Shakespeare, an introduction

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Shakespeare, an introduction

William Shakespeare, the most famous writer of them all. In this lesson you will become acquainted with The Bard and with some of his sonnets. 

What do you already know about Shakespeare?

00:59

When and where was Shakespeare born?

1. 1564 in London
2. 1546 in Stratford upon Avon
3. 1564 in Stratford Upon Avon
4. 1546 in London

01:22

What did the Globe look like?

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

02:30

Why was it important to depict Richard III in a negative way?

1. He was much nicer than the Tudors who came after him.
2. In order to show what really happened.
3. It was well-known that Queen Elizabeth did not like him.
4. Because he was killed by Elizabeth's grandfather.

03:42

Why was it important for the plays that they could be acted indoors?

1. The players and audience preferred it.
2. They could be performed in winter.
3. They could use special effects.
4. King James did not like low temperatures.

04:33

Finish this sentence:
Words are used to portray ......

1. scenes that are too horrific to show on stage.
2. things you cannot show on stage.
3. many historical scenes.
4. the writer's ideas.

06:53

What is an iambic pentameter?

1. Ten syllables with the stress on the odd syllables.
2. Ten syllables with the stress on the even syllables.
3. Five syllables with the stress on every syllable.
4. Five syllables with alternating stress.

When and where was Shakespeare born?

1. 1564 in London
2. 1546 in Stratford upon Avon
3. 1564 in Stratford Upon Avon
4. 1546 in London

What did the Globe look like?

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Why was it important to depict Richard III in a negative way?

1. He was much nicer than the Tudors who came after him.
2. In order to show what really happened.
3. It was well-known that Queen Elizabeth did not like him.
4. Because he was killed by Elizabeth's grandfather.

Why was it important for the plays that they could be acted indoors?

1. The players and audience preferred it.
2. They could be performed in winter.
3. They could use special effects.
4. King James did not like low temperatures.

Finish this sentence:
Words are used to portray ......

1. scenes that are too horrific to show on stage.
2. things you cannot show on stage.
3. many historical scenes.
4. the writer's ideas.

What is an iambic pentameter?

1. Ten syllables with the stress on the odd syllables.
2. Ten syllables with the stress on the even syllables.
3. Five syllables with the stress on every syllable.
4. Five syllables with alternating stress.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Take a guess: A Shakespearean sonnet (poem) has how many lines?

1. 8
2. 14
3. 18
4. 24

Take a guess: Shakespeare wrote how many sonnets?

1. 49
2. 82
3. 137
4. 154

Shakespearean Sonnets

- A sonnet = 14-line poem

- Iambic Pentameter = emphasis on 2nd syllable (lettergreep)
                                             & every line has 10 syllables

   "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day"

- Sonnet originally comes from Italy

- 1609: Shakespeare's Sonnets

- contained 154 poems

True or false: "In Sonnet 18, a summer's day is more beautiful than Shakespeare's lover."

1. True
2. False

Sonnet 18

- Compares the author's
   lover to a summer's day 

- While summer is lovely...

- ... his lover is more beautiful
   and kind

- A summer's day will end,
   his love for her will not

Sonnet 116 describes an extreme ideal of love, which is not mentioned about love?

1. It never changes
2. It outlasts death
3. It has no flaws
4. It is invaluable

Sonnet 116

= about the extreme ideal of love:
    - never changes
    - never fades
    - outlasts death
    - has no flaws
  

Sonnet 130 is a joke on the ...

1. conventions of love
2. conventions of loyalty
3. conventions of devotion
4. conventions of desire

Sonnet 130

- Joke on the conventions of love

- Doesn't praise his lover: 
      - not white as snow
      - no beautiful red lips
      - no golden hair

- Love doesn't need to be extreme
   to be real, against unrealistic ideals

Iambic Pentameter is...

1. Emphasis on the first syllable
2. Emphasis on the second syllable
3. Emphasis on the meaning
4. Emphasis on the amount of lines

a gay Catholic from Lancashire

• in short: there's more we don't know than what we do know
• every reader has their own interpretation
• wide variety of characters, vivid and empathic depictions
• could be on either side of a debate
• covering many aspects of humanity, vice and folly 

Homework Tomorrow:

Bring module 5.2 to class

read "Gay Catholic from Lancashire" on page 31-37

(you don't have to do the questions yet)