Known by many as Shakespeare’s theatre, the Globe theatre is the epitome of the statement, “Third times the charm.” As it has burned to the ground, was destroyed by puritans and now stands today in its third, non-flammable form, “The New Globe Theatre.” All three of the Globe theatres have been built in similar fashion with a thrust stage surrounded by a two story; circular shaped building that housed magnificent audiences. Attracted by the special effects and the various plays produced by The Kings Men, the audiences only slowed when outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague occurred. Approximately 400 years ago William Shakespeare’s theatre troop built one of the most famous Elizabethan theatres, “The Globe Theatre.”
At the beginning of the Elizabethan era, prior to 1576, plays took place in inn-yards, the houses of Noblemen, or in extreme circumstances on open ground. Then in 1576, the first playhouse was opened by James Burbage the holder of a lease that allowed him to open “The Theatre.” In the years following the opening of “The Theatre” many open air playhouses sprung up from the ground in and around London. Finally in 1599, the most famous Elizabethan playhouse, “The Globe,” was built by the theatre company in which William Shakespeare had stake. The initial globe theatre, home to Shakespeare’s theatre troupe was only in commission for approximately 14 years, before it was burned to the ground. Not for heresy, but because a special effects canon stuffed with gunpowder and wadding set the thatch roof on fire. The King's Men, formally known as Lord Chamberlain’s Men quickly rebuilt the Globe, but included tile roofing in order to protect the integrity of the Globe. The second Globe Theatre was built in 1614 and was rebuil...
... middle of paper ...
...the Elizabethan era. This happened in 1593, 1603 and 1608 when all theaters were closed due to the Bubonic Plague. William Shakespeare no doubt used these periods of closure to write more plays and go home to Stratford.
The Globe theatre, although in its third trial run has remained one of the most famous theatres in London. Despite multiple setbacks caused by fire and the Bubonic Plague Shakespeare, possibly the most famous playwright and actor, put the globe on the map with his remarkable plays. Reduced to a tourist attraction, the Globe attracts people from all over the world in order to experience a piece of historical drama that cannot be matched by any other landmark of historical theatre. Approximately 400 years ago William Shakespeare’s theatre troop built one of the most famous Elizabethan theatres, unknowingly cementing their contribution in history.
The Old Globe Theatre had many rules, but most of them changed after it was destroyed in a fire in 1613. One of the rules that dramatically changed was the system that...
Hodges, C. Walters. The Globe Restored: A Study of the Elizabethan Theatre. London: Oxford University Press, 1968. Print.
The Restoration in England was an era ripe for the development of new ideas in the arts. The return of the Stuart monarchy under Charles II marked the end of eighteen years of almost dictatorial control by Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan parliament. Cromwell had campaigned actively to halt all theatrical activity. In the end, however, his laws were actually responsible for helping move England forward in theatrical history. Actors, under Cromwell's laws, were to be apprehended a rogues if they were caught "in the act" so to speak of performing their trade. Some left their careers and sought employment elsewhere. Most, however, remained undaunted by parliament's threats. Productions continued quietly in tennis courts, inns and private houses. Officials were bribed to keep silent their knowledge of violations. The theater in England had moved indoors as it had already done in France and Italy. Although the reasons for the move were different, the end result was the same. Up until this time plays had always been performed outdoors in the early afternoon. Performances traditionally relied on sunlight, natural scenery, and minimal set pieces that could be easily transported from one location to another. Indoor productions required something much more elaborate. The preliminary concepts of scenic design and lighting design began to form in England in the late 1650's. During the Restoration, as controls were lifted, technical theater began to flourish. Many early examples of modern stage techniques were born between 1660 and 1800, making the Restoration a significant era in the history of scenic design and lighting for the theater. The art of scenic design did not begin in England. As early as 1570 the Italians were giving elaborate opera performances in the ducal courts using perspective scenes and various types of stage machinery. The French mimicked the design ideas of the Italian's and gave them a name, la scene a l'italienne. (Southern 221) Although Cromwell had banned public theater, opera was still considered a lawful art form. In England, just prior to the Restoration, John Webb designed the scenery for William D'avenant's 'opera' production of The Siege of Rhodes.
The original Globe theater, built in 1576, was actually just called "The Theater" and was
"Elizabethan Theatre Audiences." Elizabethan Theatre Audiences. Strayer University, 16 May 2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
The Shakespearean world of the late 1500's and early 1600's was very, very different from our own. Though there are differences, there are also some similarities. The world of Shakespeare is a unique, and again, is much different than our own.
In many popular television shows, themes of scheming, feuding and backstabbing are common because this type of drama attracts audiences and good ratings. The use of malicious dramatic themes in entertainment was common in Shakespeare 's time as well. An aging or sick patriarch with three offspring holds a contest to see which of his children will inherit his “kingdom” does not sound unfamiliar to us. This kind of dramatic plot is featured in both Shakespeare’s King Lear, as well as Fox’s more modern hit television show, Empire.
Russell Brown, J. 1995. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
William Shakespeare’s intellectual use of the English language is what brought him prosperity throughout his lifetime, and what brings us to tears and laughter in the modern world. The life of Shakespeare is of great importance to English literature because of his many contributions including poetry, stories, and plays. However, many people do not know that he also owned a business. “William Shakespeare was a professional actor, a businessman, and a playwright. Today, nearly four hundred years after his death his plays are still performed” (Greenhill and Wignall 4).
middle of paper ... ... Over the next decade, attempts to revive performances were made but this edict practically closed theaters, marking the end of Elizabethan drama. Bibliography:..
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.
The outbreak of the plague during Shakespeare's life reflected in his writing, resulting in a far more massive number of tragedies than comedies. The tragic deaths of his main characters are speculated to have been a reference to important people in his life dying unexpectedly. There were time periods in which the plague was rather stagnant in London, between which there were spikes of rampant infection. The writing of Macbeth coincided most closely with the outbreak of 1603, two years before the release of the play (http://faculty.history.wisc.edu).... ...
The name most associated with excellence in theatre is William Shakespeare. His plays, more than any other playwright, resonate through the ages. It may be safe to say that he has influenced more actors, directors, and playwrights than any thespian in the history of the stage. But what were his influences? During the Middle Ages theatre was dominated by morality, miracle, and mystery plays that were often staged by the church as a means to teach the illiterate masses about Christianity. It wasn’t until the early sixteenth century that Greek tragedy experienced a revival, in turn, inspiring a generation of renaissance playwrights.
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 ...