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The Elizabethan Era
Queen Elizabeth I embodied power and beauty
It was an extravagant and brutal age
The first theaters in England appeared
William Shakespeare
Drama in the Elizabethan Age
- After defeating the Spanish Armada, England became intenselyInterested in the past.
-Playwrights were practical menbent on making a living
-Once a playwright sold his manuscript, he had no personal right to it
-Plays were written to be acted , not read
Playhouses
Private – small, roofed buildings for the wealthy people
Public – usually the backyards of inns
Famous theaters – the Rose, the Swan, the Globe, and the Fortune
Structure
Public theaters were either a round, square, or octagonalwooden structure which consisted of:
• unroofed courtyard• roofed galleries• platform stage• tiring-house• curtained discovery space• hut• trapdoor
Seating
Determined by the wealth and the social status of the people.
The wealthiest people took the best seats
Dialogue
The playwright used poetic dialogueto:
• paint a picture of the scene• establish the time and the place of the action• familiarize the audience both withthe characters’ identities and theirphysical appearances
Soliloquies and asides were also used to compensate for the absence of an elaborate stage.
Picture of the setting
Why should I war without the walls of TroyThat find such cruel battle here within? Troilus and Cressida
Time of the action
Look Hector, how the Sun begins to set;How ugly the night comes breathing at his heels,Even with the veil and darking of the Sun,To close the day up, Hector’s life is done. Troilus and Cressida
Physical appearance
O, she doth teach the torches to burn brightIt seems she hangs upon the cheek of nightLike a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear;Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! Romeo and Juliet
Costumes
Elaborate and colorful costumes
Communicate the message of the character, show his/her social status, profession
Acting Companies
Before the theaters were built performances were put on by traveling troupes
They had the reputation of being vagabonds
Many people gathered and sometimes behaved disorderly
Actors
The typical Elizabethan acting company comprised of:
• shareholders• salaried actors• apprentices
Actors were expected to be able to:
• sing• clown• fence• perform acrobatic feats• dance
The Globe Theater
Built in 1599 by Cuthbert BurbageShakespeare put on most of his plays in there and acted in some of themIn 1642 the theater was completely destroyed
Sources
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-age.htm
http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeares-globe-theater
http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/Springfield/eliz/artsarchitecture.html