After a very stressful and trying two days, I am back in Milwaukee. My flight from London to Toronto was delayed so I missed my connection to Chicago. As a result, I had to spend the night in Toronto. While the airline provided me a hotel room, I was up for almost 24 hours straight, didn't get to the hotel until about 11:30 p.m., and then had to be up by 3:45 a.m. so I could make the first shuttle of the morning to get me back to the airport in time for my early flight home.
This week I have tons of notes to go through, lots of video to check out, and tons of pictures to post. I will continue to add to this blog -- I hope you will continue to visit it!
Many thanks for everyone's well-wishes. I'm glad to be home!
Click here for all the photos I took on this trip! :)
Britain's Oldest Door
While wandering in Westminster Abbey, Ms. Reimer and I came across Britain's oldest door...
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey embodies hundreds of years of British history. Many of Britain's most important leaders--in all fields--are buried here. Ms. Reimer and I visited Westminster Abbey together, both awestruck at the lives and deaths chronicled inside.
Since 1066, the coronation of British monarchs has occurred at Westminster Abbey. The same coronation chair has been used since 1308. Elizabeth I, Shakespeare's Queen, underwent her coronation here on January 15, 1559. Elizabeth's final resting place is also in the Abbey. Westminster Abbey's website explains, "Her death was an occasion of universal mourning. Thousands of people turned out to see her funeral procession to the Abbey on 28 April 1603. John Stow, who attended the funeral, wrote: 'Westminster was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in their streets, houses, windows, leads and gutters, that came to see the obsequy, and when they beheld her statue lying upon the coffin, there was such a general sighing, groaning and weeping as the like hath not been seen or known in the memory of man.'" Elizabeth shares her grave with her half-sister Mary Tudor; Mary is also buried beneath the monument to Elizabeth.
While Shakespeare's grave is in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, there is an impressive memorial in Westminster Abbey. In a portion of the Abbey deemed "Poets' Corner" stands a life-size white marble statue of Shakespeare resting one arm on a stack of untitled books. With his other hand he gestures to a scroll bearing lines from The Tempest:
Be sure to visit Westminster Abbey's website to explore its hallowed treasures and the graves, monuments, and memorials of the giants of English history -- you may be amazed at who rests in the Abbey:
Westminster Abbey
Monuments and Gravestones
Elizabeth I
William Shakespeare
Since 1066, the coronation of British monarchs has occurred at Westminster Abbey. The same coronation chair has been used since 1308. Elizabeth I, Shakespeare's Queen, underwent her coronation here on January 15, 1559. Elizabeth's final resting place is also in the Abbey. Westminster Abbey's website explains, "Her death was an occasion of universal mourning. Thousands of people turned out to see her funeral procession to the Abbey on 28 April 1603. John Stow, who attended the funeral, wrote: 'Westminster was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in their streets, houses, windows, leads and gutters, that came to see the obsequy, and when they beheld her statue lying upon the coffin, there was such a general sighing, groaning and weeping as the like hath not been seen or known in the memory of man.'" Elizabeth shares her grave with her half-sister Mary Tudor; Mary is also buried beneath the monument to Elizabeth.
While Shakespeare's grave is in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, there is an impressive memorial in Westminster Abbey. In a portion of the Abbey deemed "Poets' Corner" stands a life-size white marble statue of Shakespeare resting one arm on a stack of untitled books. With his other hand he gestures to a scroll bearing lines from The Tempest:
The Cloud capt Tow’rs,
The Gorgeous Palaces,
The Solemn Temples,
The Great Globe itself,Yea all which it Inherit,
Shall Dissolve; And like the baseless Fabrick of a Vision Leave not a wreck behind.
The Gorgeous Palaces,
The Solemn Temples,
The Great Globe itself,Yea all which it Inherit,
Shall Dissolve; And like the baseless Fabrick of a Vision Leave not a wreck behind.
Poets Corner holds a particular beauty for English teachers -- sweeping my eyes across the floors and the walls, I saw many of the names I've come to revere and adore -- Geoffrey Chaucer, Edmund Spenser, Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, Thomas Hardy, and Charles Dickens are among the writers buried here.
Moreover, memorials have been constructed to numerous other poets, playwrights, and writers: John Milton, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Percy Shelley, William Blake, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Lewis Carroll, Dylan Thomas, Oscar, Wilde, and the list goes on. A memorial to Elizabeth Barrett Browning adorns the grave of her husband Robert.
Monuments and memorials cover the walls and floors of Poets' Corner, so much so that no more can be built. Now, the Abbey dedicates panes of glass in the stunning stained glass windows of Poets' Corner to Britain's artists. Such a memorial was given to Christopher Marlowe in 2002, about 500 years after his death.
Photos and videos are not allowed within the Abbey, however after seeing several other tourists taking pictures, Ms. Reimer and I very quickly and quietly brought out our flip cameras:
Moreover, memorials have been constructed to numerous other poets, playwrights, and writers: John Milton, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Percy Shelley, William Blake, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Lewis Carroll, Dylan Thomas, Oscar, Wilde, and the list goes on. A memorial to Elizabeth Barrett Browning adorns the grave of her husband Robert.
Monuments and memorials cover the walls and floors of Poets' Corner, so much so that no more can be built. Now, the Abbey dedicates panes of glass in the stunning stained glass windows of Poets' Corner to Britain's artists. Such a memorial was given to Christopher Marlowe in 2002, about 500 years after his death.
Photos and videos are not allowed within the Abbey, however after seeing several other tourists taking pictures, Ms. Reimer and I very quickly and quietly brought out our flip cameras:
Be sure to visit Westminster Abbey's website to explore its hallowed treasures and the graves, monuments, and memorials of the giants of English history -- you may be amazed at who rests in the Abbey:
Westminster Abbey
Monuments and Gravestones
Elizabeth I
William Shakespeare
What did Shakespeare look like?
There are only three images of Shakespeare that date from around Shakespeare's time -- during his life and several years following his death. The Chandos Portrait at the National Gallery is possibly the most significant of the three because it is the only portrait that was done from Shakespeare in life -- it is the only portrait that Shakespeare himself sat for.
The Chandos Portrait is not named for the artist, but rather for the owner. (Now here's a name...) Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, second Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, inherited the work, which was thought to have come into the Chandos family in 1747. After he lost his fortune in 1848, all of his belongings, including the painting, were auctioned off. The Earl of Ellesmere purchased it for 355 guineas. In 1856, Ellesmere gifted the piece to the brand new National Portrait Gallery as its founding work, meaning its very first acquisition. The Chandos Portrait has been attributed to artist John Taylor and dates from about 1610.
This one portrait tells us a great deal about Shakespeare. According to Dr. Tarnya Cooper, curator of sixteenth-century portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, from this painting we can tell that Shakespeare was "'a little more fashionably racy than the average person'" (qtd in Bryson 3). His small gold hoop earring suggests that Shakespeare was bohemian, artistic, or "'adventurous,'" as would be expected from someone whose life was in the theatre (qtd in Bryson 3). We can also tell that he was "'prosperous,'" as he is dressed in black clothing, and "'It takes a lot of dye to mkae a fabric really black....So black clothes in the sixteenth century were nearly always a sign of prosperity'" (qtd in Bryson 3-4).
