Introduction to English Renaissance and Elizabethan Theatre

Summary

This video explores the history of English Renaissance and Elizabethan theatre, focusing on the cultural changes during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. It highlights the impact of religious restrictions on theatre, the rise of acting companies, and the development of early public theatres. The speaker delves into the works of famous playwrights like William Shakespeare, discussing his innovative use of language, notable plays, and his influence on modern media. A detailed overview of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is also provided, describing its structure, audience, and staging elements, offering an engaging introduction to theatre history.

Takeaways

• 👑 The Elizabethan era, also known as the Elizabethan Age or the Golden Age, was a significant period in English history, largely due to Queen Elizabeth I's reign from 1558 to 1603.
• 🚫 The government banned religious theater due to religious unrest, leading to the Licensing Act of 1559 which allowed theater under government control.
• 🎭 Elizabethan theater was male-only, with young men playing women's roles, and it had a somewhat negative reputation in society.
• 📜 The Bubonic Plague led to strict regulations on travel and performance licenses, with noblemen buying licenses for their acting troupes to perform legally.
• 🏟️ The first permanent public theater in England was built, inspired by Greek and Roman amphitheaters, and was an outdoor structure.
• 📚 Playwrights like Shakespeare, known as the 'university wits', were common and wrote comedies, tragedies, and histories.
• 🎭 Shakespeare became the most famous playwright of his time due to his relatable content and the use of contemporary language.
• 📅 Shakespeare was baptized on April 23, 1564, and died on the same date in 1616. His plays and sonnets are still celebrated today.
• 🌐 Shakespeare invented over 2,000 words and phrases, many of which are still in use today.
• 🏛️ The Globe Theatre, built in 1599, was Shakespeare's primary theater where many of his plays were performed and where he was part-owner.
• 🎭 The Globe Theatre had a unique design with different areas for various scenes, including a main stage, inner stage, and a trap door for special effects.

Q & A

What is the Elizabethan era also known as?

The Elizabethan era is also referred to as the Elizabethan age or the Golden Age for England.

Why did Queen Elizabeth I ban religious theater?

Queen Elizabeth I banned religious theater due to the religious unrest in the country when she came to power.

What was the Licensing Act of 1559?

The Licensing Act of 1559 allowed for the theater to be under government control, effectively sanctioning theater.

Why did Elizabethan theater have a bad reputation?

Elizabethan theater had a bad reputation because it was seen as immoral and actors, who were all male, were looked down upon in society.

How did the Bubonic Plague affect theater performances?

During the Bubonic Plague, regulations restricted travel and required a license to perform, leading noblemen to buy licenses for their acting companies to avoid harsh laws.

Where did acting companies and troops perform before building theaters?

Before building theaters, acting companies and troops would perform in courtyards of Inns and taverns, also known as in yards.

What was the first permanent public theater in England called?

The first permanent public theater in England was called The Theatre.

Who were some of the famous playwrights of the Elizabethan era besides Shakespeare?

Some of the famous playwrights of the Elizabethan era besides Shakespeare include Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and Thomas Middleton.

What was unique about Shakespeare's writing style?

Shakespeare wrote using a style called Iambic pentameter, which consists of five Iambs per line, with an Iamb being a metric foot of two syllables.

How many plays and sonnets did Shakespeare write?

Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and is credited with inventing over 2,000 words.

What was the Globe Theatre, and why was it significant?

The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 on the banks of the Thames River in Southwark, London. It was significant because it was Shakespeare's home theater where many of his plays were performed, and it was constructed from pieces of 'The Theatre'.

What were the different types of seating at the Globe Theatre?

The Globe Theatre had different types of seating including the cheap 'Groundlings' area where people stood, and more expensive roofed galleries for better seating.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Introduction to Elizabethan Theatre

The paragraph introduces the Elizabethan era, also known as the Golden Age of England, which was marked by Queen Elizabeth I's reign from 1558 to 1603. The era faced religious unrest, leading to a ban on religious theater and the rise of secular plays under government control. The Licensing Act of 1559 allowed for theater to be sanctioned by the government, which helped regulate and control performances. Actors, who were all male, had a bad reputation in society. During the Bubonic Plague, the government restricted travel and required licenses for performances. Noblemen would buy licenses for their acting companies, which protected them from harsh laws. The first permanent public theater in England was inspired by Greek and Roman amphitheaters and was outdoors. Playwrights, known as the 'university wits,' were common during this time, with Shakespeare emerging as the most famous for his relatable works and use of contemporary language.

