The document provides biographical information about William Shakespeare and discusses the context in which he wrote. It describes Shakespeare as a renowned English poet and playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon. It then discusses Elizabethan England, noting the social hierarchy, theatres of the time, and how the Renaissance influenced Shakespeare's psychologically complex characters and exploration of humanity across social positions.

1. Done by: Zac Lee (31) 2P3 William shakespeare’s ‘MERCHANT of Venice’

11. William shakespeare The effect of the set up on the play: - No props - No actresses - Narrator thus had to say or narrate out the places and scenes

12. The Renaissance Meaning Renaissance: - the forms and treatments in art used during this period. - the activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century, marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world.

13. The Renaissance How did the renaissance affect/ influence Shakespeare’s work? - Shakespeare updated the simplistic, two-dimensional writing style of pre-renaissance drama. He focused on creating “human” characters with psychologically complexity. Hamlet is perhaps the most famous example of this. The upheaval in the accepted social hierarchy allowed Shakespeare to explore the humanity of every character regardless of their social position. Even monarchs are given human emotions and are capable of making mistakes. Shakespeare utilized his knowledge of Greek and Roman classics when writing his plays. Before the renaissance, these texts had been suppressed by the Catholic Church.