Shakespeare - Klett“He was not of an age, but for all time!” wrote Ben Jonson, a famous English...

Shakespeare @ 400

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A Common phrases

1 Read the German sayings below. Which ones sound as if they were originally penned by

William Shakespeare?

a) Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht.

b) Die Welt ist meine Auster.

c) Es ist nicht alles Gold was glänzt.

d) Ende gut, alles gut.

e) Das A und O.

f) Den Feind mit seinen eigenen Waffen schlagen.

g) Das Herz auf der Zunge tragen.

h) Borgen macht Sorgen.

i) Ist dies schon Tollheit, hat es doch Methode.

j) Zu viel des Guten.

2 Which have you heard before? With a partner, think of situations in which they might be used.

3 Now match the German phrases to the English equivalents.

1. Too much of a good thing.

2. All that glitters is not gold.

3. The be-all and end-all.

4. The world is my oyster.

5. There’s method in my madness.

6. Fight fire with fire.

7. I will wear my heart upon my sleeve.

8. All’s well that ends well.

9. There’s no fool like an old fool.

10. Neither a borrower nor a lender be.

B The bard

“He was not of an age, but for all time!”

wrote Ben Jonson, a famous English

writer, in his preface to a collection of

Shakespeare’s works just seven years af-

ter the bard’s death. Posterity has proven

Jonson’s words to be true.

There is only a very small amount of hard

proof documenting Shakespeare’s life, but

the amount of fame and success that he

achieved at the end of the sixteenth centu-

ry is undisputed. We know that he was born in April 1564 to an unexceptional family in a small but

beautiful town called Stratford-upon-Avon. He married when he was 18 and had three children be-

fore he was 21. The next known record of him is in 1592 when he was criticised publicly by another

playwright for trying to compete with more classically educated writers. Shakespeare spent some

years at a grammar school but never went to university and was therefore looked down upon by

Shakespeare @ 400



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more established playwrights at the outset of his career. By 1592, however, he had been in London

long enough to have made a name for himself.

From around 1594 Shakespeare acted with a company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. They

soon became the most successful acting company in London, and Shakespeare, one of the joint

owners, wrote many of their plays. His genius was noted in 1598 by Francis Meres, who wrote that

Shakespeare is “the most excellent in [comedy and drama] for the stage.” The bard was tremen-

dously prolific during this time. He probably wrote most of his 38 plays and 154 sonnets between

1589 and 1613. The Lord Chamberlain’s Men were patronised by Queen Elizabeth and had au-

diences of around 3,000 every day, at least when the theatres were not closed on account of epi-

demics or bad weather. In 1599 the company built its own theatre, the Globe.

At the time the theatre was the main form of public entertainment and theatres were visited

regularly by people from all walks of life. The importance of the theatre and of Shakespeare him-

self can be seen by an incident which occurred in 1601. The Earl of Essex, who had been one of

Queen Elizabeth’s favourites until he had some military troubles in Ireland, decided to overthrow

the Queen. In order to stir up trouble and gain sympathy with the public for his plan, he paid

Shakespeare’s troupe to put on Richard II including a scene where the king is deposed. The Earl of

Essex hoped that this would have been a signal to all the discontented masses to rise up against

Queen Elizabeth. His

plan failed and Essex

was later executed

for trying to depose

the Queen with the

Queen saying, “I am

Richard II, know ye

not that?” The Lord

Chamberlain’s Men

had to answer before

a court for their part

in the scheme, but

were allowed to go

free.

Shakespeare was

undoubtedly a man

of his age – recog-

nised by the Queen

and adored by the

masses – and today he is even better-known and probably more respected. Throughout 2016, the

fourth centenary of his death, his plays are still being put on throughout the world. His works are

produced for the stage more often than any other author’s. Scholars across the globe still study his

works and regularly bring out new interpretations. There are two theatres alone in England which

are dedicated to Shakespeare’s plays. What other author is so popular that a theatre is dedicated to

his or her works?

Shakespeare @ 400



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Why are Shakespeare’s works still popular after 400 years?

If we know little about Shakespeare himself, his works have been studied for hundreds of years by

top scholars all over the world. Although we don’t have any copies of any piece of work which was

actually hand-written by him, we have versions copied out by other people. So what was so special

about his plays, his sonnets and his poems? Why are they still popular today?

