The term Elizabethan refers to the period when Queen Elizabeth the First ruled England. Historians also called it the Golden age, a time in history where England was at its best economically, and more expansive than it’s been for about a thousand years. This era is best known for the blossoming of its theatre, music and poetry. William Shakespeare became one the most sought after playwrights during the ruling of Elizabeth the I. But first came Christopher Marlowe then Ben Johnson. There were many others whose works that are not as well-known as Shakespeare but deserve recognition. Some of them were “Thomas Kyd, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher, George Chapman, and John Ford” (p. 25 Shakespeare handbook) some of the names mentioned in this book.
The first theatre was head up by an actor named James Burbage in 1576 and it was simply called just the “Theatre”. As the “Theatre” became more and more popular others began building their own space for performances first came the Rose in 1587, the Swan in 1595, the Globe in 1599 and the Hope in 1605. The Globe theater is the most famous Elizabethan theatre and synonymous with William Shakespeare. The Globe was built in 1599 and it was the theatre for the Lord’s Chamberlain’s men which included actor James Burbage and William Shakespeare as shareholders. The Globe was a round 20 sided massive open air space held about 3,000 people, 3 floors of seats. At the base of the stage was the “pit”, that was where the “groundlings” stood to watch the performances. It’s what we refer to as the cheap seats now. The stage was rectangular also called an “apron stage” thrust out in the middle of an open yard. There was also a trap door where the actors and exited. The Globe was about 40 feet (12 meters) ...
... middle of paper ...
...Tamburlaine about the city treasury. Tamburlaine has him hung from the city walls. He takes the rest of the city’s population and ties them up and throw them in a nearby lake. Then he takes the Qur’an and burns it and declares himself the greater god. In the last act Timberline is taken ill but still manages to defeat one more enemy before his death. He tells his remaining sons to take over the rest of the earth on his deathbed.
This play’s was linked to Renaissance Humanism meaning spoke of man potential to arise to great power. Tamburlaine the great was among the first English plays introducing blank verse. Marlowe went on to write other plays dealing with controversial themes. Those included The Jew of Malta, Doctor Faustus, Edward the Second and the Massacre of Paris. Marlowe’s works holds a great place in history, his life was cut short at the age of 29.
Eighteenth century British theatre was perhaps the starting point that would evolve into modern theatre. Women started to be allowed on stage and acting techniques were beginning to change. Leading performers were like celebrities with a number of fans. Theatre was an intricate part of the social ladder. In the overall scheme of things the actors and actresses played an important part in making the theatre what it was. Without the performers there wouldn’t really be theatre, so in order to understand the eighteenth century British theatre the performers of that era need to be understood.
The music was played very often as a normal routine. People considered it a must to know how to play an instrument, sing, or be involved somehow with music in this age of time. Instruments in the 1600’s were able to make any type of music; the amazing part was no matter how many instruments you used it would always sound pure and the same. Another unique thing about the music and culture in the 1600’s is that it was also healthy for the body. During the Elizabethan Era the people would gather together to dance and dance for hours, their stamina must have been incredible. Music was use to entertain most people. Before the music became a big part in people life during the Elizabethan Era theatre played a really big part during this time. It was out of the ordinary for women to take part in or be a part of the theatre during this period of time. Do to the fact that women were not allowed to play in any of the plays or drama, younger boys who were still young played the role of women.
Like all the plays of Shakespeare, 'Romeo and Juliet' was written for a typical Elizabethan playhouse. These theatres came about from 1576, when the first theatre was built. Before this time, plays had been performed by a group of actors (all male) who travelled from town to town, using open places, such as inn-yards, or with permission, the hall of a noble house as a theatre. Shakespeare's own theatre the Globe was quite typical of that period. It was hexagonal in shape, with three roofed galleries that encircled an open courtyard.
The original Globe theater, built in 1576, was actually just called "The Theater" and was
The Globe Theater, a historical marvel was built in 1599 by two people/group by the names of William Shakespeare and The lord chamberlain's men. It was destroyed by a fire on june 26, 1613 and was built back again in 1614 in the same location and closed by an ordinance issued on september 6, 1642. Due to the puritans going around and saying what's right or not which in this case they thought that acting was a sin against god and all of london had banned plays. So shakespeare and a carpenter by the name Peter Street had dismantled and moved each piece of the globe (which in this case was timber) across river and put it back together to open back up on sometime in the summer of 1599 to open the the play Henry V. The globes actual dimensions are unknown but from the last two centuries can could determine the size and shape, evidence shows that the globe was an open air amphitheatre that could hold up to 3,000 people in the seats and close to 100 people in the pit. Many of the people that you would find in the pit would be called penny people. The reason why they were called penny people was because this was the location for the poor. But the higher you got, the wealthier
From 1588 through 1603 this marks history as the Elizabethan era. Known for its work of art, military actions, religious reform and a time in England’s growth, Queen Elizabeth rule has been one of the most efficient and rememberable of all Englands rulers. During Elizabeths rule a new and soon famous writer emerged. His names was William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Shakespeare has produced loads of sonnets and plays one being Hamlet. Hamlet can be seen though the Psychological and Archetypal lens.