Click here to find out how the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust answers the question "What did Shakespeare look like?".
Bill Bryson's newest book Shakespeare is quoted in this post. It's a great read; I highly recommend it!
The Chandos Portrait is not named for the artist, but rather for the owner. (Now here's a name...) Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, second Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, inherited the work, which was thought to have come into the Chandos family in 1747. After he lost his fortune in 1848, all of his belongings, including the painting, were auctioned off. The Earl of Ellesmere purchased it for 355 guineas. In 1856, Ellesmere gifted the piece to the brand new National Portrait Gallery as its founding work, meaning its very first acquisition. The Chandos Portrait has been attributed to artist John Taylor and dates from about 1610.
This one portrait tells us a great deal about Shakespeare. According to Dr. Tarnya Cooper, curator of sixteenth-century portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, from this painting we can tell that Shakespeare was "'a little more fashionably racy than the average person'" (qtd in Bryson 3). His small gold hoop earring suggests that Shakespeare was bohemian, artistic, or "'adventurous,'" as would be expected from someone whose life was in the theatre (qtd in Bryson 3). We can also tell that he was "'prosperous,'" as he is dressed in black clothing, and "'It takes a lot of dye to mkae a fabric really black....So black clothes in the sixteenth century were nearly always a sign of prosperity'" (qtd in Bryson 3-4).
Click here to find out how the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust answers the question "What did Shakespeare look like?".
Bill Bryson's newest book Shakespeare is quoted in this post. It's a great read; I highly recommend it!
Blackfriars and Middle Temple Hall
After a long day's work in Shakespeare's Globe Library and Archives, I embarked on a quest to find the location of the Blackfriars Theatre. Neither the Globe's wonderful librarian or archivist could tell me exactly where the theatre had been located, though they had a good idea where I should look. After consulting several maps and a few websites, they pointed me in the right direction.
I had to wander down lots of little side streets and twisting alleyways, but finally, I stumbled across the little blue plaque that I'd have missed if I hadn't been paying very close attention. There really isn't much to see, which seems rather sad. At this location, Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain's Men wrote, acted, worked, performed...
Blackfriars had been built as a monastery in 1275, but the monastery was shut down in 1538 by Henry VIII, and the buildings and grounds were sold or leased. In 1576 Richard Farrant leased the buttery of the building for use as a rehearsal and performance space for the Children of the Chapel Royal boy choir and acting troupe. This space became known as the first Blackfriars Theatre. It was closed in 1584.
In 1596 James Burbage, Shakespeare's close friend and business partner, bought a large area of the old monastery, includings its dining hall and the rooms below it. Burbage turned this area into an indoor playhouse, the Blackfriars Playhouse, for the Lord Chamberlain's Men. They performed here in the winter months and returned to the Globe for the summer months. In 1600 Burbage leased out the Blackfriars, but he retook control of it in 1608. Shakespeare later became part owner with Burbage and kept an apartment in the Blackfriars area.
The Blackfriars Playhouse was extremely lucrative. It catered to aristrocrats and wealthy theatre-goers, charging twice the admissions price as open-air theatres. As it was enclosed, it had artificial lighting, something no outdoor venue had.
After finding Blackfriars, I visited Middle Temple Hall, which is in the same area. Middle Temple is a beautiful Elizabethan building with grand windows and incredible ceilings. Shakespeare performed here, too, putting on his plays for royalty and the court. Twelfth Night was performed for the first time here in 1602; Middle Temple's website suggests, "There are enough many "Inn" jokes and references in the play to suggest that it was written for that particular audience."
Learn more about Shakespeare at Middle Temple Hall at Middle Temple's website.
Take the very cool virtual tour of the Hall by clicking here!
View my photos of the Blackfriars area and Middle Temple Hall here: MrsB Blackfriars and Middle Temple.
Click here for the tour of the beautiful Courtyard.
Finally, click here for the tour of the breathtaking gardens.
You might just recognize settings in Middle Temple Hall from several films that have been shot there. Look at the list of movies by clicking here.
I had to wander down lots of little side streets and twisting alleyways, but finally, I stumbled across the little blue plaque that I'd have missed if I hadn't been paying very close attention. There really isn't much to see, which seems rather sad. At this location, Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain's Men wrote, acted, worked, performed...
Blackfriars had been built as a monastery in 1275, but the monastery was shut down in 1538 by Henry VIII, and the buildings and grounds were sold or leased. In 1576 Richard Farrant leased the buttery of the building for use as a rehearsal and performance space for the Children of the Chapel Royal boy choir and acting troupe. This space became known as the first Blackfriars Theatre. It was closed in 1584.
In 1596 James Burbage, Shakespeare's close friend and business partner, bought a large area of the old monastery, includings its dining hall and the rooms below it. Burbage turned this area into an indoor playhouse, the Blackfriars Playhouse, for the Lord Chamberlain's Men. They performed here in the winter months and returned to the Globe for the summer months. In 1600 Burbage leased out the Blackfriars, but he retook control of it in 1608. Shakespeare later became part owner with Burbage and kept an apartment in the Blackfriars area.
The Blackfriars Playhouse was extremely lucrative. It catered to aristrocrats and wealthy theatre-goers, charging twice the admissions price as open-air theatres. As it was enclosed, it had artificial lighting, something no outdoor venue had.
After finding Blackfriars, I visited Middle Temple Hall, which is in the same area. Middle Temple is a beautiful Elizabethan building with grand windows and incredible ceilings. Shakespeare performed here, too, putting on his plays for royalty and the court. Twelfth Night was performed for the first time here in 1602; Middle Temple's website suggests, "There are enough many "Inn" jokes and references in the play to suggest that it was written for that particular audience."
Learn more about Shakespeare at Middle Temple Hall at Middle Temple's website.
Take the very cool virtual tour of the Hall by clicking here!
View my photos of the Blackfriars area and Middle Temple Hall here: MrsB Blackfriars and Middle Temple.
Click here for the tour of the beautiful Courtyard.
Finally, click here for the tour of the breathtaking gardens.
You might just recognize settings in Middle Temple Hall from several films that have been shot there. Look at the list of movies by clicking here.
Shakespeare's Globe Library and Archives
I had the distinct pleasure of utilizing the library and archives at Shakespeare's Globe. In a tiny little A/V room, stuffed with rows and rows of taped performance and an overflow of books, I paged through boxes full of documents and primary sources from the Globe's 2002 production of Dream. I read through production notes, lists of props, lighting cues, costume designs -- I read virtually all of the documentation for the entire production! I also viewed a taping of the show, although the quality of the video was not terribly good. Check out the photos below!
The 2002 performance was quite different from the 2008 one. The 2002 performance earned mixed reviews; some people loved it, and some hated it. To be honest, even after spending hours reading it and watching the video, I am not sure I would have liked it had I attended it either. The play was set at a slumber party, and the costumes and props included pajamas, sleeping bags, lots of pillows, a bath mat, and a toliet brush, among many other bedroom- and bathroom-related things.