05:01

📜 Shakespeare's Life and Works

This paragraph delves into the life of William Shakespeare, who was baptized on April 23, 1564, and is believed to have died on the same date in 1616. His plays spanned across various genres including comedies, tragedies, and histories. Shakespeare is credited with writing 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and inventing over 2,000 words and phrases that are still used today. The paragraph also discusses some of his most popular plays such as 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' 'The Tempest,' and 'Romeo and Juliet.' It also touches on Shakespeare's writing style, specifically his use of iambic pentameter, which is a metrical foot consisting of two syllables. The paragraph provides an example of how to read Shakespeare's verse with iambic pentameter and suggests using websites like 'No Fear Shakespeare' for interpretation.

10:04

🏟️ The Globe Theatre and Performances

The paragraph discusses the Globe Theatre, which was built in 1599 on the banks of the Thames River in Southwark, London. It was constructed from pieces of the Theatre, which was dismantled and moved. Shakespeare was part-owner of the Globe, and many of his plays were performed there by his acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which later became the King's Men. The Globe had a capacity of around 2,000 to 3,000 spectators, with the cheapest seats being standing room in the yard or pit. More expensive seats were covered galleries. The paragraph describes the structure of the Globe, including the heavens for storage and sound effects, the tiring house for dressing and storage, and the stage areas for different scenes. It also mentions the use of flags to indicate the type of show, the trap door for special effects, and the brick foundation due to the marshy land near the river.

15:08

🌐 The Elizabethan Theatre Experience

The final paragraph provides an overview of the Elizabethan theater experience. It describes the different sections of the Globe Theatre, including the main stage, inner stage, and the open yard where the groundlings stood. It also mentions the support pillars that actors used for stagecraft and the trap door for special effects. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to explore Shakespeare's works, either through reading, watching performances, or checking out modern adaptations. It also mentions that additional resources, including trailers for modern adaptations, will be added to a playlist for further exploration.

Keywords

💡Elizabethan Theatre

Elizabethan Theatre refers to the theatrical tradition and style during the Elizabethan era, named after Queen Elizabeth I. This period is known for the rise of professional theatre and the works of playwrights like William Shakespeare. The video discusses how this theatre was distinct from religious theatre, emphasizing secular themes and being under government control post the Licensing Act of 1559.

💡Licensing Act of 1559

The Licensing Act of 1559 was a law that allowed theatre to be conducted under government control, effectively sanctioning and regulating theatrical performances. This act is mentioned in the script as a turning point that led to the growth of theatre, despite its bad reputation, by ensuring it was under noble patronage and followed certain rules.

💡University Wits

University Wits were playwrights who were educated at universities and contributed significantly to English Renaissance theatre. The script mentions that these writers, unlike some others, had a formal education and were known for their intellectual and clever plays, with examples including Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and Thomas Middleton.

💡iambic pentameter

Iambic pentameter is a type of metrical line used extensively in the poetry and drama of the time, including Shakespeare's works. It consists of five 'iambs' per line, with an iamb being an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The video provides an example of how Shakespeare's lines would naturally follow this rhythm, which is integral to performing and memorizing his plays.

💡The Globe

The Globe was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. Built in 1599, it was the playhouse of Shakespeare's acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The script describes it as an outdoor theatre with a thatched roof and a yard where the 'groundlings' or general admission spectators would stand.

💡Groundlings

Groundlings were the audience members who paid the cheapest price to stand in the 'yard' or 'pit' of the theatre during performances. The term is used in the script to illustrate the social dynamics of theatre attendance, where the experience varied based on what one could afford.

💡Bubonic Plague

The Bubonic Plague had a significant impact on Elizabethan society, including the theatre. The script mentions that during this time, travel was restricted, and a license was required to perform, which affected how and when plays were staged.

💡Lord Chamberlain's Men

The Lord Chamberlain's Men was a popular acting company during the Elizabethan era, which Shakespeare was a part of. The script explains that noblemen would buy licenses for such acting companies, providing them protection from harsh laws and establishing a structure for theatrical performances.

💡Playwright

A playwright is a person who writes plays. The video emphasizes the importance of playwrights during the Elizabethan era, particularly focusing on Shakespeare's contributions. It mentions that Shakespeare wrote comedies, tragedies, and histories, and invented many words and phrases still used today.

💡Commedia dell'arte

Commedia dell'arte was an Italian theatre form that influenced the Elizabethan theatre. The script compares the structure of acting companies in Elizabethan times to those in the Italian Renaissance, noting the patronage system and the ensemble nature of performances.

