1. Have you ever been betrayed? Give an example of when you were betrayed. How did you feel? What did you do?
I have been betrayed so many times in the past, it's hard keeping track but there is this one instance that far surpasses the others. It all began where many other dramatic happenings take place; in high school.
In High School, I wasn't popular nor was I socially inept, I was the middle-ground. I had very few friends but to me it was all I could have ever wished for. However, I had a specific friend who I thought I could confide in. I told her all my secrets ranging from my crushes to my personal life. Throughout the period of time I had been confiding in her, I overheard people talking about what I had said to her in confidence. At first I thought maybe they saw that I had been going through these things, but then it all began to add up. As time went by I limited speaking to her, be that as it may we still remained friends.
Afterwards, as the drama between us began to die down, I heard that she had spread malicious and excessively hurtful rumors about me. (Mind you, I trusted this girl; I treated her like a sister). That was my breaking point. Rather than the dejected, helpless feeling and self-pity that had often times overwhelmed me over the years, I felt the impulsive feeling of anger and vengeance. But of course that didn't last for long nor did I act on them, I just felt apathetic. I'll never forget what she has done but I am slowly learning to forgive her.
2. Have you ever felt that you were betrayed and in the end misunderstood the situation?
Due to the aforementioned situation I have found it harder to trust persons so I have had the very unfortunate happening of misunderstanding situations leading me to think I was betrayed but in actuality I wasn't. For instance, I had a very close friend whom was very dear to me. However, due to a rumor concerning her I was misled into believing that she had said something behind my back. It turned out the allegations were false and I made a complete fool of myself when I confronted her about them.
3. Look at Shakespeare's plays, why do the characters always resort to violence, trickery or evilness?
Violence, trickery and evilness often work as the catalyst in making Shakespeare's novels eventful and even suspenseful for the audience/readers. These antagonistic characteristics result from several factors which are reoccurring themes in many of Shakespeare's novels; betrayal, love, revenge and of course lust. Betrayal being the most common of the few. The element of betrayal frequented by the powerful unconditional/Eros love that the characters often express lead to violence, trickery and evilness to arise out of the protagonist.
However, the reasons for wickedness to prevail has often been debated over the years. Pundits and theorists argue that it was due to the time period where there wasn't a structured legal system thus justice was ad hoc or the fact that there was always an evil opposing force that led them to act in such an excessive and malicious manner.
The fact that there wasn't a structured legal system often led the characters to take justice into their own hands. Much like the instance in 'The Merchant of Venice' where Shylock desperately seeking for revenge against Antonio, his enemy makes a contract involving a pound of flesh to be cut if Antonio didn't pay the allotted number of ducats borrowed. The Jew sought his own sort of penalty despite the fact that once the deed was left undone; the court rejected his harsh punishment.
The exacting nature of their system of justice is even more poignant when Portia declared;
"Then take thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
Unto the state of Venice." (4. 1. 308-312)
This shows the primitiveness of the court system. The fact that a simple contract could have been followed despite the seriousness and ill-intent it had sought. If it had not been for the clever judge who found the loophole in the bond, a man would have lost his life just for signing a contract.
Furthermore, the antagonist often characterized as having manipulative and conniving qualities leads the main character on this evil, twisted path. Much like in the books; 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Othello'. In 'Much Ado About Nothing' Don John deceives both the prince and Claudio to believe that Hero has committed an unforgivable sin as an unmarried woman; cuckoldry. This makes Claudio believe that his fiancee has betrayed him and he misinterprets the entire situation leading him to act in a violent manner at the wedding and rejected his beloved on the wedding day.
In Othello, however, the events arising from the supposed betrayal are by far worse. The outcome of Iago's treacherous plot against Othello results in Desdemona's (Othello's wife) murder by her husband's own hands.
Thus, not only does the antagonist provoke the characters into behaving violently but so too does the law prohibit people to act in a very unrestrained vehement way.
4. Look at the background of 'The Winter's Tale'. What is going on in that era?
During the period in which Shakespeare wrote one of his many 'first folio' novels 'The Winter's Tale' many historical happenings occured. The time period 1611 when the book was written and 1625 when it was published, coincides with the reign of King James VI known as The Jacobean era. This era was particularly significant because at the time King James VI also ruled over Scotland. It also marks a new found appreciation for the arts which is particularly predominant in this period.
However, on 5th November 1605, a group of Catholics attempted to assassinate the King by blowing up the Palace of Westminster but the Gunpowder Plot was exposed before the deviants could cause any harm or damage. They were then convicted, hung, drawn and quartered.
Shortly after this devastating event, the King James Bible was published for the first time in London, England, by printer Robert Barker on the 2nd May 1611.
In 1618-1648, a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire outbroke. This dispute escalated over time into a war involving most of the European powers. This war was called the Thirty Years' War for obvious reasons.
5. What is the Elizabethan Theatre?
The Elizabethan Theatre, sometimes referred to as the English Renaissance theatre, derived from medieval theatre traditions, such as the mystery plays which were complicated recounts of biblical legends. The mystery plays had a phenomenal impact on the religious celebrations in England and later even became an intregal part of festivals in parts of Europe in the Middle Ages.
The History of the Elizabethan Theatre bagan with the wandering actors who travelled from city to city and roamed the streets simply in search for a sizeable crowd to perform to. However, due to the horrific outbreaks of the Black Plague, these minstrels often faced many trials based on suspicion from the citizens. Thus, the actors' reputations were severely undermined formulated on stereotypes that they were equivalent to lowly vagabonds and thieves. Travelling throughout the era was restricted and required a license which affected these travelling actors. However, after much consultance from the English nobles; the maintainence of the Elizabethan Acting Troupe was formed.
