SHAKESPEARE LIVE!
by Richard Anderson‟s Primary Section
November, 2016
Introduction
Estimadas Familias:
Compartimos con ustedes el trabajo realizado por los alumnos de 1º a 6º de
Primaria con motivo de los 400 años de la muerte de William Shakespeare.
Esta revista electrónica es una muestra de la integración de la lengua inglesa,
la cultura que es parte de la lengua, la creatividad de alumnos y maestras, el
uso de los recursos informáticos todo puesto al servicio del aprendizaje.
Esperamos disfruten de este trabajo tanto como el personal del Dpto. de
Inglés, la Prof. Sandra Sánchez de informática y los alumnos lo disfrutaron.
Prof. Alicia Correa
Directora Dpto. de Inglés
st
1
FORM A
Descriptions of Shakespeare‟s characters
st
1
FORM B
The children were given five pictures of different
Shakespeare‟s plays: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet,
Othello, A Midsummer Night‟s Dream and King Lear.
They describe what they saw in the pictures, discussing
and coming to an agreement, in groups.
The title page of the first complete edition of Shakespeare's plays.
Shakespeare didn't publish his plays during his lifetime. The first collection of his
work was produced by his friends after his death..
nd
2
FORM A
Shakespeare‟s Diary
An imagined portrait of William Shakespeare at 12,
from painting by J. Sant (BBC Primary History)
nd
2
FORM B
We imagine what Shakespeare‟s life as a child was like.
Shakespeare’s Diary
THE GLOBE
Outside
Inside
rd
3
FORM A
Interview with Belen and Mateo Arruabarrena,
ex-school
students,
who
travelled
to
Shakespeare‟s
hometown
with
Richard
Anderson‟s trip to England.
th
4
FORM A
Life and customs in Shakespeare‟s times
She was born on September 7, 1533 in Greenwich Palace, England. She was
the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She was named after both her
grandmothers. (Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Howard).
Her childhood was a little bit complicated and lonely. Princess Elizabeth was
christened but her father, King Henry did not attend the ceremony. She was
christened in the Chapel of the Observant Friars. Her Godfather was Thomas
Cramner and her Godmother was the Duchess of Norfolk.
Unfortunately, his father did not want a daughter. He wanted a son who
would be his heir. He wanted a son so badly that he divorced his first wife
when she didn't have a son. When Elizabeth was just three years old, the king
had her mother, Anne, put to death for not having a son. Then he married
another wife, Jane, who finally gave him the son he wanted, Prince Edward.
Elizabeth I had people who took good care of her and tutors (teachers) who helped her with her studies. Elizabeth
shared her tutors with his brother Edward. Her studies included languages, grammar, theology, history, logic,
philosophy, literature, geometry, and music. She was also taught religious studies. She was a very intelligent girl and
learned to read and write in many different languages. She also learned how to sew and play a musical instrument
called the virginal.
On January 15, 1559, Elizabeth I was crowned Queen by the
bishop of Carlisle at Westminster Abbey, a little less than two
months after the death of Mary I. She became Queen at the
age of 25. She reigned for 44 years. Everyone wondered
whether Elizabeth would be a good queen. They didn‟t want
more fights. People wanted peace.
What kind of queen was she?
The queen liked to get her own way. She had a quick temper, she got angry easily. For
example, when she got cross in public, (which was very often) she threw her shoes at
people. After becoming queen, Elizabeth enjoyed dressing in fancy gowns. The style of
the times followed her lead becoming full of braids, and wide sleeves with jewels.
She was a huge fan of the theatre, and a good friend of William Shakespeare.
She took wise decisions; she had wise advisers to help her rule.
Elizabeth has traditionally been seen as one of England's greatest monarchs.
She was known as The Virgin Queen, she remained unmarried to her death.
Elizabeth died on March 24, 1603 at Richmond Palace and was succeeded
by James I (James VI of Scotland), the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. The Tudor
dynasty ended and passed to the Stuarts.
