Name: ______Date: ______
“All the world’s a stage”
“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
“To be, or not to be: that is the question.”
"This above all: to thine own self be true."
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?"
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”
How many of these phrases have you heard before? But have you read Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, and As You Like It? Shakespeare has permeated our culture so thoroughly that these lines are familiar to us even though we may not have read the entire works from which they come. Today’s lesson will inform you about Shakespeare’s life, times, and plays and ask you to consider two essential questions:
Who was William Shakespeare? and Why is he so important?
I. To begin, complete the KWL chart below. The third column must be completed after the video and articles.
What I KNOW about Shakespeare / What I WANT TO KNOW about Shakespeare / What I LEARNED about ShakespeareII. Next, before viewing the videos, guess whether each question is true or false (mark T or F). After learning about Shakespeare, you will correct your answers.
Before After
1. ______William Shakespeare had a pretty normal upbringing for a 16th century English
boy.
2. ______Shakespeare would probably be living and working in Hollywood if he were
alive today, and he would probably be very wealthy.
3. ______Shakespeare acted in his own plays.
4. ______Queen Elizabeth I was not supportive of the theater.
5. ______People in the 16th century went to the theater during the daytime rather than
at night like most people do today.
6. ______The stage crew-those who prepare the scenery for the stage- had a much
easier job in the 16th century than stage crews today.
7. ______Actresses in Shakespeare’s time often got roles better than male actors.
8. ______In Shakespeare’s plays, the words are more important than the scenery.
9. ______Shakespeare wrote 37 plays that can be divided into three categories:
tragedies, histories, and comedies.
10. ______Shakespeare wrote his own epitaph for his gravestone.
III. As you view the video “Shakespeare in Our Time,” take notes about Shakespeare’s life, times, and works. Jot down any facts you find memorable/interesting.
IV. After viewing the video and reading the articles, respond to the writing prompts below.
Why are Shakespeare’ s plays still popular today? Why do actors consider a role in a Shakespeare play to be the highlight of their career?
What was it like to go to the theater in Shakespeare’s London? Describe the sets, costumes, actors, and audience. Why was the language so important to his plays?
What is the big deal about Shakespeare anyway?? Why is his work considered so important? Why do we still study it in schools? What can we, readers in the 21st century, learn from his works?