A History of the Globe Theatre

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Recommended: The globe theater in present day

Playwrights were at an all time high during this time. The Globe Theatre was built for Lord’s Chamberlains Men by Cuthbert Burbage (Mallibard). The Globe underwent a lot of hardships throughout its time as the prominent theatre in England. The Globe theatre was beautifully constructed, was a very prominent theatre in England during the time, and was the house for many of Shakespeare’s and Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s plays.

The Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599, out of timber taken from the Theatre. It stood next to the Rose, another theatre, on the south side of the Thames, and was the most elaborate and attractive theatre yet built. The Globe was designed and constructed for the Chamberlain's Men by Cuthbert Burbage, son of the Theatre's creator, James Burbage. The lease for the land on which the Globe stood was co-owned by Burbage and his brother Robert, and by a group of five actors: Will Kempe, Augustine Phillips, John Heminge, Thomas Pope, and William Shakespeare. Much of Shakespeare's wealth came from his holdings in the Globe (www.william-shakespeare.info). The open