For more information on the 2002 production, be sure to check out these links!
The Guardian Review -- It earned 3 out of 5 stars.
The Independent Review -- It was praised quite highly!
GlobeLink: A Midsummer Night's Dream (2002)
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
The 2002 performance was quite different from the 2008 one. The 2002 performance earned mixed reviews; some people loved it, and some hated it. To be honest, even after spending hours reading it and watching the video, I am not sure I would have liked it had I attended it either. The play was set at a slumber party, and the costumes and props included pajamas, sleeping bags, lots of pillows, a bath mat, and a toliet brush, among many other bedroom- and bathroom-related things.
For more information on the 2002 production, be sure to check out these links!
The Guardian Review -- It earned 3 out of 5 stars.
The Independent Review -- It was praised quite highly!
GlobeLink: A Midsummer Night's Dream (2002)
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Touring Shakespeare's Globe
Today I toured Shakespeare's Globe. And the best part? We were able to watch a few minutes of rehearsals for Timon of Athens! Because rehearsals were in progress, we could not take any photographs or videos.
The Globe has a long, complex, and interesting history. Learn more about it here: Shakespeare's Theatre
Take a virtual tour of the Globe here!
Read a first-hand account of Elizabethan theatre by clicking here. Thomas Platter, a native of Basel, visited England in 1599. In his diary, translated from German, he describes the "many popular amusements and spectacles to be witnessed in Elizabethan London." He gives his first-hand account of attending one of the premiere performances of Shakespeare's Julius Ceaser at the Globe Theatre! The world is indebted to Platter; were it not for his diary entry, we would not know what it was like to see one of Shakespeare's plays in the Globe.
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G
I am having a wonderful time in London -- I've walked miles across every section of the city. I have seen a lot of really cool things; this trip has exceeded all my expectations. But I've seen two things that exceed even the wildest of my dreams... Ready for this?
I visited the British Library this week -- and how the libraries work here is a whole other post. In the British Library is a gallery featuring some of the Library's most treasured possessions. While some documents, artifacts, and books are always on display, the gallery changes. And what happened to be on display during my visit? The mortgage deed for the Blackfriars Theatre. Signed by all the three owners, one of whom is of course...William Shakespeare. I saw William Shakespare's signature in his own hand. Wow. The photo to the left shows the signature I saw today.
Today I also visited the National Portrait Gallery, looking for one painting: the Chandos portrait of Shakespeare (the image at the top of my blog). I combed through the Tudor Gallery, sure I was just missing it, but no, it wasn't there. I stumbled into a stairway, and through a window in a door to my right, I could see it! There it was! But that gallery was closed, and I couldn't go in. A museum employee came out the door, and I accosted him. Is that the Chandos? Why is it in there? Can I go in? Please? I was informed that the room was a new exhibition on Shakespeare and his contemporaries, but it wasn't ready for the public yet. My heart sank. He left to ask when the gallery would open, and I was sure this was it -- I would get no closer -- I'd see it only through the window. You can imagine how thrilled I was when he said the opening was 12:00 noon today! I assured him I would return.
From the National Portrait Gallery I took the tube to Shakespeare's Globe. After a tour of the theatre, I checked in with the Globe's Library and Archives. I spent the day in a tiny little A/V room going through binders, boxes, and tapes upon tapes upon tapes from the Globe's last performance of Dream (as they call it) in 2002. It was the coolest, and again, that'll have to be a whole other post! Shortly before dinnertime tonight, I made my way back to the Portrait Gallery. I'm extremely excited to say that the gallery was open, and I was able to behold the Chandos portrait with all its allure.
So there it is. I saw his signature in his own hand and the only portrait that was painted from life. Only three images of Shakespeare exist, and the other two came after he died. The Chandos is the only representation that, we think, Shakespeare himself modeled for. (And I'll have to do a post on why it's called the Chandos, too -- it's named for an owner, not the artist or the subject!) A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
I visited the British Library this week -- and how the libraries work here is a whole other post. In the British Library is a gallery featuring some of the Library's most treasured possessions. While some documents, artifacts, and books are always on display, the gallery changes. And what happened to be on display during my visit? The mortgage deed for the Blackfriars Theatre. Signed by all the three owners, one of whom is of course...William Shakespeare. I saw William Shakespare's signature in his own hand. Wow. The photo to the left shows the signature I saw today.
Today I also visited the National Portrait Gallery, looking for one painting: the Chandos portrait of Shakespeare (the image at the top of my blog). I combed through the Tudor Gallery, sure I was just missing it, but no, it wasn't there. I stumbled into a stairway, and through a window in a door to my right, I could see it! There it was! But that gallery was closed, and I couldn't go in. A museum employee came out the door, and I accosted him. Is that the Chandos? Why is it in there? Can I go in? Please? I was informed that the room was a new exhibition on Shakespeare and his contemporaries, but it wasn't ready for the public yet. My heart sank. He left to ask when the gallery would open, and I was sure this was it -- I would get no closer -- I'd see it only through the window. You can imagine how thrilled I was when he said the opening was 12:00 noon today! I assured him I would return.
From the National Portrait Gallery I took the tube to Shakespeare's Globe. After a tour of the theatre, I checked in with the Globe's Library and Archives. I spent the day in a tiny little A/V room going through binders, boxes, and tapes upon tapes upon tapes from the Globe's last performance of Dream (as they call it) in 2002. It was the coolest, and again, that'll have to be a whole other post! Shortly before dinnertime tonight, I made my way back to the Portrait Gallery. I'm extremely excited to say that the gallery was open, and I was able to behold the Chandos portrait with all its allure.
So there it is. I saw his signature in his own hand and the only portrait that was painted from life. Only three images of Shakespeare exist, and the other two came after he died. The Chandos is the only representation that, we think, Shakespeare himself modeled for. (And I'll have to do a post on why it's called the Chandos, too -- it's named for an owner, not the artist or the subject!) A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
The Shakespeare Treasures
Within the Sir John Ritblat Gallery of the British Library are several wondrous treasures related to Shakespeare. In another post, I boasted of seeing Shakespeare's signature with my own eyes, and in this post, I would like to describe the other phenomenal documents I beheld.
In the Shakespeare display in the gallery are...
Benjamin Jonson's The Masque of Queens (1609). Jonson's The Masque of Queens was written for aristocrats, to be performed at court, entertaining its audience with poetry, drama, music, and dance. Jonson was Shakespeare's contemporary and friend; his tragedy Sejanus was produced by Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Globe in 1603. Jonson wrote the famous preface to the First Folio.
William Scott's "The Modell of Poesy" (1598-1600). This "Elizabethan treatise on verse" is extremely important to the study of Shakespeare because it is one of the very few surviving documents from the Elizabethan era that describes and discusses Shakespeare's work. Scott was like a literary critic. Scott had first-hand experience with Shakespeare and his work; he read and viewed Shakespeare's work and then commented on them in this official document that reviewed the literature of his time. Scott calls Shakespeare's Richard II "a very well-pend tragedy." He writes, "Sometyme the person shall be so plunged into the passion of sorrowe that he will even forgett his sorrow & seems to entertaine his--hardest fortune with dalliance & sporte, as in teh very well-pend tragedy of Rich.the.2d. is expressed in the King & Queene whilst they play the wantons with their woes." Scott also refers to Shakespeare's poem "The Rape of Lucrece." Scott's treatise is important because it tells us what people thought of Shakespeare during his lifetime.
Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Richard the Third (1597). This version is the first publication of the play. It is open to Richard's last words: "A horse, a horse, my kingdome for a horse."
Shake-speares Sonnets. Never before Imprinted London 1609. This edition of Shakespeare's sonnets was opened to sonnets 114, 115, 119, and 117. The poems appear in this order, not sequentially.
The British Library's copy of the First Folio, opened to Jonson's dedication.
A sketch and plan of New Place, Stratford (1737). New Place is the name of the house in Stratford that Shakespeare purchased in 1597 after earning fame and fortune as a playwright and actor in London. He and his family lived in New Place for several years until Shakespeare's death. Years after Shakespeare's death, New Place was completely remodeled in 1702. A man named George Vertue (1684-1756) saw the house in 1737, and he made a sketch of it, recalling its three stories, five gables, barns, orchards, and gardens. The remodeled New Place was completely demolished in 1759. This sketch is one of the few documents that helps us guess what Shakespeare's last home may have looked like.
Then, finally, the most splendid of all, the Blackfriars Mortgage-Deed, dated 11 March 1613, bearing the signature Wm. Shakspe.
In a related display on Tudor England is a letter written by Queen Elizabeth I in which she refuses to name a successor and promises to consider marrying, if her court can find a suitable suitor.
In the Shakespeare display in the gallery are...
Benjamin Jonson's The Masque of Queens (1609). Jonson's The Masque of Queens was written for aristocrats, to be performed at court, entertaining its audience with poetry, drama, music, and dance. Jonson was Shakespeare's contemporary and friend; his tragedy Sejanus was produced by Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Globe in 1603. Jonson wrote the famous preface to the First Folio.
William Scott's "The Modell of Poesy" (1598-1600). This "Elizabethan treatise on verse" is extremely important to the study of Shakespeare because it is one of the very few surviving documents from the Elizabethan era that describes and discusses Shakespeare's work. Scott was like a literary critic. Scott had first-hand experience with Shakespeare and his work; he read and viewed Shakespeare's work and then commented on them in this official document that reviewed the literature of his time. Scott calls Shakespeare's Richard II "a very well-pend tragedy." He writes, "Sometyme the person shall be so plunged into the passion of sorrowe that he will even forgett his sorrow & seems to entertaine his--hardest fortune with dalliance & sporte, as in teh very well-pend tragedy of Rich.the.2d. is expressed in the King & Queene whilst they play the wantons with their woes." Scott also refers to Shakespeare's poem "The Rape of Lucrece." Scott's treatise is important because it tells us what people thought of Shakespeare during his lifetime.
Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Richard the Third (1597). This version is the first publication of the play. It is open to Richard's last words: "A horse, a horse, my kingdome for a horse."
Shake-speares Sonnets. Never before Imprinted London 1609. This edition of Shakespeare's sonnets was opened to sonnets 114, 115, 119, and 117. The poems appear in this order, not sequentially.
The British Library's copy of the First Folio, opened to Jonson's dedication.
A sketch and plan of New Place, Stratford (1737). New Place is the name of the house in Stratford that Shakespeare purchased in 1597 after earning fame and fortune as a playwright and actor in London. He and his family lived in New Place for several years until Shakespeare's death. Years after Shakespeare's death, New Place was completely remodeled in 1702. A man named George Vertue (1684-1756) saw the house in 1737, and he made a sketch of it, recalling its three stories, five gables, barns, orchards, and gardens. The remodeled New Place was completely demolished in 1759. This sketch is one of the few documents that helps us guess what Shakespeare's last home may have looked like.
Then, finally, the most splendid of all, the Blackfriars Mortgage-Deed, dated 11 March 1613, bearing the signature Wm. Shakspe.
In a related display on Tudor England is a letter written by Queen Elizabeth I in which she refuses to name a successor and promises to consider marrying, if her court can find a suitable suitor.
The Treasures of the British Library
The British Library is easily one of my favorite places on the whole planet -- yes, I know, I'm a nerd. Perhaps the most magical room in the library is the Sir John Ritblat Gallery. Click here to learn more: John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library and Showcases: Landmarks in Literature, Art, History, Music, Printing....
Among the treasures in the gallery are some that even the least nerdy person might appreciate...
A manuscript of Beowulf, dating from between 978-1016
Jane Austen's "Volume the Third," one of the journals she kept from when she was about 12 through 17. This notebook is Austen's own teenage handwriting from 1792. Imagine Jane Austen as a 14 year old girl, composing stories in her diary.
Austen's original manuscript of Persuasion in her handwriting, recorded on small slips of paper that she could quickly hide away if she was interrupted while she was writing, resting on her writing desk. Austen disliked disruptions while she was writing and rarely shared her drafts with others.
Bronte's original manuscript of Jane Eyre -- imagine Jane Eyre in Bronte's own handwriting, opened to the passage that includes the immortal words, "Readers, I married him."
Lewis Carrol's diary, open to his February 10, 1863 entry where he writes of telling Alice Liddell and her sisters "the fairy tale of 'Alice's Adventures Under Ground,' which I undertook to write out for Alice, & which is now finished..."
A letter that Sylvia Plath wrote to the Arts Council of Great Britian in her very typical "girlie" handwriting, accompanied by a handwritten copy of her poem "Insomniac."
Handwritten compositions by Mozart, Handel, Purcell, Hayden, Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn; Mozart's marriage contract from his 1781 marriage to Constanze Weber, and Beethoven's tuning fork.
Handwritten lyrics for many songs by The Beatles, including the lyrics to "Michele," written on the back of an envelope, and "Hard Day's Night," written on the back of a greeting card from John Lennon's son Julian's first birthday.
Charles Darwin's letter to Alfred Russel Wallace. Darwin and Wallace separately devised similar theories of evolution and survival of the fittest, and they presented their ideas jointly to the Linnean Society in July 1858.
A letter written by Isaac Newton in 1679.
Galileo Galilei's drawings of the stars from 1564-1642.
And, something that stopped me dead in my tracks -- I stood with my mouth agape in front of these documents for a very long time -- Leondardo DaVinci's notebooks, including his notebook on weights and movements from 1500, the moon's reflection of light from 1506-08, and the course of the River Arno from 1504.
The Magna Carta, only one of four surviving copies to retain a trace of its original seal, from 1215. This copy was found at Dover Castle in 1630.
A revised version of the Magna Carta, changed by Henry III, in 1225.
The Gutenberg Bible from 1454-55.
And remember, this list encompasses only a very few of the treasures that left me awestruck. Be sure to explore the links above and appreciate the vast importance of these documents, manuscripts, and artefacts.
Among the treasures in the gallery are some that even the least nerdy person might appreciate...
