Irish R. - Shakespearan collage

William Shakespeare

Actor, Poet, and Playwright.

• Born April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
• Married Anne Hathaway at age 18; they had three children.

• Wrote 37 plays (comedies, tragedies, histories) and 154 sonnets.
• His plays include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello.

• Died in 1616 at age 52; buried in Stratford.

For more info, visit here.

Queen Elizabeth I

The "Virgin Queen"

• Reigned from 1558 to 1603 — her rule is called the Elizabethan Era.

• Encouraged the arts, exploration, and England’s navy.

• Supported theater, making it popular and respected. Shakespeare and other playwrights thrived under her rule.

• Remembered as one of England’s greatest and most influential monarchs.

For more info, visit here.

The Black Death

The Bubonic Plague

• A deadly outbreak that struck England repeatedly during the 1500s.
• Spread by fleas on rats; caused fever, swelling, and death within days.
• Killed large portions of Europe’s population; outbreaks shut down theaters in London.
• Shakespeare’s own theater company sometimes closed when plague spread.

• Created fear, but also shaped Elizabethan society and culture.

For more info, visit here.

The Globe Theatre

Home of the Shakespearan plays

• Built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
• Located in London, across the River Thames.
• Open-air, circular/oval shape, with a stage that extended into the audience.
• Groundlings (poor people) stood in the pit for a penny, while wealthier folks sat in balconies.
• Destroyed by fire in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII; rebuilt in 1614.
• Finally closed in 1642 when theaters were banned.

For more info, visit here.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare's home

• Stratford-upon-Avon was a small market town in England.
• His birthplace house still stands today on Henley Street and is a popular museum.

• He later bought New Place, a large house in Stratford, where he lived during his retirement years.

• His final resting place is also in Stratford, at Holy Trinity Church.

For more info, visit here.