PRESENTATION

                                                 

WELCOME BACK TO ENGLISH LITERATURE! This is the blog we're going to use during the next three classes about our greatest writer WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

LET'S START !!

INTRODUCTION

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE?

a)    Why is Shakespeare famous for?

b)    Where was he from?

c)    In which century was he born?

d)    Do you know any plays of him?

e)    Who was the queen of England during Shakespeare’s time?

f)    Identify Shakespeare:

                      1                                  2                                     3

 

                      4

g)    Can you identify these characters?

                              

                     .....................................                      .....................................

SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE AND ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND

WILIIAM SHAKESPEARE

1.      Read the text about Shakespeare’s life and Elizabethan England. If you have any vocabulary questions ask your teacher or look it up in the dictionary.

Shakespeare’s life

Shakespeare’s children

William Shakespeare, considered his country’s greatest writer, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in the English Midlands on St George’s Day, April 23^rd, 1564. He was the third child of John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and Mary Arden. He went to Strattford grammar School, where he received a good education, but he did not go to university. In 1582, he married Anne Hathaway and they had three children.

Shakespeare probably left Stratford around 1586. In 1592 Shakespeare was living in London and had become famous. At this time he was writing and acting for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men at the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare became very successful and in 1599 he bought the Globe Theatre. During his life he wrote at least 38 plays – tragedies, comedies, histories and romances, like A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth, the Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night… and 154 sonnets.

When he retired from writing, Shakespeare went back to Stratford and lived in a large,

comfortable house called New Place. He died on his 52^nd birthday in 1616 at the age of 52 and is buried in the Holy Trinity Church.

Elizabethan England (1558 – 1603)

 Queen Elizabeth I

The two centuries before Shakespeare’s birth were a very exciting time in history. People were rediscovering the culture of Ancient Greece­­­ and Rome. They explored new lands and used science to understand the world. This period was called the Renaissance. It was the time of Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Erasmus andmany other important people in European culture.

The Renaissance’s man valued friendship and he liked playing sport. He loved drama and playing with language and he enjoyed studying and discussion. Above all, he was always thinking about life and asking questions. England was changing very fast and developing a feeling of national identity. It was a Protestant country with a powerful Queen, Elizabeth I. It was very good at commerce and war.

In this period there was a lot of activity in all the arts: architecture, painting, music and poetry, but in drama (political, religious, social questions…) the activity was extraordinary. There were many popular plays by various writers about revenge.

In 1603, Queen ELizabeth I died and James I became the king of England.

2.     Choose the correct words  and complete the texts.

<<bought – 38 – Ann Hathaway – successful – 52 – Holy Trinity Church – Globe Theatre – birthday – 23rd April – Lord Chamberlain’s Men – 1616 – Stratford-upon-Avon  – wrote – Twellfh Night – New Place – Romeo and Juliet – 1592>>

William Shakespeare was born on ____________(1), 1564 in _______________(2). He left school when he was about 14. He was only 18 when he met ___________________(3) and they got married in November, 1582. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born eight months later. In ___________(4), Shakespeare was living in London and had become famous. At his time he was writing and acting for the ________________________________(5) at the _____________________(6). Shakespeare became very ___________________(7) and in 1599 he ___________________(8) the Globe Theatre. When he stopped writing, he went back to Stratford in a very comfortable house called___________________(9). During his life he ___________________(10) at least ___________________(11) plays including ___________________(12), Hamlet and ___________________(13). He died on his ___________________(14) in ___________(15) at the age of _______(16). He is buried in _________________________(17).

<<new lands – asking questions – developing – commerce – Renaissance –language – Elizabeth I – Ancient Greece – rediscovering – national identity - Protestant>>

Before the greates writer of all times was born there was a very exciting time in history. All over Europe, new ideas were ___________________ (18). People were  ___________________ (19)the culture of  ___________________ (20) and Rome and they started exploring  _______________(21) and used science to understand the world. This period was called the ___________________ (22).

