Shakespeare quiz 11/9/21
Year of birth
1564
When did Shakespeare die?
April 23, 1616
Trap door
Called howl, place beneath the stage where the actors would hide until their next entrance.
Describe Shakespeare's first experiences with the theater:
First experiences with the theater was by watching traveling troupes perform plays in his town and he also saw drama at the home of Robert Dudley.
What were those people who stood in front of the stage called?
Groundlings
What happened to his son, Hamnet? How did this impact the content of his plays?
Hamnet had the plague and died of the disease at the age of 11. This impacted the content of his plays because they were all about death.
Who was Richard Burbage?
He was one of the stage actors who was known to be the most famous globe actor of his time. One of the greatest Shakespearian actors.
Why is his will considered an "angry document?"
His will is considered an "angry document" because he did not have an heir to pass his fortune down to anyone, so he had to leave his fortune to his oldest daughter and her husband.
Describe Shakespeare's parents
John and Mary Shakespeare- stern, respectable, middle class Father-shrewd business man who saw some successes Mother- lively and was interested in his education
Which of Shakespeare's plays indicate his interest in the lives of the Romans?
Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanous were play's that indicated his interest in the lives of the Romans.
What kinds of characters are King Lear and Hamlet? What do they suggest about Shakespeare?
King Lear and Hamlet are the protagonists of the plays. They suggested the protagonist and they both went mad. This suggests that Shakespeare had a lot of pent up anger.
Where were most theaters built? (in or out of the city)? Why? Why is the Globe Theater so famous?
Most theaters were built outside of the city. This is to avoid persecution by the law. The globe theatre is so famous because it had William Shakespeare's involvement and plays in it.
Why did Shakespeare not attend university?
Shakespeare did not attend university because of his parents financial issues. Father's business went from bad to worse.
Who were Shakepseare's children?
Shakespeare's children were twins, Hamlet and Judith, and Suzanna.
What was Shakespeare's wife's name? How much older than Shakespeare was she?
Shakespeare's wife was called Anne Hathaway. She was eight years older than Shakespeare.
What are some theories about what Shakespeare did when he was in his 20s?
Some theories about what Shakespeare did when he was in his 20s were being a soldier, a sailor, traveling to Italy, or being a school master.
Place of birth
Stratford upon Avon
Education
Stratford's grammar school (local school), long demanding days, studying latin, only went to school for his early years until he had to go work with his dad
What happened to the Globe in 1613? What did this event mark?
The Globe in 1613 was destroyed by a fire during the play of Henry the V. This event marked the end of his career and he retired.
Who were the King's Men (first called Lord Chamberlain's Men)?
The King's men was the name of the company players. - associated writers- shakespeare acting group
What was the cost of standing room at the Globe?
The cost of the standing room at the Globe cost 1 penny.
What were the costumes like?
The costumes were made out of velvet, silk, and lace that could have also been second hand pieces from real life nobles. Most of the clothes reflected their status throughout the play.
What are the early years of Shakespeare's life called? Why?
The early years of Shakespeare's life were called The Lost Years. It was because there was no recording of what he did at that time in his life. The Lost Years - His 20's
What evidence do we have that Shakespeare was in a loveless marriage?
The evidence that we have to know that Shakespeare was in a loveless marriage because all of his plays had unhappy marriages. Had an affair Had speech in his plays saying that men shouldn't marry older women Dark Women Angry will document
What was the name of Shakespeare's theatre? What was the first play performed there?
The name of Shakespeare's theatre was called The Globe. The first play performed there was Julius Caesar.
What time of day did performances take place? How was the public notified about performances?
The performance took place in the middle of the day. The public was notified about performances by the globe running up a flag, and depending what color it was, they could tell what type of play it was going to be.
What constantly shut down the theatres and halted Shakespeare's writing? How did it impact the content of his plays?
The plague constantly shut down the theatres and halted Shakespeare's writing. This impacted the content of his plays because they are all about death/grief.
What type of scenery and props were used?
The props that were used and the scenery were all real. They used real swords, trees, and sometimes cannons. There weren't a lot of props used.
Why is there a lot of imagery/ character detail/ stage direction in Shakespeare's language?
There is a lot of imagery/character detail/stage direction in Shakespeare's language because he wanted people to use their imagination to clearly be able to understand what was happening.
What other skills did actors need besides acting ability?
They needed to know how to sword-fight, sing, and dance.
Deus ex machina
This means "god from the machine" which was a term used for when an unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved.
Who played the female roles and why?
Young men whose voice had not gone deep yet because of the rule that women were not allowed to act.
Groundlings
people who would pay 1 penny to stand in the pit and sometimes joined in on the action on the stage.
What tragedy happened the year of Shakespeare's birth?
terrible outbreak of plague.
Pit
the area that is around the stage.
Heavens
the name given to the false ceilings over the stage.
