The Globe

The Globe It was a hot summer day in 1602. I was only a young boy that didn´t know much of the world, but I had dreams. One of these dreams was to see a play at The Globe. The Globe was a wooden structure in the heart of London right next to the Thames. We lived pretty close, so every time a play was set up I could hear the audience cheer. Of course, if the play was bad they would boo, but that didn´t happen very often. This particular day the show "Hamlet" was to be preformed for the first time. The rumours said that this play was going to be something very special. It was written by a man called Shakespeare. I didn´t know much about him, but i had heard that he wrote incredible plays. I couldn´t afford a ticket but I couldn´t resist going there anyway; I just wanted to hear the cheers and be able to taste the atmosphere. As I stood among the people who were fortunate enough to own a ticket, I saw the guard having a quarrel with an intoxicated man. I saw my chance and thought like all brave and mad people; "You only live once". I ran past the guard and through the gates. I passed through the wooden exterior, filled with excitement, into the actual theater. Must have been my lucky day since the guard didn´t saw me, or at least he pretended that he didn´t. I came out in the middle of the globe. When I looked around me all I could see was people with smiles on their

  • Word count: 712
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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A midsummers nights dream Act 3 Scene 1

Explain how you would communicate the roles of the main characters and give examples from Act 3 scene 1. In this scene the mechanicals are in a forest rehearsing for the play for The King and Queens wedding. We see that the mechanicals are obsessed with keeping in line with the realism of the play which could be connected to the overall theme of the play: the contrasts of realism and imagination, between the magical world and the human world. In this scene the character Peter Quince, gets caught up in the minute details of the play and as the theatrical organiser, does his best to keep the "bully" Bottom under control. Since peter Quince seems to be the head of the acting group, I would say that he would be more upper class than the rest. Translating this to the way in which he would walk, speak and re-act. Quince would speak with a slight accent to show his upper side roots and he would have a soft tone, to emphasis bottoms electrifying personality as he tends to interrupt and speak over people. But when the Bottom pronounces a word wrong, Quince would erupt and in a firm and also nervous tone correct him. At this point we see Quince almost having a nervous break down as he gets caught up in the minute details of the script, to show this I would shake all over and use precise hand movements at the script. Quince at all times would have a worried or stressed look on his

  • Word count: 801
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Today we know more about Shakespeare than any other play writers of his time because of his mastering of English literature. However, today it is true to say that we have no record of what Shakespeare actually looked like.

Oral Today we know more about Shakespeare than any other play writers of his time because of his mastering of English literature. However, today it is true to say that we have no record of what Shakespeare actually looked like. William Shakespeare was born in Snitterfield, a small town in Stratford on April 23rd, 1564. At this town the youthful William spent his childhood in a leather merchant's family until later on marrying an older woman by the name of Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare was a Christian. Church records give evidence that he was baptised in a Holy Trinity Church on April 26, 1564 with the authority of his parents, John Shakespeare, Mary Arden. Very well known in the town and were mentioned as 'gentlemen' of the time. Shakespeare's father John had a large family of 10 children, William being the eldest. Two of them died at the date of their birth and one past away early in his existence, leaving him with seven. Shakespeare lived a life full of excitement and some say he was lucky to be around at the right time when theatre plays were incredibly popular or Shakespeare might never had been heard of. After a gigantic contribution to the world of literary by writing a grand total of thirty-seven of plays in Shakespeare's life, although there is no exact record of his death but some say in assumption he died on April 23rd, 1616, from the cause of alcoholism.

  • Word count: 522
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Shakespeare's romantic comedies range from the mystical to the ludicrous. Plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night dip into the essences of the mystical and ludicrous and distasteful.