The most important things to the Renaissance’s man were friendship and sport. He loved drama and playing with _______________ (23) and he enjoyed studying and discussion. More than anything, he was always thinking about life and ________________________(24). England was changingvery fastand carrying out a feeling of ____________________________(25). It was very good at  _________________(26) and war. It was a ___________________ (27) country with a powerful Queen, ___________________ (28). 

THE GLOBE THEATRE

1.   Read the text and ask the teacher the words you don’t understand.

The Globe, built in 1599 on the south bank of the River Thames, like other Elizabethan theatres, was made of wood and there weren’t any curtains; it was circular with an open roof. It had space for 2,000 people, although sometimes more than 3,000 came. You could stand in the space in front of the stage for just a penny or you could pay more to sit in the balconies above. So, people from different social classes came to watch plays. There wasn’t any lighting, so performances were in the afternoon. As there were no pauses between acts, a performance usually lasted about 2 hours. There was little scenery, but actors wore rich costumes. Costumes were always Elizabethan, never historical, although the setting of the play was ancient Rome. Boys played women roles, because they weren’t allowed to act.

The flag meant which type of play was being performed ­black for tragedy, white for comedy, and red for history.

People could drink, eat, buy food and throw vegetables to the actors if they didn’t like the play.

           

2.   Answer the questions below in a piece of paper:

a)    When was the Globe built? Where? …………………………..……………………..

b)    Name three characteristics of it: …..……………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

c)    How much did you have to pay if you wanted to stay in front of the stage? ......

d)    Could everyone go to watch plays? .......................

e)    Could the plays be performed at any time of the day? ……………………….…

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

f)    What did the flag mean?  ……………………………………………………………….

g)  How long was a normal play?          j)  Actors wore...... costumes

     I.    1 hour                                                  I.    poor

     II.   2 hours                                                II.   rich

     III.  3 hours                                                III.  without

h) Which was the capacity?                        k)  Women rolls were played by...

     I.   10000                                                    I.    girls

     II.   2000                                                    II.   boys

     III.  4000                                                   III.  men

i) Costumes were...                                     l)  People could eat inside the theatre

     I.    different                                             I.    sometimes

     II.   always Roman                                      II.   yes

     III.  always Elizabethan                             III.  no

3. Read the definitions of the parts of the Globe Theatre and match them with the picture in your notebook. Some of them are already given.

……Tiring house: dressing and storage rooms.

……Huts: part located above the musicians gallery where the sound effects such as thunder were produced. They also had a pulley system for lowering apparitions or objects supposed to appear in midair.

……Pit: people paid £1 to stand here and watch the performance, rain or shine. Those people were called “groundlings”.

……Trap door: door built into the main stage from where actors (ghosts, witches) could rise or descend through it.

……Upper stage/”Tarras”: another acting area used for most bedroom and balcony scenes which has two window-balconies at each side.

……Flag: signified which type of play was being performed.

……Inner stage: located at the back of the main stage where there was a curtained recess that might be used for interior scenes.

……Main stage: where the main action of the play took place, especially outdoor scenes. 

……Galleries: three covered seating sections that cost £2.

……Music gallery: narrow gallery in the 3^rd level for musicians that could also be used as an acting area.

POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS

                                                    

Here you'll have all the information you need for your ppt. presentation:

REMEMBER!! 

Timing of the presentations 3-5 minutes! NO MORE!

Don't put a lot of text; include photos.

TOPIC	INFORMATION
Shakespeare’s life	-When and where was he born? Map with the city/town marked. -Who were his parents? What did his father do? -Who was Shakespeare's wife? -How many children did he have? -When and where did he die?
Shakespeare’s works	-Apart from plays what else did he write? -What literature genre did he write? -Name three Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies. -Where are most of his theatres plays located? -What festivity is celebrated on the date he died? Why?
Elizabethan England	-Period of years when Elizabeth I ruled. -What were people rediscovering? -Type of country that England was. -Renaissance’s man -Name two activities in which it was very good at. -Which activity in all arts was extraordinary?
The Globe Theatre	-What is the Globe? -Where is it located? -When was The Globe built? -Name 3 characteristics. -Costumes (rich or poor? Elizabethan or Roman?) -Were there pauses between acts? -Could people drink or eat inside? - What did the flag mean?
Romeo and Juliet synopsis	-Type of story (comedy, tragedy or tragicomedy?). -Name of the families that hate each other. -Name of the characters that fall in love at the masked ball. -Who get married? -How many people die in the story? -Why does Romeo kill Tybalt? -What drinks Juliet to make people think she is dead? -What does Romeo drink to die?
Romeo and Juliet characters	-Characters’ characteristics.

LINKS FOR EACH TOPIC:

Shakespeare's life
http://shakespeareinclass.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/activity-1-shakespeares-life-and.html

Shakespeare's works
http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/

Elizabethan England 
http://shakespeareinclass.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/activity-1-shakespeares-life-and.html

The Globe Theatre
http://shakespeareinclass.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/the-globe-theatre.html

Romeo and Juliet Synopsis
http://shakespeareinclass.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/romeo-and-juliet-presentation.html

Romeo and Juliet Characters
http://shakespeareinclass.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/romeo-and-juliet-presentation.html

ROMEO AND JULIET PRESENTATION

SYNOPSIS:

                                         

Two of the richest and most important families in Verona (Italy), the Montagues and the Capulets, are engaged in a deadly feud. No-one can remember how it started, but it involves everyone, from the servants to the most distant relatives.

One day Romeo Montague finds out there is to be a masked ball that evening at the Capulet’s house. He decides to gatecrash the party in the hope of seeing the girl he loves from a distance – Rosaline.  At the party Romeo meets Juliet and fall in love passionately – not knowing each other’s identity until they part – Romeo, Montagues’ son; Juliet, Capulets’ daughter. After the party, Romeo goes to Capulet’s house and proposes Juliet to marry.  He says that he will make the arrangements for the wedding the next day with Friar Laurence. The following day Juliet sends her nurse to meet Romeo and  returns with the message that they will be married later that day by Friar Laurence. The same morning Romeo’s friend, Mercutio, fights with Juliet’s cousin Tybalt. Because Tybalt has killed Mercutio, Romeo fights and kills Tybalt. As a result Romeo is banished from Verona – on pain of death, and her mother dies that night because of this.

In the meantime, Juliet’s parents have arranged for her to marry Count Paris, a relative of Princes Escalus, the ruler of Verona. Juliet’s parents order her to prepare for her the wedding to Paris in three days time. In despair she asks Friar Laurence for help and he gives Juliet a potion, which will make her appear to be dead for 42 hours. The Friar says that once she is laid in the family tomb, he will send word to Romeo to come and take her away to Mantua.

Juliet swallows the potion and her parents think she is dead. The message from Friar Laurence is delayed, but the same day Romeo hears from another source that Juliet is dead. Romeo buys poison and gallops back to Verona. He finds Juliet lying in the tomb as if dead and Paris with some roses. First, he fights against Paris and kills him and then as he can’t live without her, he drinks the poison and dies. When Juliet wakes up and finds Romeo’s dead body, picks up Romeo’s dagger and kills herself.

Finally, Friar Laurence explains what has happened. Many young people are dead: Mercutio, Paris, Romeo’s mum, Romeo and Juliet. That was a result of their family feud. Montague promises to make a gold statue of Juliet and Capulet promises to make another for Romeo next to it.

CHARACTERS:

Romeo	Montagues’ son and the male protagonist.
Juliet	Capulets’ daughter and the female protagonist.
Friar Laurence	married Romeo and Juliet; he is Romeo's confidant.
The nurse	Juliet's personal attendant and confidant.
Mercutio	Romeo’s friend.
Tybalt	Juliet’s cousin; he kills Mercutio.
Rosaline	Romeo's love in the beginning of the story.
Count Paris	kingsman of Escalus who wishes to marry Juliet.
Prince Escalus	prince of Verona.