Elizabeth I
Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
Queen Elizabeth Coat of Arms
Elizabeth I
siblings
Mary I
Edward VI
LIFE IN THE COURT
Court life:
The reign of Elizabeth was known as the Golden Age. One of the biggest spectacles of Elizabeth was
her court, it consisted of two main parts…
Organization of the Court:
The physical area of the court consisted of three chambers:
•The Guard Chamber
•The Presence Chamber
•The Privy Chamber
The second part of the court consisted of the people.
Origin of the Court:
The original court system was created by William the Conqueror. He surrounded himself with nobles to
help him rule the country.
With the Renaissance in Italy, courts became very famous and the idea soon spread to France.
When Henry Tudor became King in 1485, he created the royal court in England, and the practice
carried on to his granddaughter, Elizabeth I.
Common Rules of a Courtier:
Every courtier in the Court of Elizabeth I had to have certain
characteristics, and follow some important rules, to be in the
favour of the Queen:
•Be educated
•Dress appropriately
•Don‟t ever upstage the queen
•Even more importantly, don‟t upset the queen
•And always shower the queen with compliments and gifts.
Houses during this time varied with the social classes. If the person
belonged to the merchant class, they most likely lived in the upper floors
of the house and had their shop in the lower floor. Some castles and
palaces had only one toilet, but it was little. The toilet was not private as it
is today, but was still called a “privy”.
Most houses for the middle and lower classes were made out wood. If a
person was a gentleman or rich, they lived in the castle with royalty.
Houses were big and they had huge windows and chimneys. Very rich
people in Tudor times had large gardens with fountains. Poor people had
much smaller gardens and grew their own plants and vegetables.
Noblemen lived a life of luxury; they had parties and enjoyed good food.
The largest room in a luxury house was the hall, where meetings took
place and meals were taken. There was a separate room for women to
play music.
Only rich people could afford carpets, they were hung on the wall, not
on the floor. Most houses had dirty floors. People covered the floor with
reeds or rushes and replaced them when they became too dirty.
th
4
FORM B
Children in Tudor Times
When a child was born it was washed in water and then to keep it
warm it was rubbed with butter or rose oil. The baby was then
swaddled. Normally the baby was baptized within a few days
because the risk of it dying was so high.
Many people born in Tudor Times did not survive childhood. Perhaps
25% of children died before their 5th birthday and as many as 40%
died before their 16th birthday. Childbirth was also dangerous for
Tudor women and many mothers died.
Ordinary Tudor women breast fed but upper class
women gave their baby to a wet nurse to be fed. Babies
were swaddled until they were 8 or 9 months and most of
the time they were laid in a wooden cradle and allowed
to sleep
Young children began school at the age of 4. Boys usually went to a
kind of nursery school called a “petty school”. When they were
about seven, they went to the Grammar School. The school day
began at 6.00am in summer and 7.00am in winter . People went to
bed early and got up early in those days. Lunch was from 11.00am
to 1.00pm. School finished at about 5.00pm. Boys went to school six
days a week and there were few holidays.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
AND ELIZABETH I
Shakespeare was probably attracted to Elizabeth and her Court, and
proved a faithful servant to his Queen. The first evidence of this is in his
poem to the “Virgin Queen”, in that early drama, A Midsummer-Night's
Dream, as "a fair vestal throned by the west"; the play was probably
produced for a special Court performance, in front of Queen Elizabeth I.
Elizabeth was a tremendous fan of theater and the literary arts.
It is known from the State papers and other
authentic documents that the company to
which the poet belonged was, in the
Christmas holidays of 1598-1599, playing
before the Queen at Whitehall and at
Richmond Palace.
They also played again before her majesty
at the latter palace on two occasions in
the year 1600, and at the former palace in
the Christmas festivities of the same year,
and on February 24, 1601, they played
before her Majesty at Richmond Palace,
and again before the Queen at Whitehall
during the festivities of 1601-1602.
