Basics to his person: (5)
born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon
died in 1616
playwright, poet and actor
39 plays, 154 sonnets
Mystery surrounding him: did he really write the plays?
Famous plays:
comedy:
As You Like It
Much Ado About Nothing
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
tragedies:
Romeo & Juliet
Hamlet
Othello
MacBeth
histories:
Henry IV-VII
King Richard I-III
King Lear
Sonnets (by WS): (6)
mostly love poems
seem autobiographical
each sonnett can be read individually or in conjunction with the previous/ following poem
structure: 14 verses, divided into 3 quartets and a couplet
rhyme scheme: cross rhyme or pair rhyme
meter: five-pointed jambus
Language - WS: (3)
invented up to 1700 words/ expressions:
“laughing stock”
“kill with kindness”
“all that glitters isn’t gold”
“be all and end all”
mixed accents
actors: deeper voice, more resonance, faster (original pronunciation)
Petrarch: (4)
1307- 74
many poets followed this idea —> imitating
concepts of love: woman = inner & outer perfection, cult object, spiritual, physical & moral ideal, men can’t reach her
Opposite to WS: Mistress
normal eyes, skin, lips/ breath doesn’t smell good/ shrill (annoying) voice/ walks quite heavily
—> not this ideal goddess, reachable human being, realistic
=/= Petrarch —> WS made his own rules
Last changed2 years ago