Mr. Carmicle
H. Eng. 10B, Period 2
06 January 2013
Shakespeare Outline
I. The Life of Shakespeare is very fascinating.
A. Shakespeare was not destined for greatness, yet his plays are the most performed and read in the world.
1. He was not born into a noble or wealthy family.
2. He did not marry into a wealthy for prestigious family.
3. His talent for acting seems to have been fairly modest.
B. He was recorded on April 26, his parents were John Shakespeare and Mary Arden.
1. His father, John Shakespeare was a glove-maker and a tradesman.
2. His mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a farmer.
3. He died on the day of his birth, he was recorded on April 26, but scholars believe that he was born on April 23.
a. He died on April 23.
b. Elizabethans recorded the birth of a newborn on the day of their baptism, three days after their birth.
C. Shakespeare did not have much education, and he married at the age of eighteen.
1. His father struggled with serious financial debts.
a.Shakespeare could only attend grammar school.
b.He could not attend a university.
2. He married a woman eight years his senior, Anne Hathaway.
3. Anne gave birth to three children: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.
D. Shakespeare showed great potential at being a poet and playwright.
1. In a 1952 pamphlet his talent was recognized by Robert Greene.
2. To this date, 154 of his sonnets have survived.
E. The uprising of Shakespeare's career began in the year1594.
1. In 1594, he became a member of Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a popular acting company in London.
a. He remained in the company for the rest of his career.
b. He would often play for Queen Elizabeth I.
2. In 1599, he and other members from Lord Chamberlain’s Men established the
Globe Theatre on the outskirts on London.
3.Shakespeare wrote many of his famous plays during King James’s reign.
F. Before his death, Shakespeare altered his will.
1. He left most of his estate to his two daughters, since his only son died.
2. He left his “second best bed” to his wife.
3. To the world, he left thirty-eight plays, 154 sonnets, and two narrative poems.
G. Shakespeare was recognized as one of the greatest English playwrights.
1. He died in Stratford on April 23, 1616.
2. In the four centuries since, he has been recognized as the greatest playwright in the English language.
II. The Elizabethan Age is very historical.
A. Elizabeth I became the Queen of England in 1558.
1. Her reign as Queen of England lasted forty-five years.
2. London had great importance in Europe.
a. London became a cultural and commercial center.
b. Learning and literature thrived in London.
B. Queen Elizabeth I’s role plays a great significance in England’s history.
1. She made significant concessions to Catholic sympathizers, which kept them from attempting rebellion.
2. She was a strong Leader.
a. She did not shy away from conflict.
b. In 1588, the Spanish Armada was defeated, which establish England as a leading military and commercial power in the western world.
3. Her support towards the exploration of the New world brought wealth to her country in the form of tobacco and gold
C. Queen Elizabeth I noticed the importance of the arts to her nation’s legacy.
1. She gave permission for the construction of professional theaters in England.
2. Many of England’s greatest playwrights were active during her reign.
a. Many plays were written in the golden age of literary arts.
b. The Shakespearean sonnets and dramatic blank came into practice.
D. King James I rose to power in England after Elizabeth I’s death.
1. Under James I’s rule, Shakespeare’s theater company, Lord Chamberlain’s
Men, became known as the King’s Men.
2. He had the Bible translated from Latin to English so that it could be more accessible to others.
a. The bible was translated into English by a team of scholars and munks.
b. The King James Version of the Bible is arguably the most influential book in the world.
E. Tension between the Crown and parliament increased.
1.