A manuscript of Beowulf, dating from between 978-1016
Jane Austen's "Volume the Third," one of the journals she kept from when she was about 12 through 17. This notebook is Austen's own teenage handwriting from 1792. Imagine Jane Austen as a 14 year old girl, composing stories in her diary.
Austen's original manuscript of Persuasion in her handwriting, recorded on small slips of paper that she could quickly hide away if she was interrupted while she was writing, resting on her writing desk. Austen disliked disruptions while she was writing and rarely shared her drafts with others.
Bronte's original manuscript of Jane Eyre -- imagine Jane Eyre in Bronte's own handwriting, opened to the passage that includes the immortal words, "Readers, I married him."
Lewis Carrol's diary, open to his February 10, 1863 entry where he writes of telling Alice Liddell and her sisters "the fairy tale of 'Alice's Adventures Under Ground,' which I undertook to write out for Alice, & which is now finished..."
A letter that Sylvia Plath wrote to the Arts Council of Great Britian in her very typical "girlie" handwriting, accompanied by a handwritten copy of her poem "Insomniac."
Handwritten compositions by Mozart, Handel, Purcell, Hayden, Beethoven, Schubert, and Mendelssohn; Mozart's marriage contract from his 1781 marriage to Constanze Weber, and Beethoven's tuning fork.
Handwritten lyrics for many songs by The Beatles, including the lyrics to "Michele," written on the back of an envelope, and "Hard Day's Night," written on the back of a greeting card from John Lennon's son Julian's first birthday.
Charles Darwin's letter to Alfred Russel Wallace. Darwin and Wallace separately devised similar theories of evolution and survival of the fittest, and they presented their ideas jointly to the Linnean Society in July 1858.
A letter written by Isaac Newton in 1679.
Galileo Galilei's drawings of the stars from 1564-1642.
And, something that stopped me dead in my tracks -- I stood with my mouth agape in front of these documents for a very long time -- Leondardo DaVinci's notebooks, including his notebook on weights and movements from 1500, the moon's reflection of light from 1506-08, and the course of the River Arno from 1504.
The Magna Carta, only one of four surviving copies to retain a trace of its original seal, from 1215. This copy was found at Dover Castle in 1630.
A revised version of the Magna Carta, changed by Henry III, in 1225.
The Gutenberg Bible from 1454-55.
And remember, this list encompasses only a very few of the treasures that left me awestruck. Be sure to explore the links above and appreciate the vast importance of these documents, manuscripts, and artefacts.
Cars Cars Cars
I just adore England's cute little cars...
Well, okay, the Ferraris are anything but cute...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Well, okay, the Ferraris are anything but cute...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Back in London
After spending three days walking the same streets Shakespeare walked in Stratford on Avon, I am back in London. Actually, Shakespeare traveled between Stratford and London quite often -- but he did so on foot! The trip took him four days one way.
Ms. Reimer has arrived and brought with her a whole host of card readers and cords, so I should be able to upload more photos soon.
One quick aside -- this evening was the European Premeire of The Dark Knight here in London. Ms. Reimer and I saw the premeire red carpet, signs, and special effects in Leicester Square! No, we didn't get any glimpses of Christian Bale. Darn!
I have lots and lots to share about Shakespeare and have begun work on several documents and powerpoints. I can't believe all I'm learning! I'll post more detailed information as I have time to sit and write. I'm constantly on the go so have little time to just type it all out. I have lots of notes, though!
I'd love to add more tonight, but I need rest. The days are just packed!
Ms. Reimer has arrived and brought with her a whole host of card readers and cords, so I should be able to upload more photos soon.
One quick aside -- this evening was the European Premeire of The Dark Knight here in London. Ms. Reimer and I saw the premeire red carpet, signs, and special effects in Leicester Square! No, we didn't get any glimpses of Christian Bale. Darn!
I have lots and lots to share about Shakespeare and have begun work on several documents and powerpoints. I can't believe all I'm learning! I'll post more detailed information as I have time to sit and write. I'm constantly on the go so have little time to just type it all out. I have lots of notes, though!
I'd love to add more tonight, but I need rest. The days are just packed!
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust & Royal Shakespeare Company Library and Archives
I had the rare opportunity to work in the library and archives for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. I researching past RSC performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream from April 26, 1888 to the present.
One of the most interesting aspects of the archives is the RSC Image Database. I studied multitudes of images of Dream from 1949 to this year. Images of other productions trace back to 1879!
Click here to check out these amazing resources: The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Archive Catalogue and RSC Performance Database.
How much is a groat?
The museum at Nash's House includes a small display on currency from Elizabethan England. I didn't understand it one bit (or one shilling...).
Check out these links to (try to) learn more about half-pennies, farthings, groats, and crowns:
Elizabethan Money
Life in Elizabethan England: Money and Coinage
Or, watch Mr. Barth try to explain it to me:
Check out these links to (try to) learn more about half-pennies, farthings, groats, and crowns:
Elizabethan Money
Life in Elizabethan England: Money and Coinage
Or, watch Mr. Barth try to explain it to me:
Nash's House and New Place
Nash's House and New Place sit on a busy street in Stratford, both constant reminders of the importance of not only Shakespeare, but also of Shakespeare's extended family, in the history of the city.
Nash's House was home to Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Hall (daughter of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall of Hall's Croft) and her wealthy landowner husband Thomas Nash. However, the couple did not really live in this house. Instead, they lived right next door with Susanna and John Hall in New Place.
New Place was the sort of status symbol Shakespeare purchased in Stratford after earning recognition -- and relative wealth -- in London as a playwright and actor. Shakespeare bought New Place in 1597 when he was 33 years old; it was one of the largest, most expensive homes in Stratford and thus quite a display of fame and fortune.
William Shakespeare died in New Place. In 1702, the house was either completely demolished or almost completely remodeled, and then this new version of New Place was destroyed in 1759. All that remains of the home in which Shakespeare lived and died is a small portion of the foundation, some brickwork, and some wells.
Across the grounds of New Place now spread magnificent gardens bearing many of the plants and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. In Shakespeare's time, New Place boasted multiple gardens and orchards. It is not hard to imagine Shakespeare taking refuge in his gardens after returning from the crowded, dirty, busy streets of London.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Nash's House was home to Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth Hall (daughter of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna and her husband John Hall of Hall's Croft) and her wealthy landowner husband Thomas Nash. However, the couple did not really live in this house. Instead, they lived right next door with Susanna and John Hall in New Place.
New Place was the sort of status symbol Shakespeare purchased in Stratford after earning recognition -- and relative wealth -- in London as a playwright and actor. Shakespeare bought New Place in 1597 when he was 33 years old; it was one of the largest, most expensive homes in Stratford and thus quite a display of fame and fortune.
William Shakespeare died in New Place. In 1702, the house was either completely demolished or almost completely remodeled, and then this new version of New Place was destroyed in 1759. All that remains of the home in which Shakespeare lived and died is a small portion of the foundation, some brickwork, and some wells.
