Twelfth Night English 3012 Storytelling The ancient art

Twelfth Night English 3012

Storytelling: The ancient art

Greek Theater

Medieval Mystery / Miracle Plays (1400 s-1500 s) - Grew out of church skits about biblical narratives - Performed by amateurs, but sometimes touring actors - Performed in churchyards or public areas - Religious themes, but often rough humor or jokes - Their growth leads to ticketed, private, secular plays

York Mystery Plays (1300 s)

Second Shepherd’s Play (1400 s)

Everyman (c. 1510) Man, in the begynnynge Loke well, and take good heed to the endynge, Be you neuer so gay! Ye thynke synne in the begynnynge full swete, Whiche in the ende causeth the soule to wepe, Whan the body lyeth in claye. Here shall you se how Felawshyp / and Iolyte, Bothe / Strengthe / Pleasure / and Beaute, Wyll fade from the as floure in Maye; For ye shall here how our Heuen Kynge Calleth Eueryman to a generall rekenynge. Gyue audyence, and here what he doth saye. Man, at this beginning, Pay attention, and take good heed of the ending, No matter how content you seem! You think sinning is very enjoyable at first, But in the end it will cause the soul to weep When the body lies in the earth. You will see here how Friendship and Laughter, Along with Strength, Pleasure, and Beauty, Will fade away from you like the flowers of May; For you will hear how our Heavenly King Calls Everyman to a general judgment. Listen, and hear what he says.

The Globe (Replica). Theaters were first built in 1575.

An Elizabethan Theatre

An Elizabethan Audience - Typically 3 tiers - Capacity 15003000 - Little artificial light - Noisy and not always sober!

William Shakespeare 1564 -1616 - Widely considered the greatest writer in the English language - Author of 38 plays and 154 sonnet poems - From Stratford-upon-Avon

- Son of an alderman and glove maker - Married Anne Hathaway at 18; three children - Moved to London around 1590 - Member of a playing company; part owner of the Globe theater

Shakespeare the playboy? “In 1602, Richard Burbage was at the height of his fame playing Richard III at the Globe theatre. After one performance, a female admirer gave Burbage her name and address and invited him to pay her a late-night visit, using the code name ‘Richard III’. William overheard this and that evening, when Burbage arrived to see the woman, the playwright was already there. Shakespeare later sent a witty message to his friend, which stated: ‘William the Conqueror was before Richard the Third. ’”

Did he write his own plays? - About 40 historical documents describing him, but mostly legal - Few medieval plays or stories were ‘invented. ’ Most had traditional origins Walt Disney did not “write” Snow White, Cinderella, or Beauty & the Beast

Shakespeare’s 14 th great-niece, Suzana Shakespeare (February 2014). They live in Stratford.

Twelfth Night festival - Twelfth day of Christmas (January 5); the day before Epiphany, when the three wise men visited the infant Jesus - A time of festivals and partying (Saturnalia) - Possibly first performed for a lawyers’ party

Saturnalia

Twelfth Night (about 1602) - Possibly based on Gl'ingannati (The Deceived Ones), 1531 - First published in the First Folio (1623)

Setting: Exotic Illyria! Not boring England. (Now Croatia) Ethnic stereotypes in Shakespeare?

Characters Orsino, duke Olivia, countess Sir Toby Belch, Olivia’s uncle Sir Andrew Aguecheek Malvolio, steward Maria, Olivia’s lady Feste, clown Viola Sebastian, Viola’s sister Antonio, sea captain

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