Class Notes Jan 14th

This is all the notes we have gotten so far regarding Hamlet and Shakespear

Shakespears Life and Times

-Born 1564 in Stratsford of Avon(church records of this)
-1565 Baptized
-Father= John, Mother = Mary Arden
-3rd oldest in family of 8, oldest son( meaning he would get inheritance)

Early Life
-family= upper middle class
-Father is respected memeber of society (job= butcher)
-Father was elected to town consel and then as Mayor of Stratsford

Not Fact but assumed: William Shakespear attended Stratsford grammar school like every other child in town; no records of him enlisted at any other college or higher level school ( people usually went to college for further education in the clergy, law, or politics)

- likely that William became an apprectice to father but,
- Next documentation of Shakespear is in the theater which is a big jump, indication that not only did he become an apprentice to his father but he has to be exposed to theater at some point.
- When traveling theater troops were sent into the country to preform for the towns they stayed at the household of the most powerful person in that specific town, thus since Shakespears father was the mayor it is likely that this is how he became exposed to the theater first.

Nov. 1582
-William applies for a marriage license
-He's 18, women is 26 named Anne Hathaway
-ask for announcement of wedding to only be presented at mass once and to be married as soon as possible, even though during Decemeber when marriages are usually not done do to the holiday season.
-Strikes as odd considering their first child Suzanna is born only 6 months later

1585
-twin Judith and Hamnet are born
- the early death of Hamnet at the age of 13 rumored to have influenced Shakespears' play Hamlet

1589
-construction of the theater in London

1592
-pamplet published by "Green", a play right, against the theater and accuses a "young upstart" of plagiarism
-w/ in a month this playright dies and the publisher of the pamplet sends out an apology pamplet and names the young upstart mentioned, gentle Bill, referring to William Shakespear
-black palgue appears in London again, all public places are shut down including the theater
-don't re- open for 2 yrs(even after black plague is gone due to Puritan Rule)
-Puritans believed acting was a form of lying which was a sin, because you were pretending to be something your not

1594
-theater re-opens
-Shakespear is part of a theatrical company funded by the Lord of Chamberlin
-company includes people who could do everything, act, write, and direct
-which could indicate that William Shakespear was only the name written on the plays and that they were actually a collaborative effort
-Or it was just a pen name for someone whose social status would not allow them to be a part of the theater
- Shakespear usually produced 2 plays a year
-generated wealth by selling, acting, and directing plays
-with this he eventually purchased the 2nd largest estate in Stratford

Progression of Writing
- 1596-1600 Shakespear wrote historical plays and then comedies
-1596 death of son Hamnet
- tragedies were written next (1600-1605)
-1601 Hamlet is written and published, father dies in this year as well too

1603- Queen Elizabeth dies, new king has lord chamberlin give his acting troop to him and has them travel the country to gain popularity
-Now called the Kings Men

1609- Shakespears' collection of Sonnets is published

1610-1611
- writes "A Winters Tale" and "The Tempest"
-The Tempest is said to be Shakespears farwell to the theater until one of his replacements Beaumont quits and the other writer Fletcher calls upon him for assistance in writing a play involving Queen Elizabeths father Henry the 8th
-on the premier night of this play a cannon is used and unfortunately it lights the entire theater on fire and it burns to the ground

-According to church records William Shakespear dies on April 23rd, 1616
-will seems to be thrown together possibly indicating a sudden illness

Elizabethan Theater
-1st theater in Europe specifically for plays in London
-just called "the theater"
-puritans take over and shut down the theater within city limits, so the theater is moved across the river out of city limits and re- opens as the globe theater
-brought over board by board, people got they by boat
-no roof due to weather, over complicated construction and lighting issues
-tiring house= costume change room behind the stage
-stage = 5 and a half ft to keep people form climbing on stage and to leave room for trap doors