Week Twenty-Three Part 1: Contextural Research (Shakespeare)

Context Research: Shakespearean Studies

     For our assignment titled ‘Shakespeare’s House Party’ we took some steps into developing our understanding of William Shakespeare’s Theatrical studies.  William Shakespeare; best known for his methods of breaking away from the traditional theatre styles with his own iconic theatre productions and all round originality.  William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England; his early life between the years 1585 and 1592 remain anonymous due to the fact those years were known as ‘the lost years’, due to a gap in the history records.  But we do know that at the age of eighteen Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway and they had three children.  Along with Shakespeare’s early carrier stating he was one of the managing partners of ‘the Lord Chamberlain’s Men’, which was later known as ‘the King’s Men’.  As time drew onwards to the Elizabethan era, also known as ‘the Golden Age’, Shakespeare drew to the theatre and built his own theatre called ‘the Globe Theatre’ and began writing his thirty-seven plays, which deliver many iconic stories from the three genres: Comedies, Histories and Tragedies. 

     One of the main techniques used in the Shakespeare Theatre was his unique method of language.  During the Elizabethan era the English language was on the blink of development, and William Shakespeare pushed that development forward’s by inventing many new words and phrases, all of which are used in his productions, and they became a key part of the English Language.  Another method he is best known for is the methods of how to deliver speech on stage.  Prose, Rhymed Verse and Blank Verse, were the names of these methods.  Prose was used in Shakespearean theatre, and is still used in today’s theatre; the use of prose is to deliver ordinary speech with no regular pattern.  Rhymed Verse is a speech pattern which is usually a use of rhymed couplets.  Whereas the use of Blank Verse is to deliver speech in a rhythm, an example of this would be the Iambic Pentameter.  The Iambic Pentameter is a method used in theatrical studies to deliver lines and speech in a rhythmic pattern, an example of this would be a rhythm like “de dam” to be repeated but delivered using English words.  Referred to as a heartbeat, the actor would deliver the words “de dam” in ten beats, with five stressed beats and five unstressed beats.  An example of written Shakespearean script with use of the Iambic Pentameter: “They call me Katherine that do talk of me” and “I swear I’ll cuff you, if you strike again”.  With certain words, in the quotes, written in bold it is to represent a stressed verse, and unstressed isn’t written in bold.  The purpose of this is to assist an actor in delivering their lines with a non-hesitant performance, as well as making certain words stand out from the rest of the speech, and possibly make the performance more intriguing for the audience. 

     All these techniques were used in Shakespeare’s form of writing, all of which developed the English language and had a huge impact on the Performing Arts Industries.  Words and in particular phrases which are still used today and are considered to be common expressions, proverbs and clichés.  Phrases listing from: “Brave new world” (from the comedy The Tempest), “Break the ice” (from The Taming of the Shrew), “Knock knock!  Who’s there?” (from Macbeth), as well as “Star-crossed lovers” (from Romeo and Juliet).  These are but a few of many words and phrases in particular that evolved the English Language to be what it is today.

     Another part of the Shakespearean studies was his new and unique change to the stage design.  The key factor that made Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre unique was its building design, by the fact that the audience would be seated in a circular position around the stage, making every part of the performance visible to the audience.  Whilst other theatres at the time, and still do today, have their seating positions in front of the stage, giving the audience a clear view of the production but a limited amount of space for both the audience and crew of the production.  There was also the fact that the rich had to sit with the poor, which the rich couldn’t abide.  Therefore Shakespeare’s Globe theatre created a premise in which there were plenty of seats for an audience who could afford seat, and boxes for the rich people to reserve and have a high view of the stage as well as some privacy.  The Globe also included a standing area, where many could stand and observe the play from a front row.  This was all very helpful from the audiences point of view, however it was also the matter of the stage cast and crew as well, because with a standing audience who was to question the fact that someone would come on stage and cause havoc.  So this is when the stage was built on a higher level but with more space, this was done because nobody could get on stage from the audience without the use of a ladder, and with more space meant the actors could spread around the stage.  The reason for it being close to the audience is to give a dramatic feeling that the audience weren’t just watching the play but there were in the play, as the actors could walk towards, or perhaps walk within the audience.  Shakespeare’s key factors in the development of the English Theatre were his use of Characterisation, Plot and Language, and it was important that the audience could experience the best of Shakespeare’s unique twist on his own theatre.

     With actors interacting with the audience by stage movement, there was also the question of involving the audience with use of speech.  Another key factor to Shakespeare’s written text, along with making it a huge impact on the Performing Arts Industries, was use of “breaking the forth wall”.  This drama technique is adding in scripted lines for the actors to verbally include the audience and physically present the fact that they know the audience is there watching them.  Written dialogue can tell whether it involved “breaking the forth wall”, as certain sentences are written in brackets which signify addressing the audience.  An example of this would be from comedies such as “the Two Gentlemen of Verona”: “My foolish rival that her father likes, (Only for his possessions are so huge) is gone with along and I must after”.  In brackets to highlight it towards the actor and show what comedic tone it can be delivered on stage.

     Shakespeare used this technique in his scripted work as to involve the audience and intrigue them, as well as giving a slight comedic feeling to Shakespeare’s comedies.  An example from a comedy would be from the use of monologues.  Shakespearean comedies are known for putting characters in scenarios which do not always appease certain characters, in which the following scene leads to the character expressing their thoughts through a monologue.  Whilst a monologue keeps an audience entertained through the scene changes, it is a prologue and epilogue that begins and ends show and intrigues an audience.  The purpose of a prologue is to have an actor on stage and give the audience an introduction to the performance; this could also involve the audience as the actor in a way is expressing the fact that they will like this production.  Whereas an epilogue is to conclude the performance, summarising the plot and, in a way, saying to the audience “we hope you enjoyed the show”.

     In the development of the English Theatre one of William Shakespeare’s key factors, which he focused on most was the three main genres: Comedies, Histories and Tragedies.  Shakespearean comedies can be identified by the sense of an uplifting story with a group of characters in which some will eventually fall in love, and all comedies have an entertaining and happy ending.  Shakespearean Histories can be defined based on the fact that the stories are inspired by royals, such as King John, Richard II, Richard III and Henry IV, V, VI, and VIII.  The purpose of the Histories was to deliver the true stories of the royals to entertain the audience and possibly attract the royal family of the time.  Although they may not be historically accurate they still provided an entertaining story and a select few produced second parts (sequels).  Finally the Shakespearean tragedies which can be identified based on the ending of the play.  What makes the tragedy tragic is the fact the writer kills off the main protagonist.  An example of this would be ‘Romeo and Juliet’ while both star crossed lovers fall deeply in love, both characters result in dying.  While some tragedies may have some entertaining scenes the main purpose is to deliver a story line in which one bad event leads to another. 

     With fourteen comedies, twelve tragedies and ten histories, William Shakespeare was able to define an era with his new and unique twist upon the Theatre Industry with has had a huge impact on the world.  The Romantic and the Victorians thought him as a genius, as well as his reputation increasing in the nineteenth century.  William Shakespeare tragically passed away in April 1616, but left a legacy which continues to be taught by people in the performing arts industry, whether it be learning a new speech technique, or acting technique, or even a stage management technique, it’ll most likely have a key part with Shakespearean Studies.  Shakespearean Studies are still taught today and will be to future generations.