In the late part of her life Queen Elizabeth
was often at Nonsuch Palace during the
summer. Her successive and frequent stay
there
was
during
the
period
of
Shakespeare's enrolment
as actor and
servant to her majesty. So we can suppose
that the players frequently acted at this
favourite royal mansion, as at her other
palaces, and Shakespeare would be one
of the number. Eventually the palace
came into the possession of Anne of
Denmark and Henrietta Maria, both lovers
of drama.
The last time the company had the honour
to perform before the aged Queen, was at
the palace at Richmond on February 2,
1603, her death following soon after a brief
illness on March 24th of the same year.
How did people dress in Tudor times?
People dressed in a very different way. Rich people wore extravagant
clothes but peasants wore ordinary fabrics.
Rich women
Rich men
They wore long dresses.
They wore padded skirts held
up with loops. Over these
went bodices and color fullfloor-length gowns. They
wore long dresses and ruffles.
They wore ruffles, the ruffles
showed how rich you were.
There were laws controlling
what people wore.
They wore white silk shirts,
frilled at the neck and wrists.
Over this they wore a
doublet (a bit like a tightfitting jacket), and closefitting striped trousers (called
hose).
Everyone wore their hair
shoulder length.
Children
Tudor children dressed like
mini versions of adults, boys
wore girl's clothing until
they turned nine. Children
wore heavy satins (which is
a weave which has a
glossy surface and a dull
back), and ruffed necks.
Peasants
Peasants
wore
simple,
loose-fitting clothes made
of woolen cloth. Most men
wore trousers made from
wool and a tunic which
came down to just above
their knee. Women wore a
dress of wool that went
down to the ground. They
often wore an apron over
this and a cloth bonnet on
their heads.
How adults enjoyed themselves in Tudor Times.
In the working week, most people had little time to relax and enjoy themselves. However, there were quite a few
holidays: on Sundays, on Saints‟ Days, and at the great festival of Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide. Wrestling ,
bowls, skittles and cards were all popular games to play. So was an early form of football, which was less of a sport
than that „a friendly kind of fight‟. Another sort of entertainment was the public torture and execution of criminals.
In Tudor Times people had to make their own entertainments. Hours of work were long and without electric light
or the benefit of being able to read, many people simply went to bed when it got dark. The time of entertainment
was on a Sunday or Saint‟s day or when there was a great public event, Royal wedding or public execution.
Sports
Sports were very popular in the XVI century. Some of the most popular are still played today.
Jousting
Pitching
the Bar
Did you know that…
when they executed someone, people had fun!
Throwing the
Sledgehammer
Fox hunting
The theatre
The popularity of the theatre worked
with both, rich and poor alike, during the
sixteenth century. This popularity was
helped by the rise of great playwrights
such as Christopher Marlowe and William
Shakespeare as well as the building of the
Globe theater in London.
In 1599 Shakespeare had the original Globe Theatre built in Southwark for his theatre company.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
GROUP
Comparison Shakespeare - Dickens
William
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was baptized
on April 26, 1564, in Stratford-uponAvon, England.
From 1594 onward he was an
important member of the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men company of
theatrical players.
 Shakespeare wrote plays that
captured the complete range of
human emotion and conflict.
Charles
Dickens
 Charles Dickens was born on
February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth,
England.
british
writers
 Over the course of his writing
career, he wrote the beloved
classic novels Oliver Twist, A
Christmas Carol, Nicholas
Nickleby, David Copperfield, A
Tale of Two Cities and Great
Expectations.
 On June 9, 1870, Dickens died of
a stroke in Kent, England.
th
5
FORM A & B
Elizabethan Theatre is different from modern theatre in many ways.
Here are some differences
Elizabethan Theatres
In the 16th century, actors travelled from town to town
on a cart, looking for audiences to pay to watch them
perform.
Playhouses were not constructed in London until 1576.
Nowday´s theatres
Theatre houses are set up in a permanent
location. They often stay open for decades and
become part of a community.
