Exercise 2 page 84

Why we still study texts written a long time ago? Factors that may affect the reading of a text:

-to better understand human behavior
-to improve today's society by learning from the mistakes of others

Exercise 3 page 85

1. William Shakespeare has a central position in English culture because he has become a literary institution: he is the only compulsory author on the national curriculum, anybody in the UK study Shakespeare.
2. Shakespeare is quoted in daily newspapers, advertising and there and films studios make his works to prove their artistic credential. More over the English language is full of Shakespeare’s phrases.
3. Shakespeare’s play are the greatest literary text and Shakespeare is the best teacher of values. He is seen as a font of wisdom and a source of truth about human behavior. Shakespeare’s works live on. New approaches to his work often prove insights into the relationship between art and politics, literature and history, and important issue like gender, sexuality, class, ..

Exercise 4 page 85

Italy in the past has always been considered the cradle of art and literature. Italians are indeed Dante, Boccaccio, Petrarch, Ariosto, Manzoni ..
So I think that there is really a great author of the past, but that our culture is based rather on the variety of literary production.

Page 86 ex.1)

Family: William Shakespere was the eldest son and got eight brothers. His father was a yeoman

Education: He attended the local grammar school so he learnt about the use of language and classical authors.

Experiences: In 1584 he moved to London: playhouse
First works: into one of the acting companies

Later works: He became a shareholder and the main playwright of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. In 1599 his company built the Globe Theatre

Exercise 4 page 88

In the 16th century, London had spread …c.north of the Thames
Evidence of the traditional trades can still be seen … c. in particular areas
What was the Londoners’ attitude towards the theatre at that time? …c. it was popular with all Londoners
Elizabethan theatre were situated … c. along the south bank of the river
Boy companies at Shakespeare’s time …a. were more successful than adult companies
Why was London such a dreadful place to live in at that time?...d. because it was particularly unhealthy
Why were the London acting companies unwelcome in other towns?... c. because they might be carrying disease
Overall, London in the 16th century could be considered … b. unhealthy and overcrowded

Exercise 6 page 92

Queen Elizabeth I loved watching plays, but these were generally performed in indoor playhouses for her pleasure. She would not have attended the plays performed at the playhouses such as the Globe.
The upper-class nobles would have paid for the better seats in the “Lord’s rooms” paying 5p for the privilege.
The “groundlings” were the standing members of the audience. For one penny, it was the price of a loaf of bread, they could stand in the open yard.
They used to put the money in a box at the theatre entrance, hence the term “box office”. The gentry would pay to sit in the galleries, often using cushions for comfort. Rich nobles could watch the play on a chai set on the side of the stage itself. The crowd of spectators ate and drank during the performance and freely expressed their emotions. They loved metaphor and extremes and felt deeply moved by long speeches and soliloquies. Horror, macabre scenes and revenge tragedies were most popular, as famous as history plays where heroic deeds, battles and weapons evoked strong feelings.
People used to applaud any notable event during the play, but it was only at the end that they could be really noisy. There was often a “jig”, a comic song and dance story, and the company would announce the next play in the repertoire. The audience would show their approval or disapproval of the choice by calling, whistling and even throwing things.