However, once Queen Elizabeth came to power, the rise and formalization of English drama was supported and fostered as an inherent part of society. It was during her era that drama began to be recognized as a complex art form to be appreciated, loved and critiqued by the masses. As the literary aspect of Engand's culture began to flourish so too did the development/establishment of several theatres. One of the many theatres established within that era was the first playhouse 'The Theatre'. After this astronomical leap in James Burbage's name; several other theatres were built including 'The Globe'.
The original Globe Theatre was a wood-framed building with
plastered outside walls joining at angles to form a circle or an oval.
The interior resembled that of a modern opera house, with three
galleries protected from rain and sunlight by a roof. Between 2,000
and 3,000 playgoers paid two or more pennies to sit in these galleries,
depositing them in a box. The stage was raised four to six feet from
ground level and had a roof supported by pillars.
On June 29 1613 The Globe Theatre ignited and as a result burned to the ground. It was started by the firing of a cannon as part of a performance of Henry VIII ad as a result 'The New Globe' was built.
1.2 The New Globe
6. What is the Theatre of the Absurd?
The Theatre of the Absurd was started by the French in the late 1940's. It postulates that in an atheistic universe, there is no real meaning to human life and thus man-kind finds it impossible to interaction. There is no reason or logic in man's communication which leads to chaos and havoc; This dissonance eventually leads to silence.
This theatrical style highlights man's aloneness and his quest to conquer the metaphysical world. "Absurdist works utilise thetrical conventions such as - but not limited to - Mime, Gibberish, Heightened Language, Codified Language and Vignette." The arrangements usually lack struggles, and concentrate on contrast, alienation and irony.
1.3 Theatre of the Absurd
7. Write a biography on William Shakespeare.
7. Write a biography on William Shakespeare.
Although Shakespeare has been quite an inspiration on many forms of art and literature throughout the years; he still has a msysterious air to him. Many wwho want an inside look into Shakespeare's life get frustrated because with regards to his personal history most of it is either based on assumption or insinuation and only a few records documenting important milestones in his life have been safeguarded and cherished.
William Shakespeare of Stratford-Upon-Avon was born on April 23, 1564. Church records verify this indicating that he was, in fact baptised in 1564 approximately three days after his birth. It is said, that the young Shakespeare was son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden and was the third-born out of eight children.
His education is somewhat a grey-area in his recorded life. Many speculate that he attended The Free Grammar School in Stratform based entirely on the fact that he had an extensive knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek. Also, many believe that his father's position in society may have scored Shakespeare an education at the Grammar School.
Shakespeare later married Anne Hathaway on November 28, 1582. William was estimated to be 18 at the time and Anne was 26 and pregnant. She gave birth to three children - her first daughter, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith.
In the infamous period in Shakespeare's life known as the 'Lost Years' where there is no record of him for seven years.There were many rumors of what he was doing at the time but none are proven to be true. He finally arrived in London and began to establish himself as an actor and playwright in approximately 1588.
By 1594, Shakespeare was acting, writing and managing for the Lord Chamberlain's Men; an established playing company. Shakespeare's success is evident in even today's society there is an appreciation for this great literary contributor. "His company was the most successful in London in his day nd he had plays published and sold in octavo editions to his 'literate audiences." Apart from his obvious success as a literary genious; he also had some entrepreneurial skills as well attributed based on his success in both the theatrical company and the Globe.
Shakespeare's works entail a few comedic plays including: 'All's Well That Ends Well' , 'As You Like It' (1599), 'Comedy of Errors' (1589), 'Love's Labour's Lost', 'Measure for Measure' (1604), 'Merchant of Venice', 'Merry Wives of Windsor' (1600), 'Midsummer Night's Dream' (1595), 'Much Ado about Nothing' (1598), 'Taming of the Shrew' (1593), 'Tempest' (1611), 'Twelfth Night' (1599), 'Two Gentlemen of Verona'(1594) and 'Winter's Tale' (1610). His Histories include: 'Cymbeline' (1609), 'Henry IV, Part I' (1597), 'Henry IV, Part II' (1597), 'Henry V' (1598), 'Henry VI, Part I' (1594), 'Henry VI, Part II' (1590), 'Henry VI, Part III' (1590), 'Henry VIII' (1612), 'King John' (1596), 'Pericles' (1608), 'Richard II' and 'Richard III' (1592). Whereas, a list of his tragedies include: 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606), 'Coriolanus' (1607), 'Hamlet' (1600), 'Julius Caesar' (1599), 'King Lear' (1605) , 'Macbeth' (1605), 'Othello' (1604), 'Romeo and Juliet' (1594), 'Timon of Athens' (1607) , 'Titus Andronicus' (1593) and 'Troilus and Cressida' (1601).
"William Shakespeare wrote his will in 1611, bequeathing his properties to his daughter Susanna. To his surviving daughter Judith, he left £300, and to his wife Anne left "my second best bed." William Shakespeare allegedly died on his birthday, April 23, 1616." Two co-workers from the Lord Chamberlain's Men, John Heminges and Henry Condell, published the First Folio edition of his collected plays.
"William Shakespeare's legacy is a body of work that will never again be equaled in Western civilization. His words have endured for 400 years, and still reach across the centuries as powerfully as ever." His epitaph reads:
"Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he who moves my bones"
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