Across the grounds of New Place now spread magnificent gardens bearing many of the plants and flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. In Shakespeare's time, New Place boasted multiple gardens and orchards. It is not hard to imagine Shakespeare taking refuge in his gardens after returning from the crowded, dirty, busy streets of London.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Anne Hathaway's Cottage
Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway grew up in Shottery, a small village just outside of Stratford. While courting Anne, William would have walked to her house, about two miles away, making for a lovely stroll through the countryside. At the Hathaway family's cottage, called "Hewlands," William sat with Anne on a wooden bench next to the fire. (While our tour guide was leading the group to the next room, I stayed behind to snap a quick photo of the bench!)
For 300 years, long after Anne's and William's deaths, long after Shakespeare became a tourist industry for Stratford, the cottage remained in the Hathaway family. In the later 1700s, visitors began traveling regularly to the home, and for much of the 1800s, Mary Baker, a descendant of Anne, lived in the cottage and acted as a tour guide. Mrs Baker would carve small pieces of wood from the bench on which Anne and William sat to sell to visitors as souveniers. In 1892 the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased the property for permanent preservation, and the bench carving ceased.
Click here to see Mrs. Barth's photos of Anne Hathaway's cottage on Flickr: MrsB Hathaway Cottage.
Watch my (forbidden so furtively taken) videos below for a look at Anne Hathaway's cottage:
For 300 years, long after Anne's and William's deaths, long after Shakespeare became a tourist industry for Stratford, the cottage remained in the Hathaway family. In the later 1700s, visitors began traveling regularly to the home, and for much of the 1800s, Mary Baker, a descendant of Anne, lived in the cottage and acted as a tour guide. Mrs Baker would carve small pieces of wood from the bench on which Anne and William sat to sell to visitors as souveniers. In 1892 the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased the property for permanent preservation, and the bench carving ceased.
Click here to see Mrs. Barth's photos of Anne Hathaway's cottage on Flickr: MrsB Hathaway Cottage.
Watch my (forbidden so furtively taken) videos below for a look at Anne Hathaway's cottage:
Anne Hathaway
When one hears the name "Anne Hathaway," the star of The Princess Diaries probably comes to mind. However, in the context of Shakespeare, the name refers to William's wife and the mother of his children. Still, the story of Anne Hathaway Shakespeare seems like it would fit right in Hollywood tabloids.
Anne Hathaway married William Shakespeare when she was 26...and he was 18. And, when they married on November 27, 1582, she was pregnant with their first child. For many years, Anne and William lived apart; she remained in Stratford with their three children while William followed his passion to the theatres of London. Although Shakespeare retired to Stratford to live with Anne until his death, what he left behind for her seems pitifully inadequate a bequest from a husband to a wife. Shakespeare's will reads: "'I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture.'" What kind of love did Anne and William share?
At first, these facts may seem shocking -- however, in the correct historical context, Anne and William's relationship is not so scandalous. Learn more about the mysterious woman behind Shakespeare: PBS In Search of Shakespeare: Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway married William Shakespeare when she was 26...and he was 18. And, when they married on November 27, 1582, she was pregnant with their first child. For many years, Anne and William lived apart; she remained in Stratford with their three children while William followed his passion to the theatres of London. Although Shakespeare retired to Stratford to live with Anne until his death, what he left behind for her seems pitifully inadequate a bequest from a husband to a wife. Shakespeare's will reads: "'I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture.'" What kind of love did Anne and William share?
At first, these facts may seem shocking -- however, in the correct historical context, Anne and William's relationship is not so scandalous. Learn more about the mysterious woman behind Shakespeare: PBS In Search of Shakespeare: Anne Hathaway
Shakespeare's School
As a boy, Shakespeare attended Stratford's grammar school, also known as King Edward VI School. The rooms in which Shakespeare would have studied remain within the grammar school and are not open to the public. Click here to see images of the school at Flickr: MrsB Shakespeare's School.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
First Folio
In the exhibit in the museum leading into Shakespeare's Birthplace rests a beautiful copy of the First Folio.
Published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death in 1616, the First Folio collects 36 of Shakespeare's plays into one volume. Shakespeare's close friends and colleagues John Heminges and Henry Condell thought the volume would be a fitting tribute to Shakespeare's genius, and they worked very hard to bring the project to fruition. They compiled the 36 plays, and members of the Stationers Company, including Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard (a father and son), published it. The printing was done between 1621 and 1623. When it went on sale in 1623, the cost was about one pound, roughly the equivalent of about $150 today.
At the beginning of the First Folio is the Droeshout Engraving, one of three surviving likenesses of Shakespeare. The Droeshout Engraving has quite a bit of controversy surrounding it -- people claim that it looks nothing like Shakespeare, that it's horrendous, out of proportion, and shoddy workmanship. The artist, Martin Droeshout, came from a family of engravers and artists and would have been well-trained, but he was relatively inexperienced when he created the piece, making some people wonder why on earth he was given the job. However...Heminges and Condell loved the copper engraving and considered it a fine representation of their friend William. There are even some conspiracy theories that the engraving holds hidden clues about Shakespeare--and whether or not he really was the author of the 36 plays the First Folio contained. (Of course he was! Such theories are bunk.)
Shakespeare's colleague Ben Jonson penned the preface that accompanied the engraving of Shakespeare on the title page of the First Folio:
To the Reader.
This Figure, that thou here seest put,
It was for gentle Shakespeare cut,
Wherein the Graver had a strifewith Nature,
to out-doo the life :
O, could he but have drawne his wit
As well in brasse, as he hath hit
His face ; the Print would then surpasse
All, that was ever writ in brasse.
But, since he cannot, Reader, looke
Not on his Picture, but his Booke.
Ben Jonson's
Commendation of the
Droeshout engraving
First published 1623.
The First Folio has a rich and fascinating history! Be sure to research it and learn more about it. When the eighth graders go to the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. in April, they will see a First Folio with their own eyes! According to the Folger's website, the Folger has the largest collection of First Folios, about a third of those still in existence -- 79 copies!
Here are some great First Folio links:
Download the First Folio on Project Gutenburg!
Look at all the Prefatory Material To The First Folio, 1623
The Birthplace of William Shakespeare
Stratford-on-Avon saw the birth--and the death--of William Shakespeare. To trace Shakespeare's life, I visited several houses and gardens around Stratford, each with its own unique tie to the most important playwright in the English language.
Shakespeare's birthplace comes first. No photos or videos are allowed inside the birthplace, however, not knowing this, I took quite a few...until I was caught and chastised. Click here to go to Flickr to see my photos of Shakespeare's Birthplace and the related museum here: MrsB Shakespeare Birthplace.
While we do not know the date for sure, it is generally believed that William was born in Stratford on April 23, 1564 to John and Mary (Arden) Shakespeare. He grew up in the house in which he was born, and he even continued to live there after he married Anne Hathaway at age 18 in 1582. When his father died, he left the house to William, and when William died, he willed it to his oldest daughter, Susanna.
Shakespeare's sister Joan Hart lived in the house until her death in 1646, and the property was kept in the family until 1806. Then, in 1847, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased it in order to preserve it as a national memorial. Since then, millions of people from around the world have come to visit. For many years, visitors would carve their names into the glass panels of a window of the house. This tradition has long been broken, but the window has been preserved. It bears the names of visitors like Sir Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, Alfred Tennyson, and Mark Twain.
