Shakespeare's Life

Introduction

William Shakespeare is one of the most famous playwrites in British Literature.  His tragedies and comedies have transcended time and are read by people all over the world.  This includes high school students who analyze and disect the plays in classrooms across America.

However, Shakespeare lived in a time that is quite different from ours.  It is important to understand the Renaissance and the role it played in the development of Shakespeare's plays.

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Task

Over the weekend you will be researching the life and times of William Shakespeare.  You will be provided with the appropriate sources and questions that must be answered using these sources.  This is due for your next class period- either Monday 3/16 or Tuesday 3/17 (please check Edmodo). Please answer the questions on the hard copy provided. You might have to copy and paste the websites to  access the information (but you should be able to click on them).


Keep in mind as you read how different Shakespeare's time was from our own. 

Process

Shakespeare's Life

Use the two websites to answer questions 1-7

http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/biography/shakespeare_biography.h…

http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/faq/faq.htm

Read about William Shakespeare. It might be easiest to collect the answers and then organize your paragraph after having them. Include a title or heading for this paragraph.

  1. What day do we consider to be Shakespeare's day of birth and how do we know it?

  2. What school and what university did Shakespeare attend?

  3. Who did Shakespeare marry, and how many children did he have?

  4. What tragic family event occurred around the same time as his writing of Romeo & Juliet?

  5. What did Shakespeare's great financial gain in 1605 allow him the time to do?

  6. What two plays are considered Shakespeare's greatest or most famous?

  7. How large is the average person's vocabulary, and how does Shakespeare's compare?

The Elizabethan Theater

Answer the following questions in numbered form and complete sentences in your google doc.

http://www.bardstage.org/globe-theatre-built.htm

1. When was the original Globe Theater built?

2. Where was the original Globe Theater located?

3. From what was the Globe Theater built?

http://www.bardstage.org/globe-theatre-owners.htm

4. How many owners of the original Globe Theater were there? List their names.

All About Elizabethan Love & Marriage: 

http://elizabethan.org/compendium/9.html

http://elizabethan.org/compendium/62.html

http://elizabethan.org/compendium/10.html

Read about the Elizabethan society's norms regarding love and marriage. Answer the questions 1-6 using the above websites. 

  1. At what age may a boy and girl marry, and at what age is marriage for non-noble families common?
  2. When a marriage is arranged for a younger couple, what is the usual reason?
  3. When is it considered “luckiest” to have the marriage?
  4. How is a wedding engagement announced, and what is thought of an unannounced wedding?
  5. Marrying for love is generally considered what?
  6. Why are most noble marriages arranged, and even some common people marriages?

The Elizabethan Household:

http://elizabethan.org/compendium/3.html

Look at the list of services and occupations common in Elizabethan society. Answer the following questions in numbered form and complete sentences in your word document.

1. From whom do you purchase necessary drugs?

2. From whom do you purchase cloth for making clothing?

3. In your own household, what is the title of the person who nurses your baby?