W. Shakespeare

dramatist, man of theatre, and poet

He was born on 23 April 1564 and died on 23 April 1616.

Life StoryHis birthday is traditionally celebrated on 23, April, which is the date of his death.

Comments by the Contemporaries1.Edmond Spenser, Robert GreeneThe rise and success of an upstart crow()2. Francis Meres: one of the leading figures of the time and the most excellent in both comedy and tragedy

Comments by the ContemporariesA handsome, well-shaped man, very good company, and of a very ready and pleasant smooth witThe gentle Shakespeare, gentle Will

Ben Jonsons Comments blot out: ; malevolent: ; posterity:,; fault:; justify:; candour:; idolatry:; fantasy:; notions,; flow with: ; facility:,; such like:; redeem: ,homage:; owe to:p.5556

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays the firstThe first period of early apprenticeship:1) Henry VI, Part II, III, I 2) Richard III 3) The Comedy of Errors 4) Titus Andronicus

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the first)5) The Taming of the Shrew 6) The Two Gentlemen of Verona 7) Loves Labors Lost 8) Romeo and Juliet

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the 2nd)2. the second period of rapid growth and maturity:1) Richard II 2) A Midsummer Nights Dream 3) King John 4) The Merchant of Venice

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the 2nd)5) Henry IV, Part I; Henry IV, Part II6) Much Ado about Nothing 7) Henry V8) The Merry Wives of Windsor

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the 2nd)9) Julius Caesar10) As You Like It 11) Twelfth Night

3. the third period of Gloom and Sadness:1) Hamlet2) Troilus and Cressida 3) Alls Well That Ends Well 4) Measure for Measure 5) Othello

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the third)6) King Lear7) Macbeth8)Antony and Cleopatra 9)Coriolanus 10) Timon of Athens

A Chronological List of Shakespeares Plays (the 4th)4. the fourth period of calm after storm:1) Pericles2) Cymbeline3) The Winters Tales4) The Tempest5) Henry VIII

Four periods of Shakespeares Dramatic CompositionThe first period of early : Experiments in a number of dramatic form:

1. The historical play2. Varieties of comedy 3. The revenge tragedy4. The romantic tragedy5. Narrative poems Venus and Adonis 2. The Rape of Lucrece apprenticeship

The First Period of Apprenticeship(15901594) Shakespeares first theatrical success:Henry VI, in three actsHenry VI, Part IHenry VI, Part IIHenry VI, Part IIIRichard IIIfirst historical tetralogy ()history of the War of the Roses recent historyof England

Four Comedies in the First PeriodThe Comedy of Errors

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Taming of the Shrew

Loves Lovers Lostcomic confusions in the same city, in one day, twin brothers with their twin servantsValentine, Proteus Silvia, JuliaKatharine,Petruchio King of Navarre and his three lordsPrincess of France and three of her attendant ladies

Earliest successful tragedy: Romeo and JulietTwo families in Verona: bitter enmity the Capulets and the Montagues a feastRomeolovesecret marriagekillbanishment()marry Paris, a young noblemansleeping potion profound sleeppoison, diestab with dagger Though a tragedy, there is notinge (hint) of pessimism in the play. It is a song of youth and true love.

Writing Features of the First Period1. concerned with the affairs of youth and full of romantic sentiment2. early history plays, handle political themes and give historical lessons3. extraordinary facility() in expression and a felicity() in the choice of phrases and epithets()

Features of the First Period4. not so much on character as on fine or witty speech and situation at first5. mistaken identity, the best source of fun6. historical accuracy, not so strictly regarded7. an increasing insight into character and mind, a good command of characterization in Romeo and Juliet

Features in the First Period8. poetical dramas: important dialogues and soliloquies() assume() the form of poetry9. the influence of Marlowe, blank verse in drama which developed into a happy vehicle (means) to express all kinds of thought and emotion freely

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 )A period of great comedies and mature historical plays:6 comedies, 5 historical plays, a Roman tragedy, and some sonnets.

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 )advance in every wayknowledgewisdompolitical insightdramatic skillcreative powercharacterizationversification()

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 ) In comedies, the general spirit is optimism.redolent,pure, green, flowers, sunshine, gladness, youthful laughtersorrow, pathos, sin, innocent sufferguilty, unpunishedVirtue shall have its reward and triumph and thewrong shall disappear before the forces of good

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 )In the historical plays of the second period, different phases (stage, period) of English life are shown before us:courtiers ()tavern(, )rogues(,)The second period is Shakespeares sweet and joyful time, portraying a magnificent panorama (view) of the manifold (various) pursuits of people in real life.

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 )There is a great lift in characterization.1.a gallery of heroines of the comedies, ungrudging and unreserved dignity, honesty, wit, courage, determination, resourcefulness in emergencyPortia, Rosalynd, Viola, Beatricedaughters of Renaissance2.simple and shrewd clowns3.common peoplewit, humor and picturesque languageenliven the scenes

Vivid Characters in the Historical Playsstrong-willed and able, a guilty conscience, fearful for the futureHenry IVprodigal, cold-headed, current politicsPrince Hal, Henry Vbrave, rash, impetuous (), undiplomatic ()knight, villain, soldier, robber, cheat and witSir John FalstaffHotspurpatriotic, national unityforcevividness

The Second Period of Rapid Growth and Maturity (15941600 )many and diversified sourcesHolinshed and Hall: ChroniclesSpenser: Faerie QueeneThomas Lodge(): RosalyndeLudovico Ariosto (): OrlandoThe first period made Shakespeare _________; in the second period, his position was secured as a ________ and highly successful ______ ,admired, praised and revered (respected) by everyone.famousdramatistpoet

The Third Period of Gloom and Sadness (16011607)great tragedies and dark comedies: aggravated () tragic note (tone), social upheavalsill at ease ()the Crown, absolutist, risingsIn the atmosphere of general unrest, that Shakespeare exposed mercilessly the complicated social contradictions.

The Third Period of Gloom and Sadness (16011607) a mass of evil murder, lust(), treachery(), ingratitude()and crimeHamlet: hesitations, suspences,revengeOthello:cheats of Iago , death of DesdemonaMacbeth: traitor-couple murder King Lear: his 3 daughtersingratitude of Goneril, Rogan. the death of Cordelia

The Third Period of Gloom and Sadness (16011607)The comedies written in the third period are known as ______ because they give _____ pictures of the world.darksombervulgarest() reality:mean(), low motives, mere wanton()blood-proud, unfaithful, vicious, nauseating() personality, trickcarnal() lustclass pride

The Third Period of Gloom and Sadness (16011607)Three pure and saintlike figures rise:_____________________________.But the world around them is a foul (evil) cauldron() of ____.Shakespeares reading is _____and ______.Isabella, Volumnia and Cordeliavicewidevaried

Fourth Period of Romantic Dramaa great peacefulness of light and a harmony of earth and heavenAll should be well in the end.Calm and reconciliation: the change of life and mood in the later years of ShakespeareHe placed his hopes and aspiration(,) with the future of mankind.Four romances or reconciliation plays () and one historical play

Shakespeares Representative Plays 4 comedies:A Midsummer Nights DreamThe Merchant of VeniceAs You Like ItTwelfth Night4 tragedies:Hamlet, OthelloMacbeth, King Lear2 historical plays:Henry IVHenry V

AssignmentRead the pages from p.64 to p.85, trying to get the main idea of each play, comedies, tragedies and historical plays.1) major characters2) main plots