Shakespeare

On this page you find additional information about Shakespeare's time and some exercises to find more about his plays.

 

Shakespeare is one of England's most famous playwriters. Next to being a playwright he was also a poet and actor. He lived from 1564 till 1616 and wrote in his day 39 plays, 154 sonnets and 2 long narrative poems. His works have been translated in almost every language and are performed more often than those of any other playwriter.

 

His most famous plays are: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, MacBeth and King Lear. 

The line that is most often quoted is: "To be or not to be, that is the question." This line is uttered by Hamlet and scholars are still puzzling over its meaning. 

 

Holly wood has turned more than one of his plays into a movie. Some are easily recognisable as being one of Shakespeare's plays but not all of them are. Here are some examples of those movies: Ten things I hate about you, my own private idaho, King of Texas, Romeo and Julliet, As you like it, Hamlet.

 

Most remarkable about Shakespeare is that he adresses issues and problems that are still actual. His characters are faced with issues as betrayal, infidelity, love, jealousy, racism and revenge. 

 

Read the part below about "Prejudices in the sixteenth century" before going to the exercises that are underneat the text.

 

 

Information @ wikipedia

Prejudice in the sixteenth century

 

People in Elizabethan England were very ignorant about different cultures, and many believed that black people were devilish or that they were able to do magic. There seem to have been quite a number of black people in London. At least enough that, in 1596, Queen Elizabeth decided to deport them, claiming that there were ‘too many’. However, some historians argue that this was about religion, because they were not Christians, rather than race.

 

 

Elizabethan women had few legal rights, especially when married. For example, they were not allowed to work in the professions (as lawyers, doctors, politicians, etc.). Many historians believe that Queen Elizabeth I deliberately stayed unmarried so that she would not lose her power to her husband. Women were expected to give everything they owned to their husbands and obey them without question. Single women were treated with suspicion and sometimes accused of being witches, so women’s options were in general extremely limited.

 

 

Exercise:

Read the problems. Then match each of the problems to the right Shakespeare play. You can use the Internet to find your information. Discuss the plays in your group. Do you think any of the plays show sexism, racism or any other kind of prejudice? Why?/Why not?

 

 

Problem 1

 My problem is a strange one, I know, but it’s very serious too! A few months ago, I really needed some money. There’s this really rich old Jew in town – you don’t know him. I don’t like this man at all – not many people do – but I thought I could borrow some money from him. He said yes, and gave me the money. However, this rich Jew doesn’t like my best friend – don’t ask me why. The Jew made me promise that if I couldn’t pay him back he would cut half a kilo of flesh from my best friend’s body. Well, I thought the old Jew was as mad as a hatter, so I said “fine” and took his money. Well, my problem is I can’t pay the money back and I am really worried about my friend. The old Jew is crazy for sure! But a deal is a deal… isn’t it?

 

(Venice, Italy)

 

Problem 2

I really need some good advice. I met the man of my dreams at a party last night. He’s handsome, exciting and he says such nice things to me - I can’t stop thinking about him. I am only fourteen years old but I know that this is love. Unfortunately, my family can’t stand his family. They have fought with each other since I was a child. If my family knew how I felt about this man they would lock me in my bedroom and throw away the key! Even worse, Dad thinks he can choose my boyfriends for me - and he has very bad taste in men. I love this guy so much and I don’t want to lose him. If I marry him, I will lose my family - forever. What should I do?

 

J.C (Verona, Italy)

 

Problem 3

I need you to help me because I’m feeling really depressed. My dad died a few months ago. That was bad enough, but then my mum married his brother, Uncle Claudius. I’ve never liked Uncle Claudius - and I don’t think he likes me either. Now he lives with us in our house and we have to listen to his awful heavy metal music all the time. I know this sounds crazy but I saw my dad last night. He told me that Uncle Claudius murdered him. Now all I can think about is killing my uncle. Am I going crazy? Mum won’t listen to me – she says I need to see a doctor. She’s so ashamed of my being mad that she wants to ship me off to England.

 

Please help me,  mad H. (atter) ( Denmark)

 

Problem 4

I am really beautiful and gentle, and several men wanted to marry me but my father wouldn’t let me marry until my older sister did. Kate was a piece of work, always in a foul mood and well known for being bad tempered and hard to control and no one wanted to marry her except Petruchio, who hadn’t even met her, but wanted to marry her for money. But now they’ve married, she has completely changed! Petruchio took my sister to his house and refused to let her eat or sleep until she obeyed him. They returned to Padua where I finally got married. At the banquet the men made a bet on who had the most obedient wife. Each wife was given orders to carry out, but only Kate obeyed and she then told everyone how important it is to obey your husband. I don’t recognize her anymore, I want my moody sister back. What should I do?

 

I. (Padua, Italy)

 

Problem 5

I was really pissed off because my boss O. had given C. a job I wanted. He knew I was the best  candidate for the job but still he gave it to that loser. I was so mad,  I decided to take revenge. But everything went pear shaped. I told this old guy that my boss O. had secretly married his daughter, D. The guy was horrified because O. is black and she is white. He was so shocked that he disowned his daughter. Then I told my boss that C. had been having an affair with his wife. I even showed him some ‘proof’ and my boss  believed me and he ordered me to kill C. My boss became so jealous that he killed his own wife, but then he found out that she was innocent and out of grief and shame he killed himself. Should I turn myself in to the police?

 

Desperate I. (Venice, Italy)