Events & People Flashcards
The Civil Wars
historical epic poem that covers the period of the Wars of the Roses in England, detailed account of the conflicts between the Houses of York and Lancaster
The Wars of the Roses
upheavals of a roughly 85-year period
near the beginning of the fifteenth century, England’s royal family was locked in a power struggle that periodically erupted into violence. The name “Wars of the Roses,”references the symbols of the two related but competing families: the Lancasters, symbolized by a red rose, and the Yorks, symbolized by a white rose
Shakespeare wrote the plays as a deconstruction of the war
Richard II came from the House of Plantagenet
Features of the revenge play
Revenge plays: display 5 features
Wild justice, the wild is seldom just (survival of the fittest)
Revenge in a culture is often wild justice, unauthorized violent action:
Horrible occurrences but systems and institutions do not aid in compensating for the damage
Wild justice: taking revenge for self
Revenge follows a devious path towards a violent end
Devious path: revenge is taken through strategy, subterfuge, rules to set a trap for the target
Need for inner compulsion:
Emotional intensity, not just a legal issue or tit for tat
Pyschic satisfactions of revenge:
Need victim to know what is happening and why
Satisfaction depends on a moment of declaration and vindication
Revenge is a universal imperative more powerful than any belief system
Nahum Tate:
an English poet and playwright who is primarily known for his adaptation of Shakespeare’s play “King Lear” in the late 17th century. Tate’s adaptation, titled “The History of King Lear,” was first performed in 1681 and became the dominant version of the play on the English stage for over 150 years.
The most significant alteration Tate made was providing a more optimistic and happy ending to the play, in contrast to the tragic conclusion of Shakespeare’s version.
In Tate’s adaptation, Cordelia survives, Lear is reconciled with his daughters, and Edgar and Cordelia fall in love. These changes were meant to offer a more satisfying resolution for the audience, departing from the tragic and dark ending of Shakespeare’s original play.
Lucius Junius Brutus
had driven King Tarquin from Rome on the grounds that he (and his family) had been abusing power.
was a Roman statesman who played a crucial role in the overthrow of the last Roman king, Tarquin the Proud, and the establishment of the Roman Republic. According to legend, he led a successful rebellion against the tyrannical rule of the Tarquin dynasty and became one of the first consuls of Rome. Brutus’s actions were celebrated as an example of patriotism, self-sacrifice, and the defense of republican values.
instituted a republic: government not by a king but by a senate composed of patricians (aristocrats). Soon regarded to be inadequate: large plebeian (working) class demanded a say in the city’s rule. After the rebellion depicted in Coriolanus I.1., plebeians were granted the right to elect their own representatives: tribunes
Plautus: Menaechmus and Amphitruo
ancient Roman comedies that feature the idea of identical or mistaken identity
Menaechmus,” the main plot revolves around two identical twin brothers, both named Menaechmus, who are separated at a young age. One of them ends up in a foreign city where he becomes wealthy, while the other remains in their hometown
“Amphitruo,” revolves around the god Jupiter assuming the appearance of the soldier Amphitryon and spending a night with his wife, Alcmene, while the real Amphitryon is away at war. When the real Amphitryon returns, he finds himself in a web of mistaken identity as Jupiter, still in the form of Amphitryon, refuses to admit his true identity.
Al - Annuri
Moroccan ambassador, Othello
The Peasants’ Revolt
Major uprising across large parts of England in 1381
Against a poll tax (like Thatcher)
○ Also resented the fact that they had to work for free on church land to feed the clergy
○ Richard II meets with the peasants and makes a deal with them, guaranteeing:
§ Personal freedoms
§ Free land
§ Free trade
Extremely radical reforms, his major political achievement, that helped to put off a war with the peasants, and also got him some respect and admiration from his advisors
Christopher Marlowe’s “The Jew of Malta” (1589):
Marlowe’s play features Barabas, a Jewish merchant who is depicted as a villainous, scheming character. Like Shylock, Barabas is driven by revenge and uses his financial prowess to manipulate others. Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” is often compared to Marlowe’s play due to the similarities in their portrayal of Jewish characters and their exploration of themes related to money, religion, and revenge. It is likely that Shakespeare was influenced by Marlowe’s portrayal of Jewish characters when shaping the character of Shylock.
Gesta Romanorum (translated in 1577):
medieval Latin collection of moral tales and exempla. One story, often cited as a possible source for “The Merchant of Venice,” tells the tale of a Jewish moneylender who lends money to a Christian merchant but seeks a pound of flesh as repayment. This story shares similarities with the plotline in Shakespeare’s play, suggesting that the Gesta Romanorum may have been an influence on the characterization of Shylock.
John Gower’s “Confessio Amantis” (1390):
In this work, there is a story of a usurious Jewish creditor who seeks a pound of flesh as repayment for a debt. This narrative shares similarities with the plotline in “The Merchant of Venice,” where Shylock demands a pound of flesh from Antonio. While Gower’s work may have influenced Shakespeare, it is important to note that Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock is more nuanced and complex compared to Gower’s depiction.
- Giovanni Boccaccio’s “Decameron” (1353):
This collection of tales includes a story called “Patient Griselda,” in which a Jewish moneylender appears as a villainous character. This portrayal reflects the common anti-Semitic stereotypes of the time, depicting Jews as greedy and untrustworthy. It is possible that Shakespeare drew inspiration from this negative portrayal of Jewish moneylenders when developing the character of Shylock.
Cambridge Plot (the Southampton Plot), 1415
An attempt by a group of conspirators led by Richard, Earl of Cambridge, to kill Henry V and place the Earl of March on the throne.
Earl of March (Edmund Mortimer): heir presumptive of Richard II. After R’s forced abdication in 1399, Mortimer served as a focal point for conspiracies aimed at removing Henry and his heirs from the throne. In 1405 Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, tried unsuccessfully to oust Henry IV and place Mortimer on the throne. In 1415 the Earl of Cambridge and his friends were ready to try again.
The conspirators planned to kill the king and his three brothers as they boarded a ship to France at Southampton. All three major conspirators arrested and executed. Henry sailed as planned to France, and eventual triumph at the Battle of Agincourt
Giambattista Giraldi Cinthio
an Italian writer and playwright of the 16th century, played a significant role in the development of Shakespeare’s Othello. His work “Hecatommithi” (1565) included a story called “Un Capitano Moro” (A Moorish Captain), which served as the primary source of inspiration for Shakespeare’s play.
Cinthio’s story featured a Moorish captain named Disdemona, a treacherous ensign named Iago, and a tragic narrative of jealousy, betrayal, and murder. Shakespeare borrowed these central characters and the core plot, but he expanded and modified them to create more complex and psychologically nuanced portrayals.
Gunpowder plot
On 4th November 1605 a plot was foiled, to blow up England’s new King, James I. Already the Protestant King of Scotland, James had succeeded Elizabeth I to the English throne in 1603. English Catholics had suffered years of persecution, a trend that was set to continue under the new King.
The gunpowder plot was a violent reaction to this persecution. The plan was simple: Kill James and replace him with a Catholic monarch. The 5th November was chosen as the assassination date, as the King would be present at Parliament that day. Explosives were stashed under the Palace of Westminster,
However, Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder were discovered on the evening of the 4th November
