Topic 1
1) There is not evidence stating that Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon is the author of Shakespeare’s works. Evidence only shows that he was a businessman and real estate investor.
2) Sir Francis Bacon, Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford, Christopher Marlowe, William Stanley 6th Earl of Derby
3) In my opinion, Christopher Marlowe is the most likely candidate to have written Shakespeare’s works. This is due to the fact that the age gap between Shakespeare and him is very small. In addition, both of their works were very successful. Also, there are many similarities between the works of Marlowe and Shakespeare, and similarities are also present in many hidden meanings that are found in the two’s works and associated texts.
Topic 2
1) She was the Queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17th November 1558 till her death in 1603
2) She had a pretty strained relationship with the Spanish Armada, she was fearful of Spanish domination
Queen Elizabeth supported Henry the IV when he inherited the French Throne in 1589. She provided more of military support to him
It seemed that the citizens of Ireland were pretty hostile toward her. They weren't very supportive of her and sources even state that they were willing to plot with her enemies against Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth also maintained diplomatic relationships which her late brother established.
Thus her international relationships were quite alright, but she had conflicts with Spain and Ireland
3) William Shakespeare helped to build up the Elizabethan age as he was one of the greatest names in English literature who entered maturity in the second decade of
Queen Elizabeth's reign, and the notion of a great Elizabethan age also included dramatists.
4) Portia was a rich heiress, the Lady of Belmont. She was probably a tribute to Queen Elizabeth. Like Queen Elizabeth, Portia has influence and wealth. Queen Elizabeth was often persuaded to get married or to find a successor, but in the end she did not do so.
When her reign began, many expeced that she would marry and the identity of her life partner was often a question. She received many proposals. People speculated that Thomas Seymour had put her off sexual relationships, or she knew that she was infertile. She considered few men until she reached the age of 50. Her last courtship was with François, Duke of Anjou, who was 22 years younger than her. Her subjects often encouraged her to get marrried, so that there might be a heir. But she ignored them. Portia in the end was connected with Bassanio, but before that, she organised "marriage lottery" for several men. It was said that there were 3 boxes, made of lead, gold, or silver. There is a description to each. There is a box amongst the 3 which holds her picture, and it signifies that that man would be wed to her. This shows that she was willing to take chances in the selection of her partner, and that she did not really look out specifically for her life partner.
Thus, out of so many similarities, Portia and Elizabeth I were not very desperate when it comes to romance/selecting their life partners.
Topic 3
1) Poor = The greatest majority of families were poor. Hygiene, at this level, was not important enough to be practiced. Most people took only one to three baths a year. Oral hygiene was not considered.
Middle Class = The yeomanry and the gentry were more concerned with hygiene, bathing as often as once a month. Daily washing of the face, neck and wrists was common. Teeth were cleaned by rinsing with vinegar and water, then wiping each tooth with a cloth. Toothpicks were also widely used.
The Wealthy = The wealthy bathed every other week, and often enjoyed expensive soap. Beards were also washed with soap, and kept trimmed and neat. Ironically, many oral hygiene concoctions were sweetened with honey, causing rapid tooth decay.
2) Elizabethan food and drink did not constitute a good balanced diet, especially not for the rich! The rich ate few fresh vegetables and little fresh fruit - unprepared food of this variety was viewed with some suspicion! Fruit was usually served in pies or was preserved in honey. Vegetables and fresh fruit were eaten by the poor - vegetables would have been included in some form of stew, soup or pottage. Food items which came from the ground were only are considered fit for the poor. Only vegetables such as rape, onions, garlic and leeks graced a Noble's table. Dairy products were also deemed as inferior foods and therefore only to be eaten by the poor.
3) Fairs = The Annual Summer Fair and other seasonal fairs such as May Day were often bawdy affairs.
Plays = Started as plays enacted in town squares followed by the actors using the courtyards of taverns or inns (referred to as Inn-yards) followed by the first theatres (great open air amphitheatres built in the same style as the Roman Coliseum) and then the introduction of indoor theatres called Playhouses.
