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Shakespeare's
Life and Work
All theater group members should have some biographical information
about the author, as well as the major literary works for which
he is famous.
Subsidiary Questions:
- What were Willliam Shakespeare's early life and education
like?
- How did Shakespeare become a playwright? What other occupations
did he have?
- What different kinds of plays did Shakespeare write? What
are some of his most famous plays?
- What other literary forms did Shakepeare write? What are
some examples of these?
Websites:
Fun
Facts about Shakespeare
Questions
about Shakespeare's Life
Shakespeare's
Plays (listed by type)
Shakespeare
FAQs
Shakespeare's
Biography
Shakespeare
Biography
Outline of
Shakespeare's Life (from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust)
William
Shakespeare Biography (from Encyclopaedia Brittanica)
William
Shakespeare (1564-1616)
FAQ's:
Shakespeare's Life
Shakespeare
and His Theater
The
Seven Ages of Shakespeare's Life
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The Taming
of the Shrew
All theater group members should begin their preparation
with some general knowledge of this play.
Subsidiary Questions:
- What kind/genre of play is The Taming of the Shrew?
How is the play structured?
- Who are the characters? What are their social classes and
relationships to one another?
- What is this play about (main plot/storyline)?
- What are some other key dramatic elements in this play: settings,
conflict, themes, tone, etc.?
Websites:
Full
Text of the play (includes Dramatis Personae --list of characters)
Tales
from Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew (a narrative retelling
for young readers, by Charles and Mary Lamb)
Plot Summary
Plot
Summary (with some character links)
Settings
in Shakespeare's Plays (Map - requires Shockwave)
CliffsNotes
SparkNotes
MonkeyNotes
(avoid advertisments)
The Taming of
the Shrew (articles from the Utah Shakespeare Festival)
Insights
Study Guide from the Utah Shakespeare Festival (download
the PDF file for screen viewing, then read pages 4-7) |
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Elizabethan
Theaters and Stage Properties
The set designers will need information about
the characteristics of Elizabethan theaters and stages. The actors
will need some backround information on the actors who originally
performed in the Elizabethan theater and in Shakespeare's plays.
Subsidiary Questions:
- Where were Shakespeare's plays originally performed?
- What were the stage, sets, and scenery like in the Elizabethan
theater?
- What methods were used for lighting and special effects?
Websites:
Public
Theaters (Use the pointing fingers at the top or bottom
of the frame to navigate through pages of this chapter)
Staging
the Plays (Use the pointing fingers at the top or
bottom of the frame to navigate through pages of this chapter)
The
Parts of the Stage (Click on the parts of the stage to learn
about them)
Costumes
and Sets in Shakespearean Theater
Welcome to the World of the Elizabethan Theater
FAQ's:
Shakespeare's Theatre (See questions regarding London theatres,
the Globe theater, sound effects, and actors)
Elizabethan
Theaters
London
Theaters, c.1600 (Map)
The
Globe (Includes and animated Quicktime tour)
Elizabethan
Theater
Acting
and Performing
Chamberlain's
Men
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Elizabethan
Costumes and Fashion
The costumers will need information about Elizabethan
costumes and fashions.
Subsidiary Questions:
- What kinds of costumes were typically worn for Shakespeare's
plays?
- What kinds of clothing did men and women wear in Elizabethan
England?
- How was the clothing of different social classes and occupations
different?
- What were hairstyles and accessories like?
Websites:
Welcome
to the World of the Elizabethan Theater (see Costume
section)
Elizabethan Costuming Page
Costumes
and Sets in Shakespeare's Theater
Fashions:
Men and Women
Men's Fashions
Women's
Fashions
Hairstyles
Elizabethan
Fashion and Costumes (use the pointing fingers at
the top or bottom of the frame to navigate through pages of this
online chapter)
Elizabethan
Costume and Costume Elements
Dressing
for Shakespeare
Elizabethan
Fashion |
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Elizabethan
Social and Family Relations
The director will need information about social
and family relations in Elizabethan England-- an important aspect
of the story line in The Taming of the Shrew.
Subsidiary Questions:
- What were family relationships like in Elizabethan England
(husband/wife, parent/child, etc.)?
- How were men's and women's roles in society different?
- What were the Elizabethan customs for courtship and marriage?
- What were the different social classes in Elizabethan England?
Websites:
Life in
Elizabethan England
Renaissance
Society
Social
Classes in Shakspeare's England
Elizabethan
Life
Elizabethan
Household (presented as historical context for Shakespeare's
play Twelfth Night)
Life of Women
in Tudor England
The
Education of Girls
Elizabethan Women
The
Housewife's Rich Cabinet
Order
in the Sexes
Children and Families
Social Classes
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Elizabethan
English and Shakespeare's Language
The actors will need information about the
style of language in which the characters' lines are written
-- Elizabethan English.
Subsidiary Questions:
- What are some characteristics of Elizabethan English?
- What is unique about Shakespeare's use of language in his
plays?
- How did Shakespeare influence the English language?
- What are some unfamiliar words in The Taming of the Shrew,
and what do they mean?
Websites:
The Language of
Shakespeare
Elizabethan
English
Barron's
Booknotes (see sections on Word Meanings and Vocabulary)
Elizabethan
Insults
Shakespeare's
Influence
Shakespeare's
Language
Reading Shakespeares Plays (Language) Page
1 Page
2
General
Elizabethan Language
Shakespeare Dictionary A-L
M-Z *
Note the words/definitions referenced from "Shrew"
or "Shrew IND" (Induction)
A
Note on Shakespeare's Grammar
Elizabethan
Language (see additional links at bottom of page)
Shakespeare
Glossary
Metaphor
Analysis (avoid advertisements)
Things
You Should Know About Shakespeare (includes information on
Shakespeare's use of language)
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