I. Biography of The Poet: 1 - Romeo and Juliet (1595)
I. Biography of The Poet: 1 - Romeo and Juliet (1595)
I. Biography of The Poet: 1 - Romeo and Juliet (1595)
William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564
in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see When was
Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died in 1616.
Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre
(sometimes called the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare’s plays are
perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not all he wrote. Shakespeare’s poems also
remain popular to this day.
William Shakespeare would have lived with his family in their house on Henley Street until he
turned eighteen. When he was eighteen, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was twenty-
six. It was a rushed marriage because Anne was already pregnant at the time of the ceremony.
Together they had three children. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born six months after the
wedding and was later followed by twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died when he was just 11
years old.
Many people believe William Shakespeare is the best British writer of all time. His many works
are about life, love, death, revenge, grief, jealousy, murder, magic and mystery. He wrote the
blockbuster plays of his day
First of the works of Shakespeare that has become a classic of tragic love, of which numerous
theatrical, literary and film versions and adaptations have been made. It is considered its first
tragedy.
The impossible love between two adolescents, Romeo and Juliet, who have become the model
for romantic lovers. It combines destiny and personal choice, factors that will lead to the terrible
end.
2 – The Merchant of Venice (1595-96)
In this piece Shakespeare tries to draw a social backwardness by showing the class differences
and the relationship between them. His view is not precisely classist, but quite the contrary. He
proposes that what is important is not birth but formation, something that clashes with the
structural and conservative idea of class society. In spite of this differentiation, the ruling classes
will be accepting that they need those they consider inferior, even if they disdain them.
3 – Henry V (1597-99)
5 – Hamlet (1601)
Possibly, in spite of his extensive and well-known theatrical repertoire, this is the most universal
of all his works, giving Hamlet’s character a priority place in world literature.
It deals with two of his great themes: betrayal and revenge. And the consequences that this
betrayal will have not only on the tormented prince, but on all those around him, in an epic and
dramatic final.
BLANK VERSE
Most of Macbeth is written in this way. Shakespeare uses PROSE (non poetic writing that
sounds like regular speech) for characters who are:
RHYMING COUPLETS
Often, at the end of a scene or at the end of a string of blank verse, Shakespeare throws in some
rhyming couplets to catch our attention. Rhyming couplets are PAIRS of lines that rhyme at the
end and form a complete thought.
D. Meter
The characters in Macbeth specifically the nobles use or speak with the iambic
pentameter to show their high culture and position,
While The Witches in Macbeth have one of the most famous speeches in the show and it
is written in trochaic tetrameter. A trochee is the exact opposite of an iamb. Instead of
following the unstressed-stressed (da-DUM) pattern it goes stressed-unstressed. (DUM-
da) And a tetrameter is eight syllables per line.
E. Tone
F. Mood
The mood in Macbeth is varied. In Act 1, Scene 1, the Witches appear in "fog and filthy
air". This creates a gloomy atmosphere and also makes them seem ambiguous as they
can't be seen properly. In Act 1, Scene 6, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony - Duncan
describes Macbeth's castle as "pleasant", not knowing that he's going to be murdered
there.
G. Point of view
We see the action mostly from the point of view of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, so it is a
third person, we are initially sympathetic to Macbeth because we see him grappling with
the meaning of the witches prophecy both in dialogue and privately. He speaks in aside
that the audience can hear but the other character present doesn’t hear.
Similes:
And, like a rat without a tail, I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do." (1.3.10-11)
a comparison between a rat and the witch.
Personification:
"Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires." (1.4.57-58)
has given human-like characteristics to the stars.
Metaphors:
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair" (1.1.12)
Things may not always be what they appear to be.
J. Theme
IV. Analysis (relate the piece with the historical events in Great Britain/ America)
Shakespeare's Macbeth bears little resemblance to the real 11th century Scottish king.
Mac Bethad mac Findláich, known in English as Macbeth, was born in around 1005. His father
was Finlay, Mormaer of Moray, and his mother may have been Donada, second daughter of
Malcolm II. A 'mormaer' was literally a high steward of one of the ancient Celtic provinces of
Scotland, but in Latin documents the word is usually translated as 'comes', which means earl.
In August 1040, he killed the ruling king, Duncan I, in battle near Elgin, Morayshire. Macbeth
became king. His marriage to Kenneth III's granddaughter Gruoch strengthened his claim to the
throne. In 1045, Macbeth defeated and killed Duncan I's father Crinan at Dunkeld.
For 14 years, Macbeth seems to have ruled equably, imposing law and order and encouraging
Christianity. In 1050, he is known to have travelled to Rome for a papal jubilee. He was also a
brave leader and made successful forays over the border into Northumbria, England.
In 1054, Macbeth was challenged by Siward, Earl of Northumbria, who was attempting to return
Duncan's son Malcolm Canmore, who was his nephew, to the throne. In August 1057, Macbeth
was killed at the Battle of Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire by Malcolm Canmore (later Malcolm
III).
REFERENCES
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/macbeth.shtml#:~:text=Shakespeare's
%20Macbeth%20bears%20little%20resemblance,second%20daughter%20of%20Malcolm
%20II.&text=Macbeth%20became%20king .
https://macbethstudyguideeng3u.weebly.com/diction.html
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/summary/