Theatre Waterside
People expected to see a new play every day in
theatres. This meant many actors and playwrights
were employed to meet the demands of audiences.
A theatre will show (“run”)the same play for a
much longer time. Modern playhouses can run a
play for weeks, months, and even years (think
Broadway theatres).
Going to the theatre was
not considered to be a fancy
affair. Plays were often crude
(by
modern
standards).
Theatre would compete with
other entertainment such as
bear baiting (which involved
watching and betting on
bears killing dogs)
Going to the theatre is considered to be a
sophisticated and elegant affair. People often go to
a fancy dinner before or after they see a play
Going to a play was an exciting event.
Groundlings would talk, shout and even throw
rotten things to the stage during the play. The
Groundlings would let everybody in the theatre
know the opinion of the audience. During the
play, rich audience would sit on the stage and
make comments.
Poor people called the groundlings, or
penny knaves, were famous for their love of
plays. They would pay one penny to stand in
front of the stage in an area called the open
yard.
Going to a play is a more serious event.
Audience must be quiet during the play. They
are reminded to be silent all the time.
Typically going to watch play is associated
with the wealthy or the intellectual. Tickets are
usually considered more expensive for the
average person.
The most expensive seats in a theatre were the in the
top row of the theatre, farthest from the audience.
The cheap seats were directly in front of the stage,
although people in this area stood. Rich people would
want to have the most segregated and exclusive seats
in the theatre, away from the roadway, poor people.
Some of the most expensive seats in a modern theatre
are the orchestra seats, which are directly in front of
the stage. The cheapest seats are in the back of the
theatre because they have the worst view of the stage.
Acting was not a highly paid or highly respected
profession.
Actors
were
seen
as
vagrant
troublemakers who promoted an offensive lifestyle.
Women were not allowed to act until after 1660.
Teenage boys would play the roles of women.
Boys as Girls
Acting is a very highly paid profession that many
people respect and appreciate.
Both men and women are allowed to act on
stage or in movies. Men and women may also
play opposite gender roles.
Theatres did not have roof
There were candles lo
light a stage
Most plays were seen at two
o‟clock in the afternoon
Most of theatres are inside
There are electric lights.
Although there are still
afternoon matinees for
theatres,
the most
popular showings are
typically seen at night
th
6
FORM A
Romeo and Juliet
An original Shakespeare manuscript, held by the Folger Shakespeare Library
Plot of Romeo and Juliet
The Capulets and Montagues are two important families in the city of
Verona. They are sworn enemies and have been fighting for many
years. Prince Escalus, the city‟s peacekeeper, stop the fight and says
that anyone else who fights in the street will be punished with death.
Benvolio then talks with his cousin Romeo. Romeo explains that he is
miserable because he‟s in love with a girl called Rosaline but she
doesn‟t love him back. Benvolio advises him to look at other girls.
Paris, a wealthy gentleman, visits Lord Capulet to ask for his daughter‟s
hand in marriage. Capulet agrees to throw a party where Paris can
look at all the young women of Verona, including Juliet.
Benvolio suggests to Romeo that they should attend Capulet‟s party in
disguise. Once there, Juliet and Romeo set eyes on each other and it‟s
love at first sight.
After the party Romeo climbs over the Capulet‟s garden wall in order
to spend more time with Juliet. She appears on her balcony and they
declare their love for each other. Knowing that their families are sworn
enemies, they decide to get married in secret. With the help of her
Nurse and Friar Lawrence who conducts the marriage, the next day,
they are married.
Plot: Romeo and Juliet Part II
Romeo and Juliet‟s secret marriage takes place in the early afternoon.
Later Romeo is with his friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio fights
Tybalt who is Juliet‟s cousin.
During the fight Mercutio is stabbed and dies.
Romeo is so upset at the death of his friend that he fights Tybalt in
revenge.
