What was Shakespeare’s full name?
William Shakespeare
Where was Shakespeare born?
Stratford-Upon-Avon, England.
What was the name of Shakespeare’s wife?
Anne Hathaway.
What year was Shakespeare born?
1954.
What era did Shakespeare live in?
Elizabethan Era!
Correctly list the order of the Great Chain of Being.
God, Angels, Kings and Queens (monarchs), Commoners, Animals, Plants, Non-living things.
Using a full sentence, define the Great Chain of Being.
The Great Chain of Being is a hierarchical social structure practised by the Elizabethans which they believed was made by God.
What did people believe would happen if the natural order was disrupted?
People believed that chaos would take over society and unnatural things would happen.
Where did Shakespeare fall on the Great Chain of Being?
Shakespeare was a commoner.
Which monarch followed Queen Elizabeth the First?
King James I
Why was Witch Craft used in Shakespeare’s plays?
During the reign of King James, King James was obsessed with witches and feared them greatly. He wrote a book about them and also sent people on witch hunts across Scotland to rid the land of any witches because people believed they brought misfortune, bad luck and death. Shakespeare loved the monarchy and warned people of witchcraft in his plays because of this.
This many witches were killed during the reign of King James?
About 70-200.
What type of ways were witches killed during the witch hunt?
Set on fire, thrown off buildings and they were out on trial.
Answers may vary.
How did they used to test a person for being a witch?
They would duck the accused under water in a pond. If they floated they were declared a witch. If they didn’t float then they were innocent but they probably drowned.
What was the name of the theatre Shakespeare’s plays were performed in and where was it located?
The theatre Shakespeare’s plays were performed in is called The Globe Theatre and it was located in London.
List 2 features of the Globe Theatre.
Gallery above the hut, the heavens, the hut, galleries, yard/ pit, stage, backstage, Trap door, stage door.
What was the most expensive part of production for a Shakespearean play? Why?
The costuming was the most expensive part as the clothes were quite luxurious that actors were not allowed to wear them outside the theatre.
True or false: the ceiling of the Globe Theatre was closed.
False. It was open.
Why were plays banned in London?
Plays were banned in London because of the plague. People feared that large gatherings would spread the plague.
Why did actors carry a candle during a play?
Because the plays in open-air theatres were always performed in the daylight, the actors would carry candles during the night scenes to signal to the audience that it was dark.
Name a play written by Shakespeare that is NOT Romeo and Juliet.
Varied answers.