The Globe Theatre

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The Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre is probably the most important structure in

Shakespeare's dramatic career. The Chamberlain's Company built it in

1599, and it stood on the Southern shore of the Thames River in

London. At this time Shakespeare was a member of the Chamberlain's

Company, and therefore he became a shareholder in the theatre. The

profits actors made off of their shares were their main means of

support, as it was for Shakespeare.

The Globe was just one of many theatres built in London around this

time. The residents of London were in mood for entertainment, and in

response many theatres for acting, bear baiting, and bull baiting were

built throughout the countryside.

Wealthy individuals were often patrons of the performances, and would

therefore purchase a theatre of their own, or in some cases an acting

company would purchase a theatre and play only for selected groups.

Some of these theatres located in London were The Black friars I and

II, St. Paul's, The White friars, Salisbury Court, The Cockpit, and

Drury Lane.

The original globe theatre

The Chamberlain's Company, who built the Globe, formed in 1594. At the

time, it was one of only two licensed acting companies in London.

Among the eight actors in the group were Shakespeare and Richard

Burgage, (who was another notable English actor). Of the eight, only

six donated the funds used to build the theatre. The Chamberlain's

Company later changed its name to the King's Company when James took

over the English throne.

The Globe wElizabethan Playhouseas the most important structure to

Shakespeare's drama because most of his plays were written to be

performed on the stage of the Globe. Those plays written by

Shakespeare under the context of performance at the Globe include:

Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Othello, Measure for Measure,

King Lear, MacBeth, Anthony and Cleopatra, Pericles, Prince of Tyre,

and Cymbeline.

Plays were important to the residents of London because they were an

efficient way of getting a message to many people and entertain them

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