Prime Time 7, Coursebook plus Semester Self-checks

25 30 35 Christopher Marlowe Elizabeth I The case for the Earl of Oxford is based on the idea that a nobleman at the time could not very well be associated with the theatre as actors had such a low reputation. Therefore, wishing to remain anonymous, he used Shakespeare as a front man. The Earl, however, died in 1604, when Shakespeare was yet to write Macbeth , King Lear , Cymbeline , The Tempest and six other plays. The Oxfordians still defend their position by arguing that the Earl wrote these plays before he died, kept them in stock and ordered that they should be staged after his death. As far as Queen Elizabeth is concerned, she certainly had a very good education, was fluent in a number of foreign languages, and was greatly interested in the theatre. The point that is made for her is the way in which women are shown in Shakespeare’s plays: often they are self-confident, sometimes even headstrong, and outwit their male counterparts. The Queen herself was like that – but did she really have the time to write 39 plays? And besides, she, too died in 1603, well before Shakespeare ended his literary career. b) Close the book and write down all the information you can remember. c) Check your notes with your partner but do not use the book. Ask each other questions if you are not sure about the things you remember. d) Check your notes with the book and/or with another source of reference if necessary. A job interview with young William Shakespeare a) In pairs, pick a role card each and prepare the following conversation. Before you start, go through the texts of this unit and do some research on the internet to get some additional ideas. b) Act out your dialogue. 4  Role card A Actor and theatre owner You are an important actor and theatre owner in Elizabethan London who is looking for young talents: actors, writers, singers, etc. You are interviewing a young man from a small town in the country. You want to find out about his talents and if he is fit to be a valuable member of your theatre company. Role card B William Shakespeare Your name is William Shakespeare. You are a young, talented man from Stratford-upon-Avon interested in acting and writing for the stage. You have not produced very much yet, but you are confident that you will be able to leave your mark on the theatrical world in more ways than one. You want to convince the interviewer that you are the person he is looking for. 141 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv