3. A Pair of Star-Crossed Lovers
A. The Bard from Avon – Shakespeare and Stratford
1. Early Life and Background
• Born: 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley Street.
• Date of birth uncertain, but likely April 23rd.
• Parents:
o John Shakespeare: Glove maker, successful landowner, former town mayor.
o Mary Arden: From a wealthy family.
• Education: Local grammar school – King's New School.
• Died: 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon.
• Family:
o Left behind his wife and daughters.
o Son Hamnet died young; no living descendants.
2. Marriage and Children
• Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 (Shakespeare was 18; Anne 26).
• Children:
o Susanna
o Twins: Hamnet (died age 11) and Judith.
• Moved to London in 1592, became an actor and playwright.
• Rumors:
o Marriage due to pregnancy.
o Anne much older.
o Possible other relationships with woman, but also a bisexual (romantic or platonic); themes in The Sonnets (e.g., Dark
Lady, Fair Youth).
o Left his wife the “second-best bed” (first was for guests).
3. Shakespeare: Wealthy Bard and Businessman
• Nicknamed "The Bard of Avon" – bard = poet.
• Called “upstart crow” by Robert Greene (jealous, Shakespeare didn’t attend university, he was the most successful
poet of all times).
• travailing poets in middle ages who played to harp and lyre
• Retired in 1610 and went back to Stardford as a wealthy man.
o Shareholder in 2 London theaters: The Globe and The Blackfriars
o a successful businessman: made lot of profit bc selling grain (famine in the 16th–17th century).
4. Shakespeare: The Playwright and Poet
• very versatile writer: multi-talented writer, developed new styles, used different
• appealed to all levels of society.
• Wrote 37 plays:
o Histories: Richard III, Henry VIII
o Tragedies: Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear
o (romantic) Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, The
Taming of the Shrew
• Other Works:
o 154 sonnets
o 3 long poems (e.g., Venus and Adonis)
o First Folio: first published collected of his plays.
• Universal Themes: Love, jealousy, ambition, betrayal – still relevant today.
• Translated into 50+ languages, performed worldwide.
, The Elizabethan Theatre Scene
🧍 1. Audience
• By 1600: Theatres (e.g., The Globe) held up to 3,000 people.
• 10,000–20,000 people per week attended plays.
• Audience from all social classes, mostly men.
o Apprentices and servants attended on days off.
o 1607: Venetian ambassador bought all the most expensive seats for Pericles.
💰 Costs
• 1 penny: Standing with “groundlings.” in the yard. (Same price as a loaf of bread.)
• +1 penny: Bench seat in lower gallery.
• +1 more: Cushioned seat.
• Most expensive: Lord’s Rooms near the stage. + galleries around stage
😮 Audience Behavior
• Some attended to show off in their best clothes.
• Could buy food & drinks: apples, oranges, nuts, gingerbread, ale.
• Interactive: No silent watching:👏 Clapped heroes, 👎 Booed villains, 🎉 Cheered special effects
• 😡 If displeased, they reacted strongly: 1602 (The Swan): audience damaged chairs, stools, curtains, and walls.
🎭 2. Actors
• Famous: Edward Alleyn, Richard Burbage, Henry Condell, John Hemmings, Shakespeare himself.
Early actors seen as rogues and vagabonds. (homeless)
• Viewed with suspicion, needed licenses from aristocracy.
• Actors became wealthy and famous – like today’s superstars.
• Many became stakeholders in theatres.
• Performed for nobility and royalty.
• All-male casts: young Boys played female roles (Women not allowed to act until 1660.)
o Used white lead-based makeup – caused poisoning& skin diseases and led to death.
Before Queen Elizabeth
Drama = morality plays and small interludes at court.
Queen Elizabeth I
• Theatre became more important
• Theatre = more dominant art form
• Open to the public
• More complex plays
Theatrical performances
• Longer and more sophisticated plays (songs, dance, masques, special effects!)
• Many theatres were built; most well-known Elizabethan theatre = The Globe (built by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
→ James I: The King’s Men); also The Rose, The Swan
Actors: Skilled professionals, until 1660: only men
`
A. The Bard from Avon – Shakespeare and Stratford
1. Early Life and Background
• Born: 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley Street.