💡Tragedy

Tragedy is a genre of drama that typically ends with the death of the main characters. The script lists some of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, such as 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Hamlet', and discusses the characteristics of this genre during the Elizabethan era.

Highlights

The Elizabethan era, also known as the Golden Age, was a period of great cultural significance in England.

Queen Elizabeth I's reign from 1558 to 1603 helped stabilize England after religious unrest.

Religious theater was banned, leading to the rise of secular plays under government control.

The Licensing Act of 1559 allowed for government-sanctioned theater.

Elizabethan theater had a bad reputation, with all roles played by men.

Actors were often young men or those before their voice change, even playing women's roles.

During the bubonic plague, the government restricted travel and required licenses for performances.

Noblemen would buy licenses for their acting troupes, providing protection from harsh laws.

The first permanent public theater in England was inspired by Greek and Roman amphitheaters.

Playwrights, known as the university wits, were educated individuals who contributed significantly to theater.

Shakespeare became the most famous playwright for his relatable content and use of contemporary language.

Shakespeare was born and died on April 23, and little is known about the circumstances of his death.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, including comedies, tragedies, and histories.

He also wrote 154 sonnets and is credited with inventing over 2,000 words and phrases.

Shakespeare's most well-known tragedies include Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet.

Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter, a rhythmic pattern with five iambs per line.

The Globe Theater, built in 1599, was Shakespeare's primary theater and is a notable example of Elizabethan architecture.

The Globe Theater had a thatched roof and was built on a marshy land near the Thames River.

The theater was divided into different sections, including the pit for general admission and roofed galleries for more expensive seats.

Shakespeare's plays are still performed and adapted into modern versions, showing their enduring impact.

