Introduction to English Renaissance and Elizabethan Theatre
Summary
TLDRThis 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
🎭 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.
📜 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.
🏟️ 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.
🌐 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Elizabethan Theatre
💡Licensing Act of 1559
💡University Wits
💡iambic pentameter
💡The Globe
💡Groundlings
💡Bubonic Plague
💡Lord Chamberlain's Men
💡Playwright
💡Commedia dell'arte
💡Tragedy
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
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