The birthplace remains as authentic as possible today, featuring original pieces of furniture and other artifacts that Shakespeare himself would have used, and a beautiful museum has been built adjacent to it. Entering the room in which Shakespeare was born is a powerful sensation; the greatest poet and playwright in the English language was born where I stood. Some of the very cool exhibits in the museum include a teacher's desk from the Stratford grammar school in Shakespeare's time, Shakespeare's application for a family coat of arms, and a First Folio.
I learned something about Shakespeare that I had not known before while touring the birthplace: Shakespeare owned an inn. When his father died and left him the family's house in 1601, he added a back wing to the main building and then opened part of the house as an inn called "Swan and Maidenhead." (I took a photo of the inn signage on display -- after I'd been informed of the no photography policy...)
Be sure to view my contraband videos:
Shakespeare's birthplace comes first. No photos or videos are allowed inside the birthplace, however, not knowing this, I took quite a few...until I was caught and chastised. Click here to go to Flickr to see my photos of Shakespeare's Birthplace and the related museum here: MrsB Shakespeare Birthplace.
While we do not know the date for sure, it is generally believed that William was born in Stratford on April 23, 1564 to John and Mary (Arden) Shakespeare. He grew up in the house in which he was born, and he even continued to live there after he married Anne Hathaway at age 18 in 1582. When his father died, he left the house to William, and when William died, he willed it to his oldest daughter, Susanna.
Shakespeare's sister Joan Hart lived in the house until her death in 1646, and the property was kept in the family until 1806. Then, in 1847, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust purchased it in order to preserve it as a national memorial. Since then, millions of people from around the world have come to visit. For many years, visitors would carve their names into the glass panels of a window of the house. This tradition has long been broken, but the window has been preserved. It bears the names of visitors like Sir Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, Alfred Tennyson, and Mark Twain.
The birthplace remains as authentic as possible today, featuring original pieces of furniture and other artifacts that Shakespeare himself would have used, and a beautiful museum has been built adjacent to it. Entering the room in which Shakespeare was born is a powerful sensation; the greatest poet and playwright in the English language was born where I stood. Some of the very cool exhibits in the museum include a teacher's desk from the Stratford grammar school in Shakespeare's time, Shakespeare's application for a family coat of arms, and a First Folio.
I learned something about Shakespeare that I had not known before while touring the birthplace: Shakespeare owned an inn. When his father died and left him the family's house in 1601, he added a back wing to the main building and then opened part of the house as an inn called "Swan and Maidenhead." (I took a photo of the inn signage on display -- after I'd been informed of the no photography policy...)
Be sure to view my contraband videos:
Stratford on Avon
I've spent the day wandering the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon in absolute wonder. I visited Shakespeare's birthplace, the foundations of the house in which he died, and his grave. I've seen the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust's copy of the First Folio -- which is kind of like a first edition of 18 of his plays published for the first time as a collection -- and I've looked at multitudes of documents and images from the Royal Shakespeare Company's performances of Midsummer dating back to 1897.
Eastbourne and Cavendish School
Today I am in Eastbourne, a beautiful small city on the south coast of England. In 1997, I lived here and taught the equivalent of 5th through 9th grades at Cavendish School. Check out Cavendish School's website by clicking here!
I am back in Eastbourne to visit Cavendish and speak with its faculty about their approaches to teaching Shakespeare.
Some of the Shakespeare resources Cavendish teachers recommend are:
Absolute Shakespeare
English Resources -- Shakespeare Resources
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
I am back in Eastbourne to visit Cavendish and speak with its faculty about their approaches to teaching Shakespeare.
Some of the Shakespeare resources Cavendish teachers recommend are:
Absolute Shakespeare
English Resources -- Shakespeare Resources
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Photos
I'm sure there is a better way to do this, but until I figure it out...
If you click here, you should go to my Flickr photostream.
Cross your fingers!
If you click here, you should go to my Flickr photostream.
Cross your fingers!
A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Globe
Yesterday evening I attended a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe. In a word, it was AMAZING! The director definitely highlighted the bawdy comedy of the play; the audience was in hysterics throughout the show. The sets were simple and superb, and I loved the costumes. Puck and the rest of the faeries were dressed in a sort of punked out pink, purple, and turquoise with shredded tutus and dyed hair. The backdrop for the night in the woods was a length of bright blue diaphanous material that, toward the end, three of the faeries pulled down from the ceiling of the stage and trailed behind them as they ran down platforms leading into the crowd, draping the audience standing in the center stage gallery with it. Again, AMAZING!
Although you can view the slideshow below, also be sure to check out my photos of Shakespeare's Globe on Flickr and read through my descriptions for more information. Click here: MrsB Shakespeare's Globe.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Shakespeare's London
Today I took a 2.5 hour walking tour of Shakespeare's London, visiting sites important to Shakespeare's life and times in Bankside, an area on the south side of the Thames in the borough of Southwark . The tour was through London Walks -- I wholeheartedly recommend any of their incredible walks! Our guide, Shaughan, was amazing!
Be sure to visit Flickr to look at the photos I took on the walk and to read through the descriptions that recount many of the important things I learned while strolling down streets and alleyways Shakespeare himself would have known well.
Go to the Shakespeare page of my wikispace to listen to audio clips of this walking tour! The clips aren't the best quality--you can hear lots of wind and cars and such in the background--but if nothing else, you can enjoy the tour guide's lovely voice!
Click here to go to the photos on Flickr: MrsB Shakespeare's London Walk.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Finally Arrived--And Saw a Guy in a Kilt Climb a Freestanding Ladder
After traveling by car, plane, train, and underground, I have arrived at my hotel in London. The room is lovely, and I am road-weary. I had tea and a (stale) donut at Covent Garden this morning and watched a street performer who immediately reminded me why I am here. Like theatre in Elizabethan England, his performance required active audience participation, and as he attempted all sorts of silly feats, the performer called for cheers and applause, asking for encouragement as he dared climb a completely unsupported ladder--in a kilt--and blow up--with his nose--a rubber glove he had pulled over his head. This kind of spectator engagement, energy, and enjoyment would most definitely had been a part of Shakespeare's theatre, as Will Shakespeare himself explained to the Middle School when he visited our assembly this past spring.
In Shakespeare's time, theatre was major entertainment; there were no video games, facebook profiles, TV shows, or movies. Londoners would ferry across the Thames, leaving the city limits and thus the city laws behind them, to Bankside, site of theatres, bear baiting gardens, pubs, and brothels. Often theatre-goers would also visit these other establishments, meaning they made for pretty raucous crowds. Audience participation was not just encouraged but was expected. There was no sitting silently, intently watching the actors. Instead, audience members whooped, hollered, booed, and bullied. They would mightily cheer actors and characters they loved, and they would readily abuse those they didn't like.
I also sought out a Diet Coke at Tesco's, a grocery store, and was dismayed but not at all surprised to find it lukewarm at best, despite it being kept in a refrigerated case. Why bother with the pretense of refrigeration, I wonder? Still, Diet Coke is Diet Coke, right Mr. Taft?
