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Shakespeare’s World:
Elizabethan England.
Life in London.
Elizabethan Theatre
The Globe
William Shakespeare
Other important actors, poets, playwrights
ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
Country unified, trade and
commerce flourished
Age of exploration
Expanding with confidence and
reflecting in it the drama of the
period
England became a dominant
force under Elizabeth I (15581603)
London largest city in Europe.
Population: 93,000 in 1564.
200,000 by 1599. Doubles again
in 50 years.
Continued.
1558 to 1603 (Elizabeth I's reign)
 Renaissance: Rebirth out of darker times.
 Male superiority
 Return to Protestantism
 Improvement of the educational system
 English language gains importance
 In Italy, Galileo invents the telescope =
challenges the way people think about Earth
and the universe.
 Drama, theatres and Shakespeare
QUEEN ELIZABETH the 1st
Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
Believed in royal absolutism:
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Rising against her and
her laws was not only criminal but also a blasphemous act
People thought Democracy was silly. The Monarchy is based
on hierarchy of power as seen in the Bible: God, angels,
humans, etc. = Kings, Nobles, normal people, etc.
Queen Elizabeth Had an immense influence over the country;
politically and socially
She was very popular with her people.
She represented greatness to her people.
She loved the theater (others wanted to close all theaters
because they were “sinful”).
Reckless, unpredictable:
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execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
imprisonment of Sir Walter Raleigh
Persecution of Catholics
King James became King in 1603
He loved the theater (as did Elizabeth).
He made Shakespeare’s theater group (The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men) into his own group. The
name changed to The King’s Men.
King James also requisitioned the first English
translation of the Bible, called the King James
version of the Bible. It was published in 1611.
ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
cont.
The Theatres in London
were not on the “better”
side of the River Thames
They were located on the
Bishop of Canterbury’s
Land, across the river
from downtown London.
Surrounded by
brothels,pubs and gaming
houses
Bear baiting matches were
held at theaters if no play
was scheduled.
Life in London around 1600
Was a labyrinth of tiny streets, with only one route
across the Thames, the river which dominated the city
Most of the 200,000+ population was crammed within
the city walls.
Sanitation issues lead to rise in disease and plague.
The lord mayor ran the city
The houses and palaces of the nobility lay to the west,
near Westminster (safe from plague outbreaks).
People worked long hours, with workers often living on
the work premises with their masters.
Theatres were outside the walls of the city, near the
brothels.
How the plague spread:
The Cycle
ELIZABETHAN THEATRE
No Women actors! All parts were played by men! Why?
Because many considered the theater sinful and they
didn’t want innocent women corrupted by it.
Elizabethan stage practices were learned from Medieval
dramas and the traditions of the pageant wagon.
In the early days,Elizabethan theatre space was located in
courtyards and the larger homes of noble patrons.
Due to advances many playwrights were able to write
very different plays than the more formal Greeks
Elizabethan Theatre was able to be more expansive and
include many more actors and action
No hesitancy to show murder and bloodshed on stage.
THEATRE: A COMMERCIAL
VENTURE
No longer state or church
supported (many thought plays
were sinful).
6 days a week (NO Sundays)
In the afternoon,(2-5)No lights
Changed plays often to keep the
people coming
They announced what kind of
play was showing with flags:
Black-Tragedy,White-comedy,
Red-History
One play could be performed up
to ten times in a season
THEATRE SPACE
“the Theatre’ first
permanent theatre
space built in England
Built by James
Burbage father of an
important actor of
Shakespeare’s day.
Constructed in
amphitheatre/thrust
style:open air
THE GLOBE THEATRE
One of the most famous
Elizabethan theatres
Surrounded on three sides
by seating “galleries”
Shakespeare’s troupe
performed here.He was
part owner in the theatre
The acting company had
about 25 actors, all male
Half of the actors were
share holders in the
theatre.
The Globe Theatre
Globe cont.
Stage was 43 feet wide
Extended 1/2 way into the
yard(about 27 1/2ft)
3 stories of
galleries:12ft.,11ft. And
9ft in height
4 separately divided
gentlemen’s rooms
The Globe
“Groundlings” stood on the ground floor, more
expensive seats were in the balconies.
The floor was covered in nut shells (people ate
during the show just like we eat in movies).
The audience was very loud and vocal. Actors
really had to yell to be heard. If someone did not
like the play, they would yell at the actors and
maybe even throw things at them.
No scenery BUT they did have nice costumes and
props.
The Globe
Globe cont.
The Globe held about 3000
people
1c admission for standing room
Higher price for gallery seating
Private boxes for the nobility
Sold refreshments
No restroom, no intermission
“Box Office”
TO BE OR NOT TO BE…..
The Globe theatre was
burned to the ground in
1613
Fire started when a prop
cannon explode during the
first night performance of
Henry VIII.
Rebuilt on the same site.
