Shakespeare Week 3

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 5,6

Shakespeare

Week 3

Sonnet reading
Shakespearean Theatre 
Monologues & Soliloques

https:

Elizabethan Theatre

Take a guess: how many people could fit in a 16th century theatre?

1. 800
2. 1400
3. 2600
4. 3000

Take a guess: which
of these is the Globe
Theatre in London?

1. Left = Globe Theatre
2. Right = Globe Theatre

True or False: "Young boys dressed as girls played the female characters
in Shakespeare's plays."

1. True
2. False

English Renaissance Theatre

- Also known as: Elizabethan Theatre

- Blossomed between 1562-1642

- Popular under Elizabeth I's rule

Theatres

- Large theatre: up to 3000 people

- Wooden structures

- Open stage, no roof

- Raised stage, pit for watching

- People cheering, booing, throwing

- Dialogue important & costumes

- Little scenery or objects

William Shakespeare

- Born 1564

- Married to Anne Hathaway (not the actress)

- The Lord Chamberlain's Men

- 1599: performing at Globe Theatre

- Performed at Queen Elizabeth I's court 

Globe Theatre

- Opened in 1599

- Staged many of Shakespeare's plays

- Burned down in 1613

- Rebuilt in 1614

- Only building in London with straw roof since Fire of 1666

Acting Groups

- Shakespeare: "Lord Chamberlain's Men"

- Performed 6 or more times a week

- Travelled around 

- Created their own costumes etc. 

- Very skilled: singing, dancing, acrobatics, play instruments, 

- Women were not allowed

Christopher Marlowe

- Another playwright 
- Born same year as Shakespeare

- A few plays influenced Shakespeare

- Arrested for atheism in his plays  

- Died 29, but many legends...
- Spy for the crown? 

- Recruited in college & worked overseas?  

Christopher Marlowe was born the same year as Shakespeare which was...?

1. 1544
2. 1564
3. 1584
4. 1574

The Globe Theatre opened in...

1. 1589
2. 1599
3. 1584
4. 1594

16th Century Acting Group

21st Century Acting Group

Perform 6 plays a week

Perform 1 play a few times a week

Men & Women

Only Men

Create their own costumes

Do not create their own costumes

Monologues

Many of the most famous monologues in English drama are Shakespeare monologues.

Monologues v Soliloquy

A monologue in a play is simply a long speech by one character to other characters, or a crowd. 

This compares to a soliloquy, which is the act of a character speaking their thoughts aloud, often when they’re by themselves but sometimes with others around (read our in-depth article on soliloquies vs monologues).

Monologues

Shakespeare frequently makes use of both soliloquys and monologues in each of his plays to let the audience know the characters’ thoughts and feelings.

Shakespeare Reader

- Pick one of the monologues or sololiques from the reader

- Prepare a reading for next week

- Prepare to tell the class what you think it is about