The Shakespeare Effect

The Shakespeare Effect

by Lauren Conroy

The Shakespeare Effect

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Abstract

1) This milestone is about discovering what influenced Shakespeare's writings in terms of writing style and each play's plot as well as what influences he has had on society today. I plan to create a info-graphic displaying several common themes and how much the common themes appear in the play. 2) In high school I had read and wrote many papers about Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, A Thousand Acres (based off of King Lear) and Macbeth. Then when I started WPI I helped with the sound engineering of Taming the Shrew and I read parts of the Merchant of Venice. I have taken two theater classes in my freshman year. In my Introduction to Drama class, I preformed several lines from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. 3) your major takeaways from the experience. This can and should be very similar to the paragraph you use to summarize this milestone on your Profile Page. It should contain your main Objective, so be sure to clearly state a one-sentence statement that summarizes your main objective for this milestone such as "a comparison of the text of Medieval English choral music to that of the Baroque" or it may be a question such as "to what extent did religion influence Christopher Wren's sense of design?"

Introduction

No matter where you are, if you mention the name Shakespeare, someone is bound to know and can possibly name at least one of his plays. He is one of the most prolific writers of his time writing at least 38 plays. I want to explore his effect in London as well as near his residence in Stratford-upon-Avon as well as what effect these places had on his writings. I will be attending different performance of several of his works as well as visiting his home. I will be writing about my experiences and taking many pictures.

Section 1: Background

Common Themes among Shakespeare's works.

Betrayal by trusted friends and family

The works of Shakespeare are notorious for having common linking themes among several of the plays he has written. When one breaks down each play down to its basic element, one can find that characters in Julius Caesar, Hamlet, and Othello all have been betrayed by trusted friends or family members which subsequently leads to their ultimate downfall. The downfall of the character could have been prevented if the character was not blinded by their trust for that person or people.

Hamlet, from the play Hamlet, is betrayed by a person he had trusted and loved, his uncle, Claudius, who betrays him before the play even begins. In the beginning of the play, Hamlet is an oblivious college school boy who has believed that his mother and father’s relationship was unbreakable and that his life had no troubles. He is blinded from the responsibilities he has to face and of the betrayal of his uncle towards him and his family. However, the death of his father opens his eyes to suffering and responsibility he has to take up from his father’s death. The downfall and eventual madness of Hamlet is directly caused by his betrayal by his uncle. The betray of his uncle sends Hamlet to suicide stating, “O cursed spite! That ever I was born, to put it right." (I.5 215-216). Hamlet automatically thinks that dying is the best choice and thinks the only way to avoid another betrayal is by killing himself. After thinking suicide through, he decides that his redemption can only come from killing his betrayer. This betrayal then leads to Hamlet’s ultimate death when he tries to put things right and kill his uncle. During the final dual fabricated by Claudius between Hamlet and Laertes, the son of Polonius, whom Hamlet had killed, Hamlet is struck and dies of his wounds. His downfall is his ultimate death during the fight to put things right.
Unlike Hamlet in Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra must decide whether the betray each other or their political alliances. In the end, Antony kills himself because he betrays his own honor and regrets not being true to his most noble self. Similarly he realizes that he cannot be loyal to Rome, Cleopatra and his own honor simultaneously. This realization is what leads him to kill himself. Cleopatra’s suicide is a bit different because of not loyalty, which was specifically expressed when Cleopatra betrays Antony and leaves him in battle. She manipulates him the entire time to get what she wants and promises the world to him. This however she never delivers because she would betray him whenever she thought it was opportune for her. Cleopatra is selfish and this is seen when she says:

Nay, ’tis most certain, Iras. Saucy lictors

Will catch at us like strumpets, and scald rhymers Ballad us out o’ tune. The quick comedians Extemporally will stage us, and present Our Alexandrian revels. Antony Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness

I’ th’ posture of a whore. (V.ii.210–217)