Firstly, Shakespeare was a genius with the English language. He wrote prose which flowed beauti-

fully and allowed his audience to empathise with his heroes. He was witty – humour was a necessity

in the London of that era – and even his tragedies provided moments in which his audience had rea-

son to laugh aloud. He invented hundreds of new words and expressions which were so expressive or

apt that they are still used today. “Well-read”, “amazement”, and “cold-hearted” have all been attri-

buted to Shakespeare. “To vanish into thin air”, “to back a horse”, “in my mind’s eye” are all common

expressions that he also penned.

Shakespeare’s storylines are entertaining and as relevant today as they were in his time. His tra-

gedies are re-enacted both on stage and in real life today as they were then. People fall in love with

people they should not, with tragic consequences as when Romeo and Juliet both died needlessly.

Greed for power makes people behave immorally and then find themselves incapable of living with

the consequences, as did Macbeth when he killed the King of Scotland so that he could take the

throne himself.

Shakespeare’s characters were complicated, fascinating and three-dimensional. The audience

could accept the characters and sympathise with them as we can today. Their speeches could pierce

the audience members’ souls one minute and draw laughter the next.

Reading and watching Shakespeare

Shakespeare lived at a time when the English language was changing rapidly. Many of the old

forms were dying out. For example, ‘thou’ was being used less and ‘you’ was becoming more popu-

lar. Shakespeare used some old forms and some new. However, he mostly used ‘thou’. Shakespeare’s

English is called Early Modern English and he helped to develop the language further. For all its

modernity, Shakespearean English is still quite difficult to read in the original even for English native

speakers.

It is a lot easier to understand if you know the context and you see it acted out. Read Lady

Macbeth’s famous sleepwalking scene from the play Macbeth, but first read a short summary of what

has happened up to that point in Act V.

C The drama

Macbeth

Macbeth was a brave general who was told by three witches that he would become King of Scotland.

This prophecy caused him to become ambitious and his wife encouraged him to murder King Dun-

can and take the throne himself. After the deed she became very remorseful and sometimes walked

and talked in her sleep.

In this speech a woman has asked a doctor for his help as she is worried about Lady Macbeth.


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Teacher’s page: Shakespeare @ 400


1 Read the text below and consider these questions.

a) How does Lady Macbeth feel?

b) What is she doing?

c) What is “the spot”? To what extent is it real or imaginary?

These words may need some explanation before you begin reading:

fie – interjection to express distaste

afeard – afraid

thane – in medieval Scotland, a person holding some of the king’s land; a baron

to mar – to spoil, ruin

Doctor How came she by that light?

Gentlewoman Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; ’tis her command.

Doctor You see, her eyes are open.

Gentlewoman Ay, but their sense is shut.

Doctor What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

Gentlewoman It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands:

I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

LADY MACBETH Yet here’s a spot.

Doctor Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my

remembrance the more strongly.

LADY MACBETH Out, damned spot! out, I say! – One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do’t. –

Hell is murky! – Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear

who knows it, when none can call our power to account? – Yet who would

have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.

Doctor Do you mark that?

LADY MACBETH The Thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? – What, will these hands

ne’er be clean? – No more o’ that, my lord, no more o‘ that: you mar all

with this starting.

Doctor Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Gentlewoman She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: heaven knows what

she has known.

LADY MACBETH Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not

sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!

Doctor What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

Gentlewoman I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole

body.

Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1

Shakespeare @ 400



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D Staging the play

Watching Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s plays were written to be staged. Watch this short video and think about the meaning

of the words again: Macbeth – Analyzing Staging in Act 5 – “Out Damned Spot!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS_Z4zBDItw

1 Describe Lady Macbeth’s feelings and actions.

2 What is “the spot”? Is it real or imaginary?

3 Describe the importance of the Doctor and the Gentlewoman in this scene.

How would the drama of the scene have been different if Lady Macbeth had been on stage alone?

4 After having watched the scene several times now, try to “translate” it into modern English.

E Discussion

Discuss in class or in small groups how the different productions of the scene made you feel. Could

you understand how Lady Macbeth was feeling? Did any of the portrayals help you empathise with

Lady Macbeth?


