Expert Circles Activity #1
Topic 1:
William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon was not considered a likely candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works as his biography, particularly his humble origins and obscure life seemed incompatible with his poetic eminence and reputation for genius.
There are more than 70 possible authorship candidates, including Francis Bacon, the 6th Earl of Derby, Christopher Marlowe, and the 17th Earl of Oxford.
I think that the most likely candidate to have written Shakespeare’s works is Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. This is because Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works. Also, J. Thomas Looney, an English schoolteacher, proposed Oxford as a candidate for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works and his theory was based on perceived analogies between Oxford’s life and poetic techniques and Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. Hence, I think that the most likely candidate to have written Shakespeare’s works is Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
Topic 2:
Elizabeth I was Queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 24 March 1603.
During the Elizabeth’s reign, there were conflicts between England and Spain, Scotland and Ireland. However, England was alliance with Netherlands during the Elizabeth’s reign.
The relationship between Shakespeare and Elizabeth I was employer-employee relationship. Shakespeare was throughout his life greatly indebted to the patronage and support of royal and noble personages; his royal patrons were Queen Elizabeth and King James I, both of whom greatly loved the drama.
Portia has a nature which is at once finely sensitive and very determined. Feminine in her intuitions, she can also be strong-willed, resourceful, resolute, romantic and witty. She has a keen insight into human character. Like Portia, Elizabeth I was determined, intelligent and well educated. Also, Elizabeth I managed to overcome challenges like defeating the Spanish Armada, just like Portia who managed to save Antonio from receiving his forfeit.
Topic 3:
Only the wealthy people bathe and use soap. They think that washing their hair is unhealthy. The notion of cleanliness had a different meaning for the Elizabethans. During that period, when Queen Elizabeth ruled and Shakespeare wrote, personal hygiene as we practice it was virtually nonexistent.
Poor diets consisting of sugary candy, which were favored by the wealthy, resulted in rotten teeth. The wealthy feasted on a variety of meats and breads. The lower class subsisted on fish, cheese and bread. Both rich and poor alike ate few fruits and vegetables, resulting in a prevalence of scurvy.
Recreation during the Elizabethan Era encompassed spectator/blood sports, team sports, simple games, and individual amusement activities. Queen Elizabeth enjoyed hunting--at age 67 she was occasionally found on horseback loving the "thrill of the chase".
Rich had country mansions. Tudor manors were remodeled to be lived in. The poor lived in ghettos in mud houses within the towns and cities. In London, the rich lived in the West while the poor lived in the East, where modern day Fleet Street is.
Bright colours, elaborate trimmings, and excessive padding are the most notable characteristics of Elizabethan dress. Padding was so full that all outward semblances to the human form were completely lost, both to men and to women.
Topic 4:
Venice in the 14th and 15th century was fighting and acquiring islands and various territories on the way to the Middle East. Venice started declining in the 16th century after various attacks like the Kingdoms of France and Spain. However, Venice flourished and was an important trading centre and art centre due to its stable political climate. There were over a 100,000 people living in Venice in the 15th and 16th century. Venetian craftsmen produced various decorative arts, including sculptures, lace, glassworks, paintings and ceramics. Merchants traded wool and silk and various other products.
Venice was a centre for Renaissance culture in the 15th and 16th century. Architecture, art, music and literature flourished in Venice. The printing of books in the Italian language was initiated in Venice and contributed to the Italian Renaissance. The Venetian School polychoral compositions were famous throughout Europe in the late 16th century. Trading was also very important in Venice as it was along one of the main trading routes during the Renaissance.
Though William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon never visited Venice, other candidates for Shakespeare authorship including de Vere did visit Italy. The personal travels to Venice allowed Shakespeare to gain a better understanding of life in Venice. The Merchant of Venice had to be set in a place where Jews were allowed, and could not be in countries where Jews were forbidden to live in (most countries in Europe). Venice, however, allowed Jews and there were many instances where those who borrowed from Jewish moneylenders fail to repay their loans. Trading was also common in Venice with Antonio being the merchant.
Topic 5:
The dominant religion in England during the 15th century was the Catholics but in the 16th century, the Christians became the dominant religion in England. The dominant religion in Venice in both 15th and 16th century were the Jews.
There was such animosity between Jews and Christians as the Jews tried to exterminate the Christians and that sparked off a bad start. This resulted in unhappiness in both religion.
Many countries like France and Austria expelled Jews and in countries that did not ban Jews from their country, they were heavily discriminated and had many restrictions. They were only limited to jobs, land ownership and residential areas that made them seem inferior from the other citizens.
Topic 6:
Shakespeare’s plays were performed in 3 storey high open-air theatres like the Globe Theatre which do not have electricity.
The physical constraints of the theatre affect the language of Shakespeare’s plays as the theatre was open air and there was no scenery. To make the play seem realistic, Shakespeare would have to describe the setting and time of each new scene to the audience through dialogue or action in the play.
Men were only allowed to work in theatres as it was deemed to be an unsuitable place for women to work in. The female roles of plays were taken up by adolescent boys whose voice had not yet broke. The royalty, nobility and commoner all went to see the plays performed in theatres. Elizabethan drama was a common recreation for many of the people during Elizabeth’s reign.
The City of London authorities disliked the public performances of plays. However, the Queen was a frequent patron of the plays and the theatre was supported by the Privy’s Council.
Difference between the modern-day Globe Theatre in London and the theatres that Shakespeare worked in:
The globe theatre in the 16th century was a three storey octagonal-shaped open-air theatre and was made of timber. There was a central open area and a raised rectangular platform in the middle of the building for the actors to perform. A trap door was built under the platform. There was a pit in front of the platform where the commoners watched the play from. Directly opposite the pit were rows of seat on the three stories of the building for the nobility and royalty. There was a balcony where musicians were positioned. There were large columns at the sides of the stage supporting the roof above the stage. The roof was painted with clouds and the sky and was known as the “heavens”.
The modern day open-air Globe Theatre in London was built by Sam Wanamaker and opened in 1997. The modern theatre followed the physical structure of the old Globe Theatre and has a thrust stage with three stories of audiences’ seats, which are simple benches. Plays are performed in the afternoons as natural light is used to brighten the theatre. No spotlights are used, music is played there and then, and no amplification is used for the actors. The building was constructed with English Oak with no steel, similar to the old Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre has the first and only thatched roof since the Great Fire of 1666 and is protected with water sprinklers and fire retardants to prevent the roof from catching on fire. The pit is made of concrete unlike the earthen ground in the 16th century theatre. The stage has extensive backstage support areas and is connected to a lobby, gift shop, restaurant and visitors’ centre. The seating capacity is 857 and 700 people can stand at the pit and watch.
