- Minimal scenery
- Performances afternoon (daylight)
- Audiences mixed classes
Shakespeare's Works
Periods of Writing
Early period (1590-1600):
- Comedies (romantic, witty)
- Histories (political drama)
- Earlier tragedies
Middle period (1600-1605):
- Great tragedies
- Psychological depth
- Complex characters
- Moral exploration
Late period (1605-1613):
- Tragicomedies
- Romance elements
- Magical/fantastical
- Forgiveness themes
Shakespeare's Tragedies
Tragedy - Drama of serious action ending in disaster
Characteristics
- Protagonist of high status
- Tragic flaw (hamartia)
- Inevitable downfall
- Cathartic effect (pity and fear)
- Questions of fate and free will
Major Tragedies
Hamlet (1601):
- Indecisive prince
- Revenge tragedy
- Madness (real or feigned?)
- Internal conflict
- Philosophical questions
Macbeth (1606):
- Ambition unleashes evil
- Witches influence/destiny
- Rapid descent
- Guilt manifested
- Shortest tragedy
Othello (1604):
- Jealousy destroys love
- Racial themes
- Iago's manipulation
- Tragic misunderstanding
- Othello's tragic flaw
Romeo and Juliet (1595):
- Star-crossed lovers
- Family feud prevents happiness
- Fate vs free will
- Impulsive passion
- Youth and beauty destroyed
King Lear (1605):
- Proud king's downfall
- Family betrayal
- Madness and sanity questioned
- Redemption through suffering
- Elements of fairy tale
Shakespeare's Comedies
Comedy - Drama entertaining and amusing with happy ending
Characteristics
- Witty dialogue and wordplay
- Mistaken identity often
- Romantic entanglements
- Happy resolution (marriage usually)
- Younger generation wins
- Social order restored (or challenging)
Major Comedies
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595-96):
- Magical forest
- Love magic causes chaos
- Lovers get sorted
- Fairy intervention
- Performance within play
Much Ado About Nothing (1598-99):
- Witty banter
- Romantic couple pretends hate
- Mistaken identity subplot
- Deception and misunderstanding
- Happy resolution
The Taming of the Shrew (1592-94):
- Stubborn woman tamed
- Marriage transformation
- Gender role interrogation
- Comedy of misunderstanding
- Contentious ending
Twelfth Night (1601-02):
- Shipwrecked Viola disguises as man
- Love triangles
- Mistaken identity
- Cross-dressing confusion
- "If music be the food of love"
Shakespeare's Histories
History - Drama based on historical events
Characteristics:
- Monarchs as subjects
- Political power struggles
- National themes
- Loosely based on chronicles
- Blend history with drama
Examples:
- Henry IV (two parts)
- Henry V
- Richard III
- Julius Caesar
Shakespeare's Language
Early Modern English
Different from modern:
- Vocabulary evolved
- Pronunciation changed
- Grammar differed
- Spelling varied
Still recognizable: Many phrases still used
Poetic Devices
Iambic pentameter:
- 10 syllables, 5 stresses
- "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day"
- Natural in English
- Elevated compared to prose
Rhyme:
- Couplets for emphasis or ending
- Varies with scene tension
Metaphor and imagery:
- Sustained metaphors
- Rich, poetic language
- Creates atmosphere
Wordplay
Puns and double meanings:
- Comedy from words
- Sexual innuendo often
- Witty repartee
Malapropisms:
- Wrong word used (comic effect)
- Often by lower characters
Important Themes
Ambition
Macbeth, Hamlet, Julius Caesar
- Driving force
- Can corrupt
- Destroys individuals
- Questions morality
Love
Romantic, familial, sexual
- Central to many plays
- Various expressions
- Obstacles to overcome
- Ultimately redeeming
Power and Authority
Kings and rulers questioned
- Divine right challenged
- Political intrigue
- Responsibility of leaders
- Corruption of power
Betrayal
Recurring theme:
- Trust violated
- Friends as enemies
- Self-betrayal
- Consequences examined
Madness
Real or feigned:
- Mental breakdown
- Clarity in madness
- Social disorder reflected
- Sanity questioned
Character Types
Tragic Hero
Noble but flawed:
- High status
- Fatal weakness
- Leads to downfall
- Evokes pity
Comic Characters
Wit and wordplay:
- Clever servants
- Fools with wisdom
- Comic couples
- Physical comedy
Villains
Dangerous antagonists:
- Iago (manipulation)
- Macbeth (ambition)
- Dark creativity
- Often compelling
Reading Shakespeare
Strategies
- Read aloud (hear the language)
- Use annotated edition (notes help)
- Consult summaries beforehand
- Watch a film version
- Read multiple times
- Mark important passages
- Track character relationships
- Note themes and patterns
Understanding Language
- Accept you won't understand every word
- Context clarifies meaning
- Emotional impact matters more
- Pronunciation modernize
- Accept unfamiliar syntax
Key Points
- Shakespeare: Greatest English writer, 37 plays
- Tragedies: Serious action, catastrophic end, flawed protagonist
- Comedies: Witty, romantic, happy ending
- Histories: Political power struggles based on real events
- Iambic pentameter: Primary meter
- Themes: Ambition, love, power, betrayal, madness
- Language rich in imagery and wordplay
- Characters complex and fully realized
- Universal appeal across centuries
- Performance choices affect interpretation
Practice Questions
- Analyze tragic flaw
- Trace character development
- Identify major themes
- Examine imagery patterns
- Discuss gender roles
- Analyze key scenes
- Compare different plays
- Interpret language passages
Revision Tips
- Read the play multiple times
- Watch different film versions
- Study key scenes closely
- Learn major quotes
- Trace major characters
- Identify themes
- Understand historical context
- Practice analysis