Benvolio explains the fight to Prince Escalus who declares that because
Romeo has killed in revenge he will be banished from the city of Verona
rather than sentenced to death.
After a secret night with Juliet, Romeo escapes to Mantua. Juliet is
heartbroken and Friar Lawrence makes a plan to reunite the couple .
The Friar will give Juliet a potion to make her appear dead. After
drinking it, her family will lay her apparently lifeless body in the Capulet
tomb..
.
The potion will last for 24 hours, during which time Friar Lawrence will send news to Romeo. As the potion wears off and Juliet
awakens, Romeo will arrive at the tomb and the couple will run away.
Juliet carries out her part of the plan and takes the potion as she goes to bed. The Nurse is very distressed when she discovers Juliet
in the morning. The Capulets place Juliet in the tomb. Romeo is heartbroken. He drinks a poison and dies. Moments later, Juliet‟s
potion wears off and she wakes up. She sees Romeo dead by her side and tries to drink the final drops of poison from his lips. She
takes his dagger and stabs herself. The Montagues and Capulets are so upset by the deaths of their children that they agree to
bring the family feud to an end for good
The Characters in Romeo and Juliet
As you might expect, characters in Romeo and Juliet fall into two camps - the Montagues and the Capulets.
These are the two families who have been at war for many years. Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet.
There are lots of characters in this play, but the main ones are: Romeo, Juliet , The Nurse and Friar Lawrence
Romeo
Juliet
Impulsive – he falls immediately in love with Juliet and forgets
Rosaline.
Obedient – even though she has not thought of love or marriage
before now, Juliet agrees to look at Paris at the party.
Devoted friend – when Mercutio is killed by Tybalt, Romeo is so
enraged that he kills him too.
Passionate – she falls instantly in love with Romeo.
Passionate – he kills himself in order to be with Juliet.
Courageous – she disobeys her parents and arranges to marry
Romeo in secret. She later kills herself for love.
Characters IN Romeo and Juliet
Romeo – Montague
Juliet – Capulet
Mercutio – Montague
Tybalt – Capulet
Benvolio - Montague
The Nurse – Capulet
Friar Lawrence
Themes
 DUALITY:
The very first word of this play is two, and throughout the play we are
presented again and again with pairs of people and concepts. In terms of people we
have Capulets and Montagues. Romeo and Juliet, Tybalt and Benvolio. As you can see,
sometimes the pairs are complementary and work together. We see duality in love and
hate, war and peace.
 FATE: There are lots of incidences throughout the play when the main characters refer to
omens that hint at their tragic ending. For example, before the Capulet party, Romeo
feels worried that something bad is hanging in the stars. Later when Juliet looks at Romeo
from the balcony she is upset because she sees him as one dead in the bottom of a
tomb.
 LOVE: The main theme of love is introduced at the very beginning by the Chorus who tells
the audience that this is a play about star-crossed lovers. When we first meet Romeo he is
love-sick for Rosaline and talks to Benvolio about how painful love can be.
During the Capulet‟s party, we are presented with 'love at first sight' when Romeo and
Juliet fall instantly for each other. The romantic love between the couple develops
throughout the play and for them love ultimately leads to death.
The Language in Romeo and Juliet
S
hakespeare, uses a lot of poetic and metaphoric language. For example
oxymorons.
An oxymoron is when words with contradictory meanings are placed side by
side.
Shakespeare also uses rhymes to explain the love between the two
characters
A rhyme is when a sound is the same between words, especially when these
are used at the end of lines in poetry.
The author also uses metaphors:
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an
object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
ROMEO AND JULIET
PLAYS - MOVIE VERSIONS - ADAPTATIONS
The best movie versions are:
• Romeo + Juliet (1996) by Baz
Luhrmann.
• Gnomeo and Juliet (2013) by
Zeffirelli.
There are also very original
adaptations:
• West Side Story (1960) by Robert
Wise, Jerome Robbins.
• Romeo and Juliet(2011) by Kelly
Asbury.