• Date of birth uncertain, but likely April 23rd.
• Parents:
o John Shakespeare: Glove maker, successful landowner, former town mayor.
o Mary Arden: From a wealthy family.
• Education: Local grammar school – King's New School.
• Died: 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon.
• Family:
o Left behind his wife and daughters.
o Son Hamnet died young; no living descendants.
2. Marriage and Children
• Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 (Shakespeare was 18; Anne 26).
• Children:
o Susanna
o Twins: Hamnet (died age 11) and Judith.
• Moved to London in 1592, became an actor and playwright.
• Rumors:
o Marriage due to pregnancy.
o Anne much older.
o Possible other relationships with woman, but also a bisexual (romantic or platonic); themes in The Sonnets (e.g., Dark
Lady, Fair Youth).
o Left his wife the “second-best bed” (first was for guests).
3. Shakespeare: Wealthy Bard and Businessman
• Nicknamed "The Bard of Avon" – bard = poet.
• Called “upstart crow” by Robert Greene (jealous, Shakespeare didn’t attend university, he was the most successful
poet of all times).
• travailing poets in middle ages who played to harp and lyre
• Retired in 1610 and went back to Stardford as a wealthy man.
o Shareholder in 2 London theaters: The Globe and The Blackfriars
o a successful businessman: made lot of profit bc selling grain (famine in the 16th–17th century).
4. Shakespeare: The Playwright and Poet
• very versatile writer: multi-talented writer, developed new styles, used different
• appealed to all levels of society.
• Wrote 37 plays:
o Histories: Richard III, Henry VIII
o Tragedies: Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear
o (romantic) Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, The
Taming of the Shrew
• Other Works:
o 154 sonnets
o 3 long poems (e.g., Venus and Adonis)
o First Folio: first published collected of his plays.
• Universal Themes: Love, jealousy, ambition, betrayal – still relevant today.
• Translated into 50+ languages, performed worldwide.
, The Elizabethan Theatre Scene
🧍 1. Audience
• By 1600: Theatres (e.g., The Globe) held up to 3,000 people.
• 10,000–20,000 people per week attended plays.
• Audience from all social classes, mostly men.
o Apprentices and servants attended on days off.
o 1607: Venetian ambassador bought all the most expensive seats for Pericles.
💰 Costs
• 1 penny: Standing with “groundlings.” in the yard. (Same price as a loaf of bread.)
• +1 penny: Bench seat in lower gallery.
• +1 more: Cushioned seat.
• Most expensive: Lord’s Rooms near the stage. + galleries around stage
😮 Audience Behavior
• Some attended to show off in their best clothes.
• Could buy food & drinks: apples, oranges, nuts, gingerbread, ale.
• Interactive: No silent watching:👏 Clapped heroes, 👎 Booed villains, 🎉 Cheered special effects
• 😡 If displeased, they reacted strongly: 1602 (The Swan): audience damaged chairs, stools, curtains, and walls.
🎭 2. Actors
• Famous: Edward Alleyn, Richard Burbage, Henry Condell, John Hemmings, Shakespeare himself.
Early actors seen as rogues and vagabonds. (homeless)
• Viewed with suspicion, needed licenses from aristocracy.
• Actors became wealthy and famous – like today’s superstars.
• Many became stakeholders in theatres.
• Performed for nobility and royalty.
• All-male casts: young Boys played female roles (Women not allowed to act until 1660.)
o Used white lead-based makeup – caused poisoning& skin diseases and led to death.
Before Queen Elizabeth
Drama = morality plays and small interludes at court.
Queen Elizabeth I
• Theatre became more important
• Theatre = more dominant art form
• Open to the public
• More complex plays
Theatrical performances
• Longer and more sophisticated plays (songs, dance, masques, special effects!)
• Many theatres were built; most well-known Elizabethan theatre = The Globe (built by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
→ James I: The King’s Men); also The Rose, The Swan
Actors: Skilled professionals, until 1660: only men
`