Ashley Abboud Shakespeare 509 November 17, 2002 Paper #2 Shakespeare's romantic comedies range from the mystical to the ludicrous. Plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night dip into the essences of the mystical and ludicrous and distasteful. It has been said that these elements for example, "love-in-idleness juice," the anti-Semitism of the Merchant of Venice and the social distinctions of Twelfth Night, are all "problematic to the readers of the 21st century." This essay will explain how these attributes of Shakespeare's work are some what of a hindrance to the readers of the 21st century. To begin with A Midsummer Night's Dream, the idea of love-in -idleness juice is a little too much. The problem is not so much with the juice itself but the implications of the juice kept on the eyes of Demetrius. At the beginning of the play he is truly in love with Hermia, but because of the fairy Oberon, he is forced to love Helena, "A sweet Athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes but do it when the next thing he espies may be the lady," (2.1.260-262). Of course at this part of the play the juice is put onto Lysander. It is at the end of the play that the love-in-idleness juice is truly a problem; Demetrius marries Hermia under the power of its spell. This compromises the "romance" part of the comedy. Every

  • Word count: 1050
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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The opening scenes of Shakespeare’s plays

In order for us to look closely at the opening scenes of Shakespeare's plays, it is first necessary to look at the period in which they were written. The theatres and audiences that Shakespeare wrote his plays for also have to be taken into account. Even to modern audiences, with access to new age technology, Shakespeare's plays are still extraordinarily effective and have stood the test of time remarkably well, but to 16th century audiences they were the best form of entertainment around. The theatre of the 16th century had developed from the courtyards of inns. Prior to the time of William Shakespeare, theatres, in the modern sense of the word simply did not exist in England, travelling players would go from town to town performing in castles, mansions and stately homes, but more often than not they would perform in inn courtyards. The Globe, Shakespeare's theatre was modelled on these inn courtyards. Just like a courtyard it had three levels, the main stage, and the first and second balcony. There were doors on the stage for entrances and exits and a trap door. The trap door symbolically represented Hell and characters that were thought to be evil or associated with Satan would come onto the stage through the trap door. Similarly the higher the level the more it would be associated with Heaven. The purpose built theatres allowed the stage to become the focus of the whole

  • Word count: 1486
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Shakespeare's Sonnet 125 - review.

Paul Christopher Murphy ENGL 2342 Essay I July 9, 2004 Essay I Shakespeare's Sonnet 125 So are you to my thoughts as food to life, Or as sweet-season'd showers are to the ground; And for the peace of you I hold such strife As 'twixt a miser and his wealth is found; Now proud as an enjoyer and anon Doubting the filching age will steal his treasure, Now counting best to be with you alone, Then better'd that the world may see my pleasure; Sometime all full with feasting on your sight And by and by clean starved for a look; Possessing or pursuing no delight, Save what is had or must from you be took. Thus do I pine and surfeit day by day, Or gluttoning on all, or all away. William Shakespeare's Sonnet 125 is written in the traditional Elizabethan form. It consists of 14 lines and can be divided into two parts: the first section comprises line one to 12; it includes only alternate rhymes (the rhyme scheme here is ababcdcdefefgg). In this main part the theme is introduced and explained. The last two lines make up the rhyming couplet, its content sums up the sonnet's main topics. Sonnet 125 is addressed to the handsome youth. This is not directly evident from the text, because the text would also be suitable for the dark lady, but since we learnt that Sonnets 1 to 126 are addressed to the handsome youth, I suppose that this one is as well. In his work,

  • Word count: 851
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet who lived in the late 1500's and early 1600's.

Introduction William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet who lived in the late 1500's and early 1600's. His plays are now performed all over the world in hundred of languages, and he is known as one of the greatest writers of all time. The reason his work is so popular is, Shakespeare wrote about human nature and how people behave. Although his words can be hard to understand, his ideas are as relevant now as they were four centuries ago. Shakespeare's Childhood William Shakespeare is generally accepted as the cleverest user of words in the world. He was born at a particularly fortunate moment in the history of English. William Shakespeare was born on 23 April 1564, in Stratford, which is 100 miles northwest from London. William Shakespeare was the eldest son, and third child of eight, because his elder brothers were dead in few years after their birth. (You can see it in Romeo and Juliet too). His father John Shakespeare was a glove maker. His mother, Mary Arden, had some land and money of her own. Even though they weren't rich, they were quite comfortable in their life. Stratford was a small market town surrounded by green fields. William went o Stratford Grammar School, when he was seven. A school day was 11 hours long and he had to go six days a week. Later on he revealed this, as he hated it. Shakespeare's childhood name was Will. In that time his

  • Word count: 1230
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Compare and contrast act 1,scene1 of Shakespeares play 'Macbeth' with the cinematic interpretation by Roman Polanski of the same scene.