Transcripts

high drama llamas today we're gonna be

talking more about theatre history with

the English Renaissance and the

Elizabethan theatre let's get started

shall we well let's talk about the era

first so sometimes it's also referred to

as the Elizabethan age or the Golden Age

for England and this is really

personified by the fact that Queen

Elizabeth the first ruled from 1558 to

1603 1603 when she came to power she had

to help the country deal with a lot of

religious unrest and because of this

unrest the government eventually banned

any religious theater so the stuff that

we had learned like in the medieval

times where it was based a lot of on

religion that she basically said is this

is not good that needs to be something

different it shouldn't be a religious

base plays anymore

eventually the licensing act of 1559

allowed for the theater under under

government control so the government was

sanctioning theater after still had bad

reputations I'm saying actors as the

males because in the Elizabethan theatre

there was only male performers young men

and men who hadn't like had their voices

dropped would play women roles and there

was a special like her people that play

women's roles so all male actors and

theatre in general kind of had a bad

reputation in society even though all

the upper-crust had things like the

court dramas that they would go see and

things like that it still sort of had a

bad reputation during the bubonic plague

regulation really restricted any travel

travel and had to have and you had to

have a license to perform

that's that licensing act so what they

would do to come like show government

control is that an

noblemen would buy license for their

group of actors this would be like their

acting company or troupe kind of like

the commedia dell'arte in the Italian

Renaissance but instead of them doing it

on their own you were answering to a

nobleman so like the Lord Chamberlain's

Men that was a very popular one this

protected them from harsh laws and they

had to follow certain rules and

regulations as well to do any

performances sometimes acting companies

and troops would perform in the

courtyards of Inns and taverns also

known as in yards so that's kind of

where a lot of the acting sort of

started before they started to build

theaters the first permanent public

theater in England was built it was

called kind of easy to figure out the

theatre more theaters were then built

after this the design of it and other

theaters were inspired by the Greeks and

the Roman amphitheaters it was outdoors

unlike the Italians who were indoors

playwrights not just Shakespeare were

really common they were known as the

university wits and these are wits who

went to university and were not just

like uneducated Ben Jonson Christopher

Marlowe and Thomas Middleton arse

Middleton are some of the famous

playwrights not just Shakespeare

Shakespeare became the most famous

because he was wrote things that were

more relatable and the use of the

language of more of that time period

Shakespeare though his father was a very

important craftsman and important in his

community he didn't come he did not go

to university like some of the

university wits speaking of Sir William

Shakespeare let's talk about him now

more specifically he was baptised April

23 1564 we don't have a birth date

because births weren't registered and

written down back in this time period

your birth date was your date of baptism

so that was the time you

were accepted like to have been alive is

that your baptism usually it's like a

couple days sometimes sometimes less so

April 23rd were saying that's his

birthday well he also sadly died April

23rd in 1660 we're not 100% sure how

Shakespeare died there's some like

saying that like he got pneumonia

because he like was that in the garden

and fell asleep there's so many things

we don't really know exactly how he died

we did know that he died at

stratford-upon-avon his hometown in 1660

where he currently is buried and their

church his wife and Hathaway not Anne

Hathaway like Devil Wears Prada or when

she played Catwoman not that Anne

Hathaway that'd be weird but he married

a woman named Anne Hathway in

stratford-upon-avon and they had three

kids now Shakespeare there's a reason

why we could still talk about

Shakespeare is because he at least had

37 plays in total that he wrote he wrote

comedies tragedies and histories these

were the three types of major plays in

this time periods

obviously comedies are meant to be funny

usually they would in in marriage at the

end of those stories tragedies always

ended with people dying and histories

which was I'm gonna say loosely based on

the history of the English country he

also wrote 154 sonnets and invented over

2,000 words so some of these words you

might recognize let's look at some so

words and phrases that Shakespeare

invented so things like rent in a pickle

all's well that ends well

what the Dickens full circle good

riddance watch dog dead is a door now

all of a sudden zany obscene addiction

assassination knock-knock who's

they're a laughingstock all these are

some of the phrases and words that he

invented a heart of gold etc so you'll

be surprised how much he wrote and came

up with so Shakespeare wrote a lot of

different plays and comedies and I'm

just kind of hitting a couple of the

most popular ones the probably the most

well-known for us is a midsummer night's

dream and then the tempest which was his

last play that he wrote much to do about

nothing The Winter's Tale

as you like it Twelfth Night these are

some of the most common and you can go

and watch modern versions of these so

there's a bunch of Midsummer Night's

Dream where it's been made the story

itself has been made more modern it's so

much like Twelfth Night and like a

Taming of the Shrew Zoar a popular one

if she's all not she's all that I'm

sorry

ten Things I Hate About You is based off

Taming of the Shrew so there's a lot of

different movies that you might not even

realize that are based off of

Shakespeare's comedies and tragedies so

probably the most well-known he is for

is for hearse tragedies which includes

Romeo and Juliet you know Romeo Romeo

wherefore art thou Romeo Macbeth or as

we like to say it in the theater the

Scottish play because it's a bad luck to

say Macbeth in the theater oh fellow

Julius Caesar King Lear and Hamlet

Hamlet to be or not to be so now what

makes Shakespeare a little bit more

different is that he wrote in this thing

called I am back bent ammeter there are

five I am per line and an I am is a

metric foot or two syllables like if you

look at the word hello hello it's got

two syllables and that's an I am so in a

line you would have I am hello how are

you - something like that

let's look at here's an example I am so

I'm gonna read it just normal and then

I'm going to go over to the side that's

highlighted and talk about how I am you

would say it puppet why so I that the

way goes now I perceive that she hath

made compare between our statures she

had urged her height her height forsooth

she hath prevail'd with him and are you

grown so high in his esteem because I am

so dwarfish and so low how am i thou

painted maypole speak how low am i i am

not yet so low but with that my nails

