1 The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival Carmen Khan, Artistic/Executive Director William Shakespeare’s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW The Study Guide Compiled by Deborah deCastro Braak, Education Director Lucy Tobin, Curriculum Director 2 The NEA and Shakespeare In American Communities In 2006-2007, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival is a recipient of a Shakespeare in American Communities: Shakespeare for a New Generation grant from The National Endowment for the Arts. This grant has enabled The Open Door Project to expand its reach to many underserved school districts and communities. With The NEA’s help, we are able to offer our residencies and matinee performances for free to qualified schools. The impact on the classrooms has been enormous and has allowed The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival to begin to plan and envision a future where every school in the region, regardless of socio-economic factors, can participate in The Open Door Project and break the cycles of intellectual and spiritual poverty. 3 Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards The material in this study guide is designed to meet the following Pennsylvania academic standards. Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening 1. Students will use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new words (1.1.11 C) 2. Students will identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text (1.1.11 D) 3. Students will read and understand works of literature (1.3.11 A) 4. Students will analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices. (1.3.11 C) 5. Students will analyze how a scriptwriter’s use of words creates tone and mood, and how choice of words advances the theme or purpose of the work (1.3.11 E) 6. Students will read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama (1.3.11 F) 7. Students will demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading (1.1.11 H) 8. Students will listen to others. (1.6.11 A) 9. Students will listen to selections of literature. (1.6.11 B) Pennsylvania Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities 10. Students will know and use the elements and principles of theatre to create works in the arts and humanities (9.1.12 A) 11. Students will recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts (9.1.12 B) 12. Students will evaluate an individual’s philosophical statement on a work in the arts and its relationship to one’s own life based on knowledge and experience (9.4.12 A) 13. Students will analyze and interpret a philosophical position identified in works in the arts and humanities (9.4.12 D) 14. Students will delineate a unifying theme through the production of a work of art that reflects skills in media processes and techniques (9.1.12 E) 4 The Elizabethan Theatre The writers of the Elizabethan era worked in exits, costumes, and songs were all expected a very different way than playwrights today. to be filled in by the actors. There was an Instead of producing a play independently, area behind the stage called the tiring house, they were first required to present a which was used for changing costume Company with their idea for a plot. The during the play. The actors prided leading actors and managers would then themselves on the accessories they wore, decide whether they liked it or not, and offer and the company even bought clothes from a down payment for its completion. Lords and Knights, to wear upon the stage. This close relationship between the writer and the performers meant that In 1599, a Swiss visitor called Thomas writers created their characters with certain Platter saw the Lord Chamberlain's actors in mind. For example, knowing that production of Julius Caesar and reported Richard Burbage was the Chamberlain's that 'the actors are most expensively and leading man, and that he had a good elaborately costumed'. Performed on memory for long scripts, Shakespeare September 21st, it may have been the first created the parts of Richard III and Hamlet production shown at the Globe (which had for him. And as the actor grew older, been constructed earlier that year). Shakespeare made his characters more Constructed out of timber from their mature. There was a large gap between the previous playhouse 'The Theatre', it could young Desdemona and the ageing Othello. house up to 3000 spectators and was the When Shakespeare finished a play it most magnificent venue London had ever was not distributed to the actors in books. seen. Instead, each player received his own 'role', The stage was covered in straw and which was a long sheet of parchment with measured approximately 43 ft in width by 27 his lines written on. This meant that he ft in depth, with the audience standing on all would not see who else was going to be on three sides. The wall at the back of the stage the stage until they actually rehearsed the had a door on both sides for entrances and scene. How strange we would find this today exits, and a central opening that was when, reading a play for the first time, we normally covered with hangings. Above the were unable to flick through the pages of a stage there was a trapdoor and a windlass scene to see who entered when, and what for lowering performers down to the stage happened next. and, on the stage itself, there was a trapdoor for surprise appearances of witches and the Rehearsals were used to sort out the like. details not specified in the script. Entrances, Source: The Royal Shakespeare Company: www.rsc.org.uk Shakespeare’s Globe 5 Shakespeare’s Life and Times William Shakespeare was baptized on also written about this time, though they were not 26th April 1564 at Holy Trinity in Stratford- published until 1609. Upon-Avon. Traditionally his birthday is In 1594, Shakespeare became a founding celebrated three days earlier, on 23rd April - St member, actor, playwright and shareholder of the George's Day. Lord Chamberlain's Men. Richard Burbage was William's father, John Shakespeare, was the company's leading actor. He played roles such an affluent glove maker, tanner and wool dealer as Richard III, Hamlet, Othello and Lear. Under who owned property in Stratford. For a number James VI/I, the company was renamed The of years he played a prominent role in the King's Men. They performed at court more often municipal life of the town. He served on the town than any other company. council and was elected bailiff (Mayor). Around Whereas John Shakespeare had lost a 1576, however, John Shakespeare was beset by fortune, his son managed to amass great wealth severe financial difficulties and he was forced to in his lifetime. In 1597, he bought New Place, one mortgage his wife's inheritance. of the largest properties in Stratford. In 1598, he William's mother, Mary Arden, was the is listed as a resident of Chapel Street ward, in daughter of a prosperous farmer, Robert Arden, which New Place was situated. In 1601, when his who had left her some land in Wilmcote, near father died, he may also, as the eldest son, have Stratford. John and Mary Shakespeare had eight inherited the two houses in Henley Street. In children: four daughters, of whom only one 1602 Shakespeare paid £320 in cash to William (Joan) survived childhood. William was the Combe and his nephew John for roughly 107 eldest of the four boys. acres of land in Old Stratford. He also bought a William almost certainly went to one of cottage and more land in Chapel Lane. In 1605, Stratford's 'petty' or junior schools where he for £440, Shakespeare bought a half-interest in a would have learnt his letters with the help of a lease of many tithes which brought him an hornbook. From the age of seven or thereabouts, annual interest of £60. When he died in 1616, he he would have progressed to the King's New was a man of substantial wealth. School with the emphasis would have been on Shakespeare's elder daughter, Susanna, Latin, it being the international language still of married a physician, John Hall in Stratford in Europe in the 1500s. Shakespeare probably left 1607. Their only child, a daughter, Elizabeth, was school at the age of 14 or 15. born in 1608, the year in which Shakespeare's In 1582, when he was 18, Shakespeare mother died. Judith Shakespeare married a married Anne Hathaway. She was twenty six. vintner, Thomas Quiney in 1616. They had three Anne was the daughter of a well-to-do farmer, sons: Shakespeare Quiney, who died in infancy; Richard Hathaway of Hewlands Farm in nearby Richard (1618-139) and Thomas (1620-1639). Shottery. Their first child, Susanna, was born in Sometime after 1611, Shakespeare May 1583. Twins, Hamnet and Judith, were retired to Stratford. On 25th March 1616, christened in February 1585. Shakespeare revised and signed his will. On 23rd From 1585 until 1592, very little is April, his presumed birthday, Shakespeare died, known about Shakespeare. These are generally aged 52. On 25th April: Shakespeare is buried at referred to as 'The Lost Years'. But by 1592 we Holy Trinity in Stratford. know that he was in London where he was Shakespeare's widow, Anne, died in singled out by a rival dramatist, Robert Greene in 1623 and was buried beside him.