Shakespeare
Timeline of Life
1485 - end of War of Roses 1533 - Queen Elizabeth begins reign 1564 - Wm Shakespeare born on Stratford upon Avon 1575 - Wm saw world-class plays at Kennelworth Castle 1577 - John Shakespeare (father & mayor) falls apart financially & socially 1581 - becomes a player by now 1582 - Wm marries Anne Hathaway 1584 - 3 children born by now 1588 - Wm moved to London by now 1596 - Wm renews app for dad's coat of arms 1600 - all the other playwrights leave London by now
Notes
- actors - same status as vagrants, prostitutes
- so playing groups had to be attached to a vouching nobleman, or they'd be whipped
- Mystery plays - annual; morality plays
- "liberties" - plots of land in London that were free from the city's laws (b/c they used to house monasteries, etc)
- 8 playwrights in London (University Wits) debauched, but couldn't tempt S., so they disliked him
- because Shakespeare wouldn't be debauched, he outlasted them
- humanizes minorities
- Jews (Shylock, "if you prick us, do we not bleed?")
- women (Portia, saves the day; Isabella, moral compass of Shakespeare, Measure for MeasureShakespeare, Measure for Measure
Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
Author: ShakespeareShakespeare
Shakespeare
Timeline of Life
1485 - end of War of Roses
1533 - Queen Elizabeth begins reign
1564 - Wm Shakespeare born on Stratford upon Avon
1575 - Wm saw world-class plays at Kennelworth Castle
1577 - John Shakespeare (father & mayor) falls apart financially & socially
1581 - becomes a player by now
1582 - Wm marries Anne Hathaway
1584 - 3 children born by now
1588 - Wm moved to London by now
1596 - Wm renews app for dad's coat of arms
1600 - all the other playwrights leave London ...
Summary
The Duke, noticing that he had not been executing the law well enough, temporarily gave over his power to his trusted man Angelo, telling him that he was going on a long trip. In reality, the Duke went undercover in his own land as a friar. Angelo immediately began prosecuting the law, bringing a man Claudio to jail for adultery. As punishment, Claudio was to be hung. Claudio's sister Isabella went to Angelo and asked him for a...)
- monarchist
- plays are in favor of the Great Chain of BeingGreat Chain of Being
Great Chain of Being
There are different levels of existence.
God
Universe
Man (King -> Nobles -> Knights -> Peasants)
Animals
Plants
Rocks
This philosophy went out of vogue along with the Divine Right of KingsDivine Right of Kings
Divine Right of Kings
King is appointed directly by God. Thus, king is answerable to God alone & to no earthly authority (not even Parliament)
What connection does it have to primeval polytheism?
around the ... - anytime the appropriate order/structure is disrupted, things go bad
- Leer (abdication of responsibility), Romeo & Juliet (insubordinate to authority)
- plays are in favor of the Great Chain of BeingGreat Chain of Being
- coming out of the Medieval worldview, with a protestant flair
- renaissance influenced, stories drawn from Greeks & Romans
- a literary innovator, but not a religious or political one
Merchant of Venice
![[Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice#Summary]]