can reach into thine eyes so i naturally

kind of do the I am but let's kind of

look at it more specifically with the

yellow highlights so the what you would

look at so puppet why so high that way

goes the game I'm gonna bring my mouse

up here so pup pet one I am why so - I

that three-way goes for the game 5-cc

there are five I am now usually when

you're starting to learn Shakespeare the

idea is that it is a heart beat pup pet

why so I that way goes the game now I

proceed that she hath made compare

between our statures she hath urged her

height her height forsooth she hath

prevailed with him cetera etc so that's

a great way to get kind of get the

general feel of how you say it now you

when you're performing it you use that

idea to help you memorize it and kind of

get the flow of Shakespeare and you know

punctuation is so

so like puppet why so I've a quake hose

came now I perceive that she hath made

compare between our statures she have

urged her height her height forsooth she

rode with him and are you grown so high

in his esteem because I am so dwarfish

and so low how low am did maypole sake

how low am I I am not yet so low but

that my nails can reach unto thine eyes

God look crazy there at the end so that

kind of helps you when you're saying it

Shakespeare's writing in things that

like be metaphors and stuff like that so

sometimes when you're trying to

interpret the text there's some really

great websites that you can use the

websites that are like no fear for

Shakespeare is one of the best where

they will have the text side-by-side

where you'll have the original text and

what they're saying if you're ever

confused when you're reading Shakespeare

now let's talk about the theaters now we

talked about the theater being the first

theater now let's talk about

Shakespeare's food theater the globe

built in 1599 on the banks of the Thames

River in South Park London built from

pieces of the theater so basically the

theater got told it was gonna be torn

down the theater meaning like the litter

the name of the actual theater and

supposedly they took the pieces like

took it apart and in the night moved it

to some other place down river and put

it back up and it became the globe

Shakespeare eventually after working his

way up a theatre was part-owner many of

his plays were performed at the globe

his acting company the Lord

Chamberlain's Men

and then eventually becomes the Kingsmen

were the group performing now audiences

sizes usually could range for tween two

thousand and two hundred two thousand

five hundred general emission would be a

penny entitled a spectator to what is

known as the Grambling or the ground or

the pit some people who could stand who

could stand in the yard and the pit so

you got that cheap cheap seat you would

be standing watching the show and it

would be open cover we're gonna look at

picture or drawing in a second the more

expensive seats were in roofed galleries

so if you had a little bit more money

you could be not possibly in the rain

let's look at this drawing so there's a

section cut out so we can see this

better so you can see that it is a

circle around it's open on the top

except for those gallery seats so the

gallery seats and the closer you were

even these seats who maybe the actors

are performing here and were some of the

best seats because it was important to

hear the plays seeing was important of

course but you want to hear it more so

this is the diagram of the globe I'm

gonna talk about you know certain things

so first is the flags flags were used in

the globe to tell you what type of show

was gonna be performing whether it be a

history tragedy etc so you would see

them as a patron flying above and you

could tell what type of show was gonna

be going on that afternoon number two

this right here is called the heavens so

we're kind of harken back to the time of

our medieval pageant wagon where the top

layer would be the headed part and the

reason it would be the heavens is

because literally underneath it is

painted to look like the Stars and the

then it has a bunch of the astrological

shot signs on it as well so that you can

see like it's like the roof of the hut

and sometimes it's used for storage in

addition to some sound effects like they

bring a bell up there or cannon fire or

make Thunder noises from the heavens

number three right here the tiring house

is dressing and storage area think about

tiring like attire is clothes you wear

and it's like you're dressing your

you're putting on clothes next number

four she there she is up here sorry is

the upper stage this chamber was used

for most bedroom and balcony scenes so

you would have Juliet standing here in

Romeo here and they would talk to each

other then we have over here these parts

here this is the galleries these are

three covered seating sections one two

three the audience paid more to sit

there like I said before they all they

had tiered wooden benches that would be

under this roof and this roof is called

a thatched roof it's a special way to

make roof roofing number six this area

right here it should be pretty obvious

that this is the main part of the stage

or the main stage that's where most of

the action took place then we have back

here is the inner stage this stage was

used mostly for indoor scenes they also

had a curtain that could be open and

closed for some changes back here as

well then number eight that's the open

yard so it's open to the elements up

here and that is where the The

Groundlings the people that paid that

penny you would stand in here rain or

shine you would stand here and watch the

performance number nine is the support

pillar right here the support pillars

these are wooden pillars that obviously

hold up the roof

that was painted to look like marble

actors use these pillars to like hide

behind when they're on stage and observe

other characters number 10 is this trap

door so the trap door actors playing

like ghosts witches could use this to

like rock click come from underneath or

descend and disappear from built on the

main stage there is a cellar underneath

and people would consider underneath

would be like since you're which you

were coming from hell excuse me

eleven there would be one main really

entrance to the actual building and

that's where you would pay your penny or

your pence to come in and watch the show

and then the brick foundation so the

brick foundation the globe foundation

needed to be constructed of brick as it

was built on a wet and marshy marshy

land close to the Tam's River so it had

to have a brick foundation as opposed to

some of the other buildings of this time

period that didn't have that if it was

farther away from the Tam's River and

that is the basics to the Globe Theater

and this pretty much was common for all

built theaters in the Elizabethan age

well guys that has been a quick intro

into English Renaissance and the

Elizabethan theater focusing on my home

boy William Shakespeare I hope you can

get a chance to watch or read some

Shakespeare to get to know him a lot

better or maybe even check out some

modern adaptations I will be adding in

this playlist some links to some other

videos that are actual modern-day

trailers of some of his plays and some

other helpful links check it out and I

will see you next time llamas