Nowadays acting has become a very popular source of entertainment. One of the main times acting is first noticed was during medieval times. Back then church services were spoken in Latin and since not many people spoke the language, priest would often teach by acting them out. Plays were originally situated on an altar outside the church, but as time passed and they grew more popular, they were moved to a bigger platform. Soon there were not enough priest available to fill every role, so the church started hiring the townspeople.
The Globe Theatre was where Shakespeare had most of his plays performed. It had many decorations to make it look appealing and to try and to make it seem expensive and luxurious. The Globe Theatre was built in just 6 months between 1597 and 1598 just outside central London. The Thames River separated it from St Paul’s cathedral. The Globe was made in a round circular shape. This meant that at least one actor would have their back to the audience, however, this would not have mattered because the audience came mainly to hear the play – not to see it. When you were buying a seat for the theatre, the most expensive seats would not be the ones with the best view, they would be the closest ones in order to hear better. Also, these seats would be facing towards the audience, which means that everyone would see them, meaning fame. The Globe would usually be packed with decorations and ornaments. These would have nothing to do with the play, it was used to make the theatre look more attractive/expensive. Lots of people would come to see the plays. They would do this because Shakespeare’s plays were not published at that time so the public would want to see it...
Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Before this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days.
The Globe Theater is widely known as the world’s greatest amphitheatre of its time, bringing in crowds of thousands of people. The Globe was also where most of the famous playwright, William Shakespeare, performed his plays. With its unique design, the audience was able to enjoy the plays. Inside of this round and globe-like structure, the people from all around the area packed into the seats to watch Shakespeare and his actors. Despite the Globe Theater’s success, the theater had gone through many shut downs and rebuilding projects. Finally, the Globe was demolished for the last time. It was not until years later that the theater was discovered. Now, people from around the world are learning about this amphitheater and its role in the Renaissance time period. The Globe Theater is known for its structure, audience and actors, and history.
William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Johnson are names that have resonated through the centuries. Not since ancient Athens has there been such gluttony of talent, producing stories for the ages. Might Athens be were these Englishmen found their inspiration? Greece produced its share of legendary playwrights; Sophocles and Euripides are two of the most famous. There are far m Elizabethan England gave birth to some of the most famous names in theatre. ore similarities between Elizabethan and Greek Theatre then there are differences. The influence of both eras is felt even today, stage productions of Shakespeare and Euripides are performed from London too Broadway and everywhere in between. I believe that both eras have influenced modern theatre simply because the Greek so obviously influenced Elizabethan theatre.
William Shakespeare is the greatest playwright in the era of Renaissance of England. He was born in Stratford-on-Avon in 1564. Shakespeare spent his childhood in a rather affluent bourgeoisie. The boy went to the grammar school at Stratford and later he became an illustrious dramatist and poet in London. Shakespeare altogether creates 37 plays, two narrative poems and 154 sonnets in his lifetime.
In his two plays, Tamburlaine the Great, Parts I and II, Marlowe deviates from the norms of the theory of tragedy in his depiction of Tamburlaine. According to the Aristotelian theory of tragedy, a tragic hero is of a noble origin and enjoys a great rank right from the very beginning of the play. Furthermore, a tragic hero is, in a simple sense, a man likeable for his goodness or greatness. A tragic hero, in addition, is doomed to make a serious error that will cause his downfall and tragic death finally evoking pity and fear in the audience. In fact, Tamburlaine's character noticeably violates these three elements of the model tragic hero.
The Elizabethan Era was known as the Golden Age in England’s history when literature flourished under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I. Many different things contributed to the growth of literature during this era. The first thing was the Renaissance which changed peoples views on literature and influence them to invent new techniques for literature. The Protestant Revolution and the defeat of the Spanish Armada influenced what the authors during this time period were writing about. Lastly, the Elizabethan Era gave birth to three of the most renowned and remembered authors William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and Christopher Marlowe. All of these authors were influenced by the Elizabethan Era and then went on to influence other time periods and eras with their literary works, such as poems, dramas, and plays. The Elizabethan Era was very influential to literature.
The theater was one of the primary forms of entertainment in Elizabethan England, as anyone, rich or poor could attend the plays.The rich would sit in boxes or galleries, while the poorer people would have to stand for the entirety of the play (Haigh). The poor would stand in front of the stage which would normally be raised about 4 to 6 feet and the theater could hold on average 3,000 people (Trumbull). The rich however usually watched plays in indoor private theaters, but sometimes would watch the plays in the outdoor public ones. Performances ...