She does not want to be portrayed as a whore by a young boy actor for the Romans to make fun of. Her motives are always unpredictable and on a whim. The downfalls of both characters are caused for different reasons and both die in the end for their own causes.
In Othello, Othello is betrayed by Iago because he is angry that Othello appoints Cassio to the position of post lieutenant. He states angrily states that, “there are others/ who putting on a good show of duty/ are really looking put for their own interest” (I,1 50-52). This hints the readers to the fact that Iago is looking for revenge and will stop at nothing to get back at Othello. Iago gets his wife to steal Desdemona’s, who is Othello’s wife, handkerchief so he can convince Othello that his wife is sleeping with Cassio. Othello trusts that Iago is telling the truth about his wife and Cassio and ends up killing his own wife. He trusts the wrong person. His wife, as he tries to kill her begs and pleads with him telling him that she had done no such thing, but he only believes Iago. The betrayal of Iago and his lies leads to the death of his own wife Emilia, and Desdemona and is the downfall of Othello. In the end, he realizes that he had been betrayed and lied to and that he has no one left and kills himself.

Loss of Innocence

Macbeth
Hamlet

Womanhood/Manhood

Macbeth
Hamlet

Timeline of Shakespeare life and events that happened in London that impacted his writings.

Timeline

Year	Shakespeare	London/England
1564	William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-upon-Avon and is the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare.
1571	Shakespeare is eligible to attend Kind Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford.
1582	William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway in November.
1583	Their daughter Susanna is born and is baptized on May 26th.
1585	Their twins Hamnet and Judith are born and are baptized on February 2nd.
	The Lost Years begin
1587	Shakespeare leaves Stratford.	The Rose Theater opens on the Southbank of London.
		The first performance of Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, which was a parody using some of Shakespeare and other playwright's works, occurred.
		Mary, Queen of Scots is executed
1589	Henry I,II,III,IV is written from 1589 to 1591.
1590	Taming the Shrew is written from1590 to 1595.
	The Two Gentleman of Verona is written from1590 to 1594.
	"King John" is written from 1590 to 1591.
1591	Richard III is written from 1591 to 1593.
1592	Shakespeare described as an upstart crow in Green's Groats-wroth of Wit which suggests that he was in London at the time.	The plague begins in London.
	Titus Andronicus is written from 1592 to 1954.	The Rose Theater is closed by order of Privy Council after riots in Southwark.
	Edward III is written from 1592 to 1594.
1593	Venus and Adonis published with dedication to Earl of Southampton	Christopher Marlowe, an English playwright of Shakespeare's time, passes away.
	The plague closes all theaters closed from January on.
	John Norden publishes Speculum Britanniae which includes map of Westminster.
1954	The Rape of Lucrece is published	The Four Year famine beings.
	Titus Andronicus is published.	Roderigo Lopez, who was the physician to Queen Elizabeth I, is hanged.
	The Comedy of Errors is written around 1954 or earlier.	Titus Andronicus is first preformed on January 24, according to Philip Henslowe's diary. Henslowe was a theatrical entrepreneur who's diary gives us a glimpse into the past of Renaissance London.
	Love's Labour's Lost is written from 1954 to 1955.	The Comedy of Errors is preformed at Grey's Inn on December 28th.
	A Midsummer Night's Dream is written from 1594 to 1596.	A theater company formed under Lord Chamberlain, Henry Cary, Baron Hunsdon.
1595	Richard II is written in 1595.	There is a possibility that a performance of Richard II was preformed at Sir Edward Hoby's house in Westminster on December 7th.
	Shakespeare is first recorded as a member of Chamberlain's Men.	There is an apprentices riot in Southwark and at the Tower over the price of fish and butter in June. Five of them are hanged for treason.
	Romeo and Juliet is written from 1595 to 1596.
1596	The death of Hamnet, William and Anne's only son.	James Burbage builds the Blackfriars Playhouse
	After asking for a coat of arms, his request is granted.
	The Merchant of Venice is written from 1596 to 1598.
	Henry IV Part 1 is written from 1596 to 1597.
1597	Shakespeare purchases New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.
	Henry IV Part 2 is written from 1597 to 1598.
	The Merry Wives of Windsor is written in 1597.