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
In Shakespeare's time, theatre was major entertainment; there were no video games, facebook profiles, TV shows, or movies. Londoners would ferry across the Thames, leaving the city limits and thus the city laws behind them, to Bankside, site of theatres, bear baiting gardens, pubs, and brothels. Often theatre-goers would also visit these other establishments, meaning they made for pretty raucous crowds. Audience participation was not just encouraged but was expected. There was no sitting silently, intently watching the actors. Instead, audience members whooped, hollered, booed, and bullied. They would mightily cheer actors and characters they loved, and they would readily abuse those they didn't like.
I also sought out a Diet Coke at Tesco's, a grocery store, and was dismayed but not at all surprised to find it lukewarm at best, despite it being kept in a refrigerated case. Why bother with the pretense of refrigeration, I wonder? Still, Diet Coke is Diet Coke, right Mr. Taft?
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Shakespeare Links
If you would like to check out the places I'll be exploring on my trip, visit these links:
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Company
Open Air Theatre Regent's Park
British Library
Stratford-upon-Avon -- Stratford is the birthplace and resting place of Shakespeare.
Shakespearience -- Shakespearience is an innovative, interactive, multimedia educational exhibit in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shakespeare's London -- This website is from PBS's "In Search of Shakespeare."
Shakespeare's London Walk -- This walk is a tour of some of the most important sites in London related to Shakespeare's life and times.
The Cavendish School in Eastbourne -- I completed my student teaching at Cavendish in 1997. I will be returning to this remarkable school to talk with Bob Murdoch, one of the best teachers I've ever had the pleasure to work with, about Shakespeare pedagogy and curriculum.
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Company
Open Air Theatre Regent's Park
British Library
Stratford-upon-Avon -- Stratford is the birthplace and resting place of Shakespeare.
Shakespearience -- Shakespearience is an innovative, interactive, multimedia educational exhibit in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shakespeare's London -- This website is from PBS's "In Search of Shakespeare."
Shakespeare's London Walk -- This walk is a tour of some of the most important sites in London related to Shakespeare's life and times.
The Cavendish School in Eastbourne -- I completed my student teaching at Cavendish in 1997. I will be returning to this remarkable school to talk with Bob Murdoch, one of the best teachers I've ever had the pleasure to work with, about Shakespeare pedagogy and curriculum.
Shakespeare's Theatre
Some interesting notes about theatre in Shakespeare's time...
- There were no actresses in Shakespeare's time; women's roles were played by young men.
- Along with attending plays, Elizabethans also enjoyed horribly bloody spectacles like bear-baiting, bull-baiting, and public executions. (Do not ask me to describe bear-baiting or bull-baiting, as such things upset me greatly.)
- Theatres were located on the south bank (Southwark!) of the Thames river--outside of the official city limits--to keep the crime associated with the theatre out.
- The theatre was a relatively cheap form of entertainment--about a day's wages for a manual laborer. Books, on the other hand, were expensive. A copy of the First Folio, when it was printed in 1623, probably cost one pound (approximately $150 today).
- The stage, called a "thrust," would jut out into the audience, and patrons would watch the action from all sides. Many members of the audience stood in the area around the stage, known as "the pit," which had a dirt floor and was open to the sky. Patrons with more money to spend could buy a seat in one of the covered side galleries, or, if they were very wealthy, above or even on the stage. The Globe seated about 2000.
- Plays did not have elaborate sets, and actors were costumed in contemporary clothing. Rich noblemen left their clothing to their servants in their wills. Often, the servants then sold the clothes to actors. Extravagant costumes were one of the main attractions of theatre.
- Plays had to be performed in daylight. There was no artificial lighting on the stage.
- In 1613, the Globe burned down during a performance when a cannon was fired for theatrical effect and caused the thatch roof to catch fire. Amazingly, no one was killed. The Globe was rebuilt within a year, this time with a slate roof.
Adapted from "Shakespeare Steps Out," published by The Folger Shakespeare Library, 1197
Daily Life in Shakespeare's Time
Here are some facts about life in Shakespeare's time...
- Queen Elizabeth reigned from 1558 to 1603; she came to the throne at 25.
- Boys began grammar school at the age of 7 and continued there, learning Latin and mathematics, until the age of 15. Especially bright, older pupils learned Greek, too.
- Only with a few very special exceptions, girls were not educated. Girls were trained to be capable housekeepers, learning cooking, sweing, herbs and cures, and household accounting.
- Everyone knew how to sing, read music, and dance.
- There were no rules of grammar or spelling until the 18th century. Shakespeare himself spelled his name differently at different times!
- Although there were medical doctors in Shakespeare's time, housewives were supposed to cure mild illnesses. They used the herbs they grew themselves, either mixed together in a "compound" or by themselves as a "simple."
- Sanitation was minimal, especially in big cities, and there were open sewers in the streets. People bathed on average once a year. (Queen Elizabeth's doctors feared for her life because she bathed monthly!)
- Average life expectancy was 35. Queen Elizabeth died at 70.
- Since infant mortality was so high, parents would have many children and often give more than one child the same name, knowing that child would probably die at an early age.
- An outbreak of the bubonic plague struck London between 1592 and 1594 and then again in 1603, when over 30,000 people died (in a population of only 200,000). The disease was caused by rats bitten by fleas. It could spread easily through a crowd, and during particularly bad outbreaks of plague, the theatres were closed.
- Elizabethans did not understand germ theory; they thought diseases were spread by bad smells. They tried to prevent disease by keeping bad smells away. Women would carry small bouquets of herbs and flowers to cover their noses with when near odors.
- Houses were built of wood and wattle-and-daub, many with thatch roofs, making fire a constant concern. In 1666, the Great Fire destroyed about 2/3 of the city of London.
- Elizabethans loved fine clothes. Some of Queen Elizabeth's dresses weighed as much as 200 pounds! She had to be carried on a small trolley in these garments.
- Special laws, known as "sumptuary laws," restricted what kind of clothing you could wear, depending upon your class. Queen Elizabeth restricted the wearing of certain colors and fabrics, especially imported wool or silk, to people above a certain rank.
- The standard form of execution for treason was hanging, drawing, and quartering. The victim was hanged until almost dead, then the ribcage was cut open and the heart cut out, and then the body cut into four pieces. The four body parts were then stuck on poles on top of the four gates leading into the city of London.
- London Bridge was the only bridge across the Thames, and the heads of traitors were stuck on top of its gate as a warning to possible traitors.
- People believed in witches. King James I wrote a book on the evils of witchcraft, and many people think Shakespeare wrote Macbeth with James I in mind.
Adapted from "Shakespeare Steps Out," published by the Folger Shakespeare Library, 1997.
London Calling!
I am very excited this week as I prepare for my trip to England. Before I leave, I need to confirm all of my appointments at Shakespeare's Globe, the British Library, the Royal Shakespeare Company Archives, and all sorts of other amazing places. I also need to compose questions for the teachers I will speak with at Cavendish School in Eastbourne. And before I can pack, I still need to find the perfect walking sandals. There's so much to do!
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