Was Demolished in 1644
when theatres were closed.
PLAYWRIGHTS
Paid by the play
Shakespeare averaged two a
year
Often plays of specific
playwright written
exclusively for one theatre.
No copyright laws; use of
sides
William Shakespeare, Sir
Walter Raleigh, Christopher
Marlowe, Edmund Spencer
were all Elizabethan
playwrights
WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE
Born April 23, 1564 at Stratford–upon-Avon.
Died April 23, 1616. He was 52-years-old.
Father John Shakespeare was a glove maker and
trader.
William attended grammar school, learned Latin,
and read the classics including mythology.
Married Anne Hathaway in 1582. She was 26.
He was 18.
3 children: Susanna + twins: Judith & Hamnet
(Hamnet died in 1596 at age 11).
Moved to London between 1585-1591.
Was part of the acting group called The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men (it became the King’s Men)
Wrote 37 plays and 154 poems/sonnets.
Plays are divided into Histories, Tragedies,
Comedies & Tragicomedy
Shakespeare:
Probably not happily married to
Anne. He left her his “second
best” bed.
Loved his children and was
devastated by Hamnet’s death.
After that, he wrote many great
tragedies.
Became wealthy due to his part
ownership of the Globe. He
retired in 1613 after the Globe
burned down and he moved
back to Stratford.
He died on his birthday, April
23, in the year 1616. He is
buried in Stratford at Holy
Trinity Church.
THE KING’S MEN
Shakespeare was a member of
the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
Became King’s Men when
James I became king in 1603.
Company was given royal
patent. Performed at court 12
times a year. This provided job
security and boosted
Shakespeare’s fame.
Between this AND
Shakespeare’s owning part of
the Globe, he made plenty of
money.
William Shakespeare’s Home
Shakespeare’s grave in Holy Trinity
Church, Stratford.
SHAKESPEARE PLAYS
History Plays:
Henry IV Parts1&2,4&6
Parts 1,2 &3,Richard II and III etc.
Tragedies: Romeo & Juliet,
Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear,
Othello, etc.
Comedies:12th Night,Much ado
About Nothing, Taming of the
shrew, Midsummer Night’s
Dream, etc.
Tragicomedies: All’s Well That
Ends Well, A Winter’s Tale, etc.
The First Folio
The first time his complete
works were published in
one volume.
Came out in 1623 (a few
years after his death).
It is the reason we still
have most of
Shakespeare’s plays.
This shows how respected
Shakespeare was.
SHAKESPEARE AS A
MUSICAL?
Many of
Shakespeare’s plays
have been adapted into
other forms
They are some of the
most quoted plays of
all time
Still very popular
today
Shakespeare in Love (best picture
1998)
RICHARD BURBAGE
Greatest actor of the
time period
Shakespeare wrote
parts for him
Hamlet,Othello,King
Lear,Anthony and
others
Father built “The
Theatre’
CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
Educated at Cambridge
Atheist, tavern brawler
Associated with the darker side
of the Elizabethan period
Died in a tavern fight at 28
Most famous play The Tragical
History of Dr. Faustus
Famous line from Faustus:
“Is this the ship that launched a
thousand ships?” – referring to
Helen of Troy.
BEN JOHNSON
Most influential after
Shakespeare
Had strong convictions
about what audiences should
like
Arrogant, quarrelsome,
volatile temper
Imprisoned 2 times
Wrote a very complimentary
poem to Shakespeare that
was printed in the First
Folio.
1st”poet Laureate of England
COURT MASQUES
Derived under James I (1603-1625)
Written often to compliment a person or occasion
Specific roles were done by professional actor but
courtiers themselves performed the masque
Contained three spectacular dances
Three main dances:1.entry dance 2.main dance 3.going
out dance
COURT MASQUES
Allegorical story used
comparing honored person
to a mythical character or
situation
Dancers were usually all
men but sometimes ½ men
and 1/2 women in a
“double” masque
Scenery,costumes and
special effects for most of
the Masques were by
Indigo Jones(1574-1652)
RESTORATION THEATRE
RESTORATION THEATRE
The theatre was closed in 1644 and all
theatre was banned through the Cromwell
period in England.
When Charles II was restored to power he
re-opened the theatres in England.(1660)
Noted for its Comedies
Cynical View,witty dialogue, sophisticated
sexual behavior
“Virtuous” characters no matter the
situation .“Honor” depended on wit not
reputation
RESTORATION cont.
Depicted the conventions of the Courtly society where
elegance of phrase and appearance were highly prized over
sincerity and morals.
William Congreve(1670-1729) Love for love,The way of the
World
William Wycherley(1640_1715) The Country wife
Oliver Goldsmith: She stoops to Conquer
Restoration was first to use women in female roles
By the 1700(Queen Anne) there was a revival of classical style
and morality.The change was slow at first but by 1730 (George
I) the hero/heroine was becoming more virtuous.