Shakespeare BrainPop
Biography
Getting to know William Shakespeare and his master pieces
Enjoy this movie, then visit BrainPOP dot com for much more. Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, lord Vader. You're sad, you're sad. Line? Beep. Oh, right. You're sad, devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes or giving you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels hidden. Thanks. Dear Tim and Moby, who was William Shakespeare. From Aaron William Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers in the history of the English language. He wrote 37 plays 154 sonnets and a bunch of other stuff. Beep. Oh, a sonnet is a type of 14 line poem.
William Shakespeare was born in England in 1564 in the village of Stratford upon Avon he got married at age 18 and moved to London sometime afterward. Other than that, we don't know a lot about his early life. But by 1594, he was one of the most popular playwrights and actors in the city. Beep. Yep, he was an actor as well as a writer. Shakespeare's history plays told the stories of kings and rulers from days gone by. Like Richard the third, an evil hunchback who plotted to usurp the throne of England. And Henry V, a warrior prince who led the English army to glory on the battlefield. Beep. You're bored? Come on. These plays have got intrigue, violence, romance. What more could you want? Beep. You like comedies? Well, Shakespeare wrote plenty of them, too.
They poke fun at human weaknesses, especially love, and usually end up with a marriage or celebration. In a midsummer night's dream ferries play magical pranks on some people lost in the Woods. And 12th night derives humor out of cross dressing and mistaken identity. Beep. What do you mean it's not funny? Back in Shakespeare's day, all sorts of people love those plays. So, in 1599, his acting company, the lord Chamberlain's men, built a brand new theater for them. It was called the globe theater, and it quickly became the most popular playhouse in London. Wealthy people bought tickets for stadium style seats around the edge. Meanwhile, regular folks sat right below the stage in an area called the pit. Because their area was on the ground, these playgoers were called groundlings.
Shakespeare made sure to please them by filling his plays with plenty of puns and slapstick humor. And his intricate plots and complex characters drew everyone into the drama being staged. Beep. Yeah, Shakespeare's tragedies are considered as best work. They can be very dark and all was end in death. And they usually contain flawed heroes who make costly mistakes. Hamlet tells the story of a prince who can't bring himself to take revenge on his murderous stepfather. Othello is about a Moorish general who's brought down by his scheming, jealous lieutenant. And Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's bloodiest plays. It's about a Scottish noble man who becomes king by killing off all his rivals oh, you like that one, huh? Most of Shakespeare's plays fit into those three categories, comedies, histories, and tragedies, and a fourth category, the tragic comedies, or romances, have elements of both tragedy and comedy in them, like the tempest, about an island ruled by an angry sorcerer.
William Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52, but his plays are still performed everywhere around the world. They've remained popular because they reflect truths about human nature that apply to every time and place. That's why you'll often see versions of Shakespearean plays with unusual settings. You know, like a version of Macbeth, set in the army, or a Romeo and Juliet in a modern American high school. Hey, let's get back to practicing my lines. The plays on in two weeks. Hey, don't do that. It kind of freaks me out, visit us at BrainPOP dot com for more on this topic and hundreds of others. You'll find movies, games, quizzes, and activities. For learning at your fingertips, check out our mobile apps