Miracle Plays = Re-enactments of stories from the Bible. These are derived from the ancient Briton custom of Mystery Plays, in which stories and fables were enacted to teach lessons or educate about life in general. Miracle plays included stories from all ecclesiastic literature, from the Bible to the everyday psaltery or prayerbook.
Festivals = Celebrating Church festivals
Jousts / Tournaments = A series of tilted matches between two or more warriors, by the Elizabethan time period these were more of a show or display of arms than to settle disputes such as we hear of in stories. Unlike our romantic notions of only knights participating in a joust, they were in fact a favourite of many, such as King Henry VIII, who often in his youth showed off his equestrian skills with a lance and a tilt.
Games and Sports = Sports and games which included archery, bowling, cards, dice, hammer-throwing, quarter-staff contests, troco, quoits, skittles, wrestling and mob football
Card Games = Cards appeared in Spain and Italy about 1370, but they probably came from Egypt. They began to spread throughout Europe and came into England around 1460. By the time of Elizabeth’s reign, gambling was a common sport. Cards were not played only by the upper class. Many of the lower classes had access to playing cards. The card suits tended to change over time.
4) The most common manor plan for Elizabethan times housing was an E shape, with the vertical line of the E being the main hall, and the shorter horizontal end lines the kitchens and living rooms. The shorter central line was the entry porch. On the upper floor of the main hall there was a long gallery, used for entertaining as a family area, for exercise on dull days, and as a portrait gallery, the long gallery was an almost universal feature of Elizabethan manors. It featured windows on three sides and fireplaces along the fourth, and it usually ran the entire length of the floor.
5) For women:
Underclothes
Smock or shift, also called a chemise made of linen
Stockings or hose
Corset or bodice
Farthingale - a hooped skirt
A Roll or Rowle
Stomacher
Petticoat
Kirtle
Forepart
Partlet
Over Clothes
Gown
Separate sleeves
Ruff
Cloak
Shoes
For men:
Underclothes
Shirt
Stockings or hose
Codpiece
Corset
Over Clothes
Doublet
Separate sleeves
Breeches
Belt
Ruff
Cloak
Shoes
Hat
Topic 4
1) In the 15 century, although Venice faced constant wars and political instability in the Europe contingent, the devotional painting had very important role to play, as it served as a reminder to the people the importance of prayers and to lead a humble, honest life. At that time, people mostly wore dull garments. By the end of the 15th century, Venice had become the European capital of printing; Venice had 417 printers, and was one of the first cities in Italy to have a printing press after those established in Germany. The Aldine Press of Aldus Manutius was the most important printing office, and it printed the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili in 1499. It was considered the most beautiful book of Renaissance, and established modern punctuation, the page format and italic type since then, and the first printed work of Aristotle.
During the 16th century, Venice became one of the most important musical centers of Europe. In the early 16th century, also, there was argument over whether Venetian painting should use disegno or colorito. The Paduan School and Antonello da Messina, who introduced the oil painting technique of the van Eyck brothers, influenced the Venetian painting. Venice was also the early center of music printing. Music is being published as soon as this technology was available, and the publishing enterprise helped to attract composer. By the end of the century, Venice was famous for the splendor of its music, as exemplified in the "colossal style" of Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, which used multiple choruses and instrumental groups. Some of the famous composers during the baroque period are Antonio Vivaldi, Ippolito Ciera, Giovanni Picchi, and Girolamo Dalla Casa.
Lifted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
2) Venice was important during the 15th and 16th century as the paintings at that time was very important. They play a role in ensuring and reminding people the importance of prayers and to lead a humble, honest life. It was also the start of Venice printing service, and it soon became a hit after it became the capital of printing. The 16th century was the important start and beginning of Venice’s music printing as well. With the help of many famous composers, Venice’s music printing progress and improve.
3) Venice, during 15th and 16th century was the time where its music culture was at its peak. Thus it would be appropriate to use Venice as a setting as through the poem, as they could express the story in a very musical way and prove to the audience that Venice music culture was progressing well at that time.
Topic 5
1) In England, it was Catholics who dominated first. After that it was overtaken by the Christians. In Venice, it was always the Jews who were dominant.