Compare and contrast act 1,scene1 of Shakespeares play 'Macbeth' with the cinematic interpretation by Roman Polanski of the same scene. Macbeth is one of the great plays written by William Shakespeare in the sixteenth century ,over three and a half centuries ago .It is known all over the world and is still very popular even to this very day.It is the basis of many movies and theatrical plays .One film interpretation was made by Roman Polanski in 1971,centuries after it was first performed in Elizabethan sixteenth century England .Therefor there is a great difference between this and the original ,as things have changed greatly over the many years . Shakespeare was an amazing story writer and entertainer and obviously wanted to catch his audiences imagination ,but even for such a gifted person as he, it must still have been a very difficult task .He had to rely on vivid descriptions and whatever was available in his theatre and the imagination of the audience to put a picture in their heads of the setting, surroundings and and the mood of the play. The play Macbeth was written in sixteen century Elizabethan England .In very different times compared to today .The people of sixteenth century England were very superstitious, believing in witches ,evil spirits and the supernatural .They recognise that the banging of drums create the sound of thunder and signified the presence

  • Word count: 1962
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Romeo and Juliet - Zefferelli with Luhrman production comparison.

Romeo and Juliet - Zefferelli with Luhrman production comparison In this essay I am going to write how the production of Romeo In Franco Zeffirelli's production of Romeo and Juliet, the setting and language are of a traditional, realistic nature. This is in complete contrast to Baz Luhrmans production, with the exception of the language used in both productions. Zefferelli's production however is far more effective, as he has tried to keep the film close to the original script and intended exactly how Shakespeare wrote it. This approach clearly portrays the concept Shakespeare is trying to demonstrate and it sincerely aids understanding, as Zefferelli has kept it original. Zefferelli has done a very good creating the right atmosphere as how lifestyle was like in Shakespeare's time, this is clearly shown by the Shakespearean costumes worn in Zefferellis production. As Zefferelli uses the commonsensical, original approach, he directs the film using the continuity style of editing; this tells the story, using a logical pattern or sequence the film simply flows and does not jump from scene to scene. The objective of Zefferelli I believe was just to bring Shakespeare's script to life, to help people to understand the moral and storyline better. On the other hand I believe Luhrmans objectives were far different to Zefferellis, I feel Luhrman was somewhat touched by the

  • Word count: 1082
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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Discussing the Works of Shakespeare.

I INTRODUCTION Shakespeare, William (1564-1616), English playwright and poet, recognized in much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists. Shakespeare's plays communicate a profound knowledge of the wellsprings of human behavior, revealed through portrayals of a wide variety of characters. His use of poetic and dramatic means to create a unified aesthetic effect out of a multiplicity of vocal expressions and actions is recognized as a singular achievement, and his use of poetry within his plays to express the deepest levels of human motivation in individual, social, and universal situations is considered one of the greatest accomplishments in literary history. II LIFE A complete, authoritative account of Shakespeare's life is lacking, and thus much supposition surrounds relatively few facts. It is commonly accepted that he was born in 1564, and it is known that he was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. The third of eight children, he was probably educated at the local grammar school. As the eldest son, Shakespeare ordinarily would have been apprenticed to his father's shop so that he could learn and eventually take over the business, but according to one account he was apprenticed to a butcher because of declines in his father's financial situation. According to another account, he became a schoolmaster. In 1582 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the

  • Word count: 2658
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Drama
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