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A Common phrases

a) Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht. - There’s no fool like an old fool.

b) Die Welt ist meine Auster. - The world is my oyster.

c) Es ist nicht alles Gold was glänzt. - All that glitters is not gold.

d) Ende gut, alles gut. - All’s well that ends well.

e) Das A und O. - The be-all and end-all.

f ) Den Feind mit seinen eigenen Waffen schlagen. - Fight fire with fire.

g) Das Herz auf der Zunge tragen. - I will wear my heart upon my sleeve.

h) Borgen macht Sorgen. - Neither a borrower nor a lender be.

i) Ist dies schon Tollheit, hat es doch Methode. - There’s method in my madness.

j) Zu viel des Guten. - Too much of a good thing.

C The drama

1 After reading the excerpt from Macbeth, pupils should have a general idea of what is going

on in the scene.

a) Lady Macbeth shows how guilty she feels in this soliloquy.

b) She is sleepwalking and trying to wash her hands to get the blood off them, but

however much she washes them she cannot cleanse them.

c) Although there is no actual spot or mark on her hand, it seems real to her.

D Staging the play

1 Describe Lady Macbeth’s feelings and actions.

Lady Macbeth keeps rubbing her hands on each other as though she was washing them. However

much she washes them she cannot cleanse them. She wants to rid herself of her feelings of guilt but

realises that she cannot.

2 What is “the spot”? Is it real or imaginary?

There is no real spot or mark on her hand, but is perhaps “the spot on her conscience”. The blood of

the man that she and her husband killed is “still on her hands” and thus seems real to her.

3 Describe the importance of the Doctor and the Gentlewoman in this scene.

The Doctor and the Gentlewoman interpret and explain her actions. They also act as a contrast to

her temporary irrationality by their dry sanity.

How would the drama of the scene have been different if Lady Macbeth had been on stage alone?

Had Lady Macbeth been on stage alone, her actions and words would have been very unclear. The

audience could not have known, for example, that she was talking and walking in her sleep.


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4 After having watched the scene several times now, try to “translate” it into modern English.

Doctor How came she by that light? Where did she get that light?

Gentlewoman Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; ’tis her command.

Oh, it was next to her bed. She insists on having a light next to her all the time.

Doctor You see, her eyes are open Her eyes are open.

Gentlewoman Ay, but their sense is shut. But she sees nothing.

Doctor What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

What is she doing now? Look, how she is rubbing her hands.

Gentlewoman It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands: I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

Yes, she often does that. It looks as if she is washing her hands. I have seen her doing it for quarter of an hour.

LADY MACBETH Yet here’s a spot. But there’s still a mark.

Doctor Hark! she speaks: I will set down what comes from her, to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly.

Listen! She’s speaking. I will make notes so that I can remember better later.

LADY MACBETH Out, damned spot! out, I say! – One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do’t. – Hell is murky! – Fie, my lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? – Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.

Go away damned spot, I insist. One, two. It’s time to do it now. Hell is murky! I’m shocked, my lord! You are a soldier and yet afraid? Why do we need to be afraid when no one knows what happened nor who did it? But who would have thought the old man could have had so much blood in him.

Doctor Do you mark that? Did you hear that?

LADY MACBETHThe Thane of Fife had a wife: where is she now? – What, will these hands ne’er be clean? – No more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that: you mar all with this starting

The Baron of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? Oh, will these hands never be clean? Stop that, my lord – you will ruin it all with your nervousness.

Doctor Go to, go to; you have known what you should not.

Look what you have done! You have heard something you shouldn’t have.

Gentlewoman She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: heaven knows what she has known.

I know that she has said what she shouldn’t have said, though heaven knows what that was.

LADY MACBETHHere’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!

I can still smell blood on my hand. All the perfumes of Arabia will not make my hand smell clean again. On, oh, oh!

Doctor What a sigh is there! The heart is sorely charged.

What a sigh! She is very worried.

Gentlewoman I would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body.

I wouldn’t want to be in her place for the whole world!

All of Shakespeare’s works can be found online at:

http://shakespeare.mit.edu/

or

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/whystudyshakespeare.html

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