The Globe Theater
Above is the reconstructed Globe Theater. The original was built in 1599, but burned down.
The Globe Theater was a three-story wooden structure with an open-air courtyard in the center.
The Globe Theater was a three-story wooden structure with an open-air courtyard in the center.
Shakespearean Theater
The theater could hold 3,000 spectators, many of whom stood in the part of the courtyard near the stage known as the pit. These customers paid the lowest admission charge, usually just a penny. Richer theatergoers paid more and sat in the inner balconies, which surrounded most of the courtyard.
Audiences cheered, booed, hissed, and even threw rotten vegetables.
Elizabethan theater relied heavily on the audience's imagination.
The costumes helped audiences imagine that women were playing the female roles, which in fact were played by young male actors. In Shakespeare's day, no woman belonged to English acting companies - it was considered improper for women to appear on stage.
(This and other background information can be found in our Literature Book.)
Audiences cheered, booed, hissed, and even threw rotten vegetables.
Elizabethan theater relied heavily on the audience's imagination.
The costumes helped audiences imagine that women were playing the female roles, which in fact were played by young male actors. In Shakespeare's day, no woman belonged to English acting companies - it was considered improper for women to appear on stage.
(This and other background information can be found in our Literature Book.)
Shakespearean Drama
Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy and terms you should know:
Tragedy
Characters:
Tragic Hero
Antagonist
Foil
Dramatic Conventions:
Soliloquy
Aside
Dramatic Irony
Comic Relief
Tragedy
Characters:
Tragic Hero
Antagonist
Foil
Dramatic Conventions:
Soliloquy
Aside
Dramatic Irony
Comic Relief
William Shakespeare
1564-1616
Juliet:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
Who is this guy? What makes him so important? Why is he so difficult to understand?
Students often groan when they hear the name "Shakespeare." They get frustrated with the language and miss out on interesting plot and witty comments. Our language was greatly impacted by him. We have many famous quotes and story lines from his writings.
We will be reading more about Shakespeare in our Literature Book:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
Who is this guy? What makes him so important? Why is he so difficult to understand?
Students often groan when they hear the name "Shakespeare." They get frustrated with the language and miss out on interesting plot and witty comments. Our language was greatly impacted by him. We have many famous quotes and story lines from his writings.
We will be reading more about Shakespeare in our Literature Book:
William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and the greatest playwright of all time. His plays have been produced more often and in more countries than those of any other author.
Shakespeare contributed more words, phrases, and expressions to the English language than any other writer. Some of these words were his own invention, including assassination, bump, and lonely.
Many of these phrases and expressions have become so common that people use them without realizing that they are quoting Shakespeare. In fact, the expressions have become “household words”— a term first used in Shakespeare’s historical play Henry V.
Romeo & Juliet
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet tells of two teenagers who fall in love despite the feud between their families. They are married in secret by a friar who hopes that the union will end the feud. His goal is met, but through bitter irony: Believing that Juliet has died, Romeo kills himself; finding Romeo dead, Juliet kills herself. The families reconcile in grief.
You may use sparknotes.com to help you understand the reading, however, do not rely on this to pass the tests!
You may use sparknotes.com to help you understand the reading, however, do not rely on this to pass the tests!
Assignments
- Webquest (Thank you to the creator of this webquest.)
- Reading questions in Literature Books
Vocabulary List 1
- augmenting (v) 11. pernicious (adj)
- beguiled (v) 12. predicament (n)
- discreet (adj) 13. predominant (adj)
- doting (adj) 14. sallow (adj)
- grievance (n) 15. scorn (v)
- heretics (n) 16. tedious (adj)
- importuned (v) 17. transgression (n)
- intercession (n) 18. unwieldy (adj)
- languish (v) 19. valiant (adj)
- partisans (n) 20. waverer (n)
Vocabulary List 2
- acquaintance (n) 11. denote (v)
- adversity (n) 12. discourse (n)
- amorous (adj) 13. driveling (n)
- calamity (n) 14. invocation (n)
- cherish (v) 15. perjury (n)
- confines (n) 16. prorogued (v)
- conjure (v) 17. repent (v)
- consort (v) 18. revel (v)
- counsel (n) 19. substantial (adj)
- deceit (n) 20. vexed (adj)
Romeo & Juliet Project
- Create a collage with poems/writings/pictures of Shakespeare, the time period, or the play. (At least 10 images)
- Construct a board game based on the story. Include instructions.
- Write an entire front page for a newspaper based on the major events in the story.
- Prepare an illustrated timeline for the major events in the story. This may also be a PowerPoint. Include at least 10 events.
- Find out more about the author, time period, or the play and make a poster or PowerPoint describing some of his other writings. (At least 5 detailed slides)
- Draw a new cover for the book or create a movie poster. Include a synopsis of at least a paragraph.