1598	Shakespeare is described as 'best for comedy and tragedy…. among the English's in Francis Meres' Palladia.	John Stow's Survey of London is published.
	Much Ado About Nothing is written from 1598 to 1599.
1599	Henry V is written in 1599.
	"Julius Caesar" is written in 1599.
	"As You Like It" is written from 1599 to 1600.
1600	"Hamlet" is written from 1600 to 1601.
1601	William Shakespeare's father John Shakespeare passes away.	The Essex Rebellion starts and Essex's supporters request a personal performance of Richard III.
	"Twelfth Night" is written in 1601.	Earl of Essex is executed.
	"Trolius and Cressida" is written from 1601 to 1602..	The Earl of Southampton imprisoned is in the Tower of London
1602	Shakespeare buys additional property in Stratford-upon-Avon inculding a garden and cottege opposite New Place.	Twelfth Night preformed at the Middle Temple in February.
	"All's Well That Ends Well" is written from 1602 to 1605.
1603	"Othello" is written from 1603 to 1604.	Queen Elizabeth I passes away at Richmond Palace on March 24th.
	"Sir Thomas Moore" is written from 1603 to 1604.	James I ascends the throne.
1604	Shakespeare lived on Silver Street in the upstairs room of the Mountjoys.
	"Measure for Measure" is written in 1604.
	"King Lear" is written from 1604 to 1606.
1605		Gunpowder plot occurs.
1606	"Macbeth" is written in 1606.
	"Antony and Cleopatra" is written in 1606.
1607	His daughter Susanna marries a physician John Hall.	The River Thames freezes over leading to the first Frost Fair.
	Shakespeare's brother Edmund, who was an actor with the King's Men, passes away.
	"Timon of Athens" is written in 1607.
	"Pericles" is written from 1607 to 1608.
1608	"Coriolanus" is written in 1608.	King Lear is preformed at Whitehall on December 26th.
1609	Shakespeare's Sonnets are published.	The King's Men begin preforming at the Blackfriars Playhouse in Winter.
1610	"Cymbeline" is written in 1610.
	"The Winter's Tale" is written from 1610 to 1611.
	"The Tempest" is written from 1610 to 1611.
1612	"Cardenio",which today is lost, is written from 1610 to 1611.	James' son Prince Henry dies on November 6th.
	Shakespeare appears as witness at Court of Requests on May 11
1613	Shakespeare buys property in the Blackfriars precinct.	James' daughter Princess Elizabeth marries Fredrick, elector palatine and future king of Bohemia on February 14th.
	"Henry VIII" is written in 1613.	The Globe Theater burns down after a performance of Henry VIII on June 29th.
	"Two Nobel Kingsmen" is written from 1613 to 1614.
1614		Rebuilt globe reopens
1616	William Shakespeare passes away on May 5th in Stratford-upon-Avon.
	His daughter, Judith, marries Thomas Quiney
	His daughter's son Shakespeare Quiney is baptized.
1623	Anne Shakespeare passes away.
	The First Folio is published.

Section 2: Deliverable

I will be using the research from the background to compile a series of info-graphics to exhibit the common themes that lie within each of Shakespeare's works.

Gallery

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  Caption 1

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  Caption 2

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  Caption 3

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  Caption 4

Conclusion

In this section, provide a summary or recap of your work, as well as potential areas of further inquiry (for yourself, future students, or other researchers).

References

Weinberg, A. (2017, January 18). Shakespeare FAQ. Retrieved May 08, 2017, from http://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-faq
Shakespeare’s Plays: Location Map. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2017, from http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/shakespeares-plays/shakespeares-play-locations/
MIT. (1993). The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Retrieved May 09, 2017, from http://shakespeare.mit.edu/index.html
Sanders, Tracey. "Dr Tracey Sanders". Resource.acu.edu.au. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
Bloom, H. (2010). William Shakespeare's "Othello". New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.
Bloom, H. (2009). William Shakespeare's "Hamlet". New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.
Bloom, H. (2010). William Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra". New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.
Bloom, H. (2010). William Shakespeare's "Macbeth". New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.
Bloom, H. (2009). William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". New York, NY: Bloom's Literary Criticism.

Image Gallery

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