2) The Jews did not convert to Christianity, and they were accused of actively rejecting Christ, and even of murdering Jesus himself. Also, as Jews were the richer population of the medieval times, the Christians begrudged them and this coupled with the assumed rejection of Christianity and the proclaimed murder of Jesus, it leads to the animosity between the races.
3) Expulsion, forced conversion, book burning, property confiscation, synagogue (place for Jewish congregation) burning, holocaust (mass slaughter), stake burnings, enslaved, Judaism outlawed, land confiscation, ban on sea travel, massacre, Jews burned alive, 1/3 of Jewish population murdered in Germany and Northern France, pogrom (massacre of the race), mob attacks, badge of shame, mass arrest, Talmud (religious book) confiscation, public torture, public executions.
Topic 6
1) Shakespeare’s plays were mostly performed in the Globe Theatre which was some sort of a medieval building. The outer view of the building has a much simpler design while the inside holds a much more intricate design which brings out a mystical atmosphere. The Globe Theatre had no roof, allowing sunlight to enter the building during the day. The building had no lighting equipment thus plays were mostly scheduled in the afternoon where there is light.
2) The theatre that Cuthbert Burbage built for the Chamberlain’s Men had a total capacity of between 2,000 and 3,000 spectators. Because there was no lighting, all performances at the Globe were conducted, weather permitting, during the day (probably most often in the mid-afternoon span between 2 P.M. and 5 P.M.). Because most of the Globe and all of its stage was open air, acoustics were poor and the actors were compelled by circumstances to shout their lines, stress their enunciation, and engage in exaggerated theatrical gestures.
The language of Shakespeare’s plays is also descriptive as the theatres are open air without much scenery. The scenery are being described through dialogues and actions of the actors. Therefore the language of Shakespeare’s plays is often descriptive.
3) Shakespeare’s fellow members of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men acted in his plays. Among these actors were Richard Burbage (who played the title role in the first performances of many of Shakespeare’s plays, including Hamlet, Othello, Richard III and King Lear), Richard Cowley (who played Verges in Much Ado About Nothing), William Kempe, (who played Peter in Romeo and Juliet and, possibly, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Henry Condell and John Heminges, are most famous now for collecting and editing the plays of Shakespeare’s First Folio.
4) People from all classes went to see Shakespeare’s plays in Shakespeare’s time. Anyone who could afford the minimum price of one penny could go and stand in the yard in front of the stage. They were known as ‘groundlings’ or ‘penny stinkers’; they stood all through the play. Those who could afford two pennies could sit on the covered benches; there were three tiers of covered seating around the edge of the yard. Rich people could sit above, or above and just to the side of the stage in the ‘Lords’ rooms’.
5) The Mayor and Corporation of London banned plays in 1572 as a measure against the plague, and in 1575 they formally expelled all players from the city1 This prompted the construction of playhouses outside the jurisdiction of London, in the liberties of Halliwell/Holywell in Shoreditch and later the Clink, and at Newington Butts near the established entertainment district of St. George’s Fields in rural Surrey
6) In the past, Shakespeare worked in places like the theatre….
The Theatre was an Elizabethan playhouse located in Shoreditch (in Curtain Road, part of the modern London Borough of Hackney), just outside the City of London. It was the second permanent theatre ever built in England, after the Red Lion, and the first successful one. Built by actor-manager James Burbage, near the family home in Holywell Street, The Theatre is considered the first theatre built in London for the sole purpose of theatrical productions. The Theatre’s history includes a number of important acting troupes including the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.The design of The Theatre was possibly adapted from the inn-yards that had served as playing spaces for actors and/or bear baiting pits. The building was a polygonal wooden building with three galleries that surrounded an open yard.
However, the modern Globe theatre is different in…
Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse in the London Borough of Southwark, located on the south bank of the River Thames, but destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt 1614 then demolished in 1644. The modern reconstruction, of the 1614 building, was founded by the actor and director Sam Wanamaker and built approximately 230 metres (750 ft) from the site of the original theatre. The theatre was opened to the public in 1997, with a production of Henry V. The site also includes a reconstruction of the Blackfriars Theatre.
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