An Elizabethan An Elizabethan Introduction Introduction

But first, WHY drama?But first, WHY drama?

An imitation of actions and ideas Earliest known form: reenacting a

hunt Became a ritual that was overseen

by a Shaman (a religious figurehead)

DramaDrama

Greeks used this ritual as a way to worship their mythical gods

Ritual was used at many festivals such as the Festival of Dionysus= Spring Break.

Three-day gathering of drinking and watching a playwright contest.

Performed by a chorus of men and boys

After the fall of the roman empire, the church decided that theatre was evil, and was therefore outlawed during the middle ages (500 AD- 1500 AD)

The church came around, however, and started using theatre during massMystery Plays: plays about bible storiesMiracle Plays: plays about saintsMorality Plays: plays that support living a godly life

Which brings us to Which brings us to

SHAKESPEARSHAKESPEARE E

Shakespeare’s LanguageShakespeare’s Language•Shakespeare did NOT write in “Old English.”

• Old English is the language of Beowulf:“In the dark night the shadow-goer came stalking. The warriors slept, those whose duty it was to guard the building, all but one. It was known to me that, if the Ruler did not wish it, the injurer could not draw them into the shadows, but Beowulf, awake and fiercely angry, awaited the battle’s result, enraged in heart.”

Shakespeare’s LanguageShakespeare’s Language• Shakespeare did NOT write in “Middle English.”

• Middle English is the language of Chaucer, the Gawain-poet, and Malory:

And it is don, aftirward Jesus made iourne bi cites & castelis prechende & euangelisende þe rewme of god, & twelue wiþ hym & summe wymmen þat weren helid of wicke spiritis & sicnesses, marie þat is clepid maudeleyn, of whom seuene deuelis wenten out & Jone þe wif off chusi procuratour of eroude, & susanne & manye oþere þat mynystreden to hym of her facultes —Luke ch.8, v.1–3

• Shakespeare wrote in “Early Modern English.”

Shakespeare’s LanguageShakespeare’s Language• Shakespeare coined many words we still use today:

• Critical• Majestic• Dwindle

• And quite a few phrases as well:• One fell swoop• Flesh and blood• Vanish into thin air

Shakespeare’s LanguageShakespeare’s Language

Thou:  used to express intimacy, Thou:  used to express intimacy, familiarity or even disrespectfamiliarity or even disrespect

You: used for formal circumstancesYou: used for formal circumstances

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

1500-16501500-1650 ““Rebirth” of arts, Rebirth” of arts,

culture, science culture, science Discovery of “New Discovery of “New

World”World” King Henry VIII = King Henry VIII =

renaissance man renaissance man (ideal)(ideal)

Reformation of Reformation of Catholic ChurchCatholic Church

Rulers of NoteRulers of Note

King Henry VIIIKing Henry VIII

17 when crowned17 when crowned 6 marriages6 marriages 1530—broke with 1530—broke with

the Catholic the Catholic church and church and created Church of created Church of England (a.k.a. England (a.k.a. Anglican Church)Anglican Church)

King Henry VIII King Henry VIII

Queen Elizabeth IQueen Elizabeth I

Daughter of King Daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn (2nd of his 6 Boleyn (2nd of his 6 wives)wives)

Henry had Anne Henry had Anne beheaded for beheaded for “treason”“treason”

Younger sister of Younger sister of “Bloody Mary”“Bloody Mary”

““Virgin Queen”?Virgin Queen”?

Renaissance A.K.A. Renaissance A.K.A. Elizabethan EraElizabethan Era

• Elizabethans considered drama a lower form of literature than poetry • English women had limited rights.• Commoners suffered from poor diet and crowded living conditions.• The people were vulnerable to outbreaks of the bubonic plague.

• In 1564, the plague killed nearly 1/3 of the people in Shakespeare’s hometown.

• Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, and King James of Scotland assumed the English throne.

• He was a supporter of the arts and literature.•He renamed Shakespeare’s theater company the King’s Men.

No electricity

Women forbidden to act on stage

Minimal, contemporary costumes

Minimal scenery

These control

the dialogue.

These control

the dialogue.

*A theatrical convention is a suspension of reality.

Audience loves to be

scared

Audience loves to be

scared

Soliloquy

AsideTypes of speech

Types of speech

Blood and gore

Use of supernatural

Use of disguises/ mistaken identity

Multiple marriages (in comedies)

Multiple murders (in tragedies)

Last speaker—highest in rank (in tragedies)

Theatre in LondonTheatre in London Traveling troupes of Traveling troupes of

actors performed in actors performed in courtyards of innscourtyards of inns

The Theatre-first The Theatre-first public theater-1576public theater-1576

Daytime/open airDaytime/open air Limited set designLimited set design Relied on music, Relied on music,

sound, costumes, sound, costumes, props and great props and great descriptiondescription

The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre Built in 1599Built in 1599 Across the Thames River- “Wrong side of Across the Thames River- “Wrong side of

town”town” King’s Men - Shakespeare’s companyKing’s Men - Shakespeare’s company

Rebuilt Globe Theatre

The Globe The Globe TheatreTheatre

Capacity 2,000- 3,000 spectators

The theatre stood until the 29 of June, 1613. The thatched roof was set ablaze by a cannon firing during Henry VIII;1614 reconstructed, shut down in 1642, and torn down in 1644

AdmissionAdmission 1 shilling to stand1 shilling to stand 2 shillings to sit in the balcony2 shillings to sit in the balcony 3 shillings to sit in the Lord’s Rooms3 shillings to sit in the Lord’s Rooms 1 shilling was 10% of their weekly 1 shilling was 10% of their weekly

incomeincome Broadway today:Broadway today:

$85 Orchestra$85 Orchestra $60 Balcony$60 Balcony 10% of a teacher’s weekly salary10% of a teacher’s weekly salary

The GroundlingsThe Groundlings

Poor audience members Poor audience members Stood around stage in “the Stood around stage in “the

pit”pit” Theatre was open-air; pit Theatre was open-air; pit

became mud when it rainedbecame mud when it rained Women not allowed (had to Women not allowed (had to

dress up as men to attend)dress up as men to attend) Threw rotten vegetables at Threw rotten vegetables at

bad performancesbad performances

ActorsActors

All men; All men; theatre/acting theatre/acting considered too considered too “dangerous” for “dangerous” for womenwomen

Actors looked down Actors looked down upon in societyupon in society

Female parts played Female parts played by young boys who by young boys who had not yet hit had not yet hit pubertypuberty

No actual kissing or No actual kissing or hugging on stagehugging on stage

TragediesTragedies End in the death End in the death

of one or more of of one or more of the main the main characters.characters.

Most of Most of Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s tragedies involve tragedies involve historical historical individuals and individuals and eventsevents

Doom and DestinyDoom and Destiny Many people believed in fate, or

destiny, and in the power of the stars to foretell the future.

Shakespeare uses the idea of fate or destiny to add excitement and anticipation to the tragediesUses a prophecy as a way of

holding the audience’s interest, because everyone wants to see if it will be fulfilled.

Tragic EndingsTragic Endings Tragedies give a very bleak view of the Tragedies give a very bleak view of the

world.world. At the end, the hero (and usually several At the end, the hero (and usually several

other characters) are dead, and the other characters) are dead, and the survivors are left to start again without survivors are left to start again without them.them.

Although most tragic heroes are partly to Although most tragic heroes are partly to blame for their own fates, death can be a blame for their own fates, death can be a very high price to pay for what may have very high price to pay for what may have seemed initially like a small failing.seemed initially like a small failing.

Tragic EndingsTragic Endings In most tragedies, there is also a feeling that

some good may have come out of the terrible suffering.At the end of Romeo and Juliet, because the

families’ fighting has partly caused the tragedy, they finally resolve to end their feud.