Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, on April 23, 1564. He spent most of his career in London as an actor and writer with the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later renamed the King's Men. Shakespeare published most of his work between 1594 and 1613, including 'Romeo and Juliet,' which was based on a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke. Shakespeare's version expanded the themes and content of the original, making romance a legitimate subject for tragedy. He died on April 23, 1616, and is buried in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford.

Where was William Shakespeare born?

• Cambridge

• Stratford-upon-Avon

• London

• Oxford

Which theatrical company did Shakespeare join in London?

• The Royal Players

• The Lord Chamberlain's Men

• The Queen's Company

• The King's Men

What significant change happened to Shakespeare's company after Queen Elizabeth I's death?

• It stopped performing Shakespeare's plays

• It was renamed to The King's Men

• It was disbanded

• It moved to Stratford

What was the original name of the company that became The King's Men?

• The Royal Players

• The Queen's Company

• The Lord Chamberlain's Men

• The Globe Troupe

During which years did Shakespeare publish most of his work?

• 1564 to 1580

• 1580 to 1600

• 1594 to 1613

• 1600 to 1620

When was Romeo and Juliet written?

• Between 1580 and 1585

• Between 1610 and 1615

• Between 1600 and 1605

• Between 1591 and 1596

What was a common practice among Renaissance authors?

• Creating entirely new stories

• Focusing on historical events

• Reworking existing stories

• Writing only poetry

What was the primary skill of Renaissance writers according to the transcript?

• Writing in multiple genres

• Creating new languages

• Devising original plots

• Choosing source material to explore themes

What was the source material for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

• A German play

• A Spanish novel

• A Greek myth

• A long narrative poem by Arthur Brooke

Who inspired Arthur Brooke's poem?

• A German playwright

• A French translation of an Italian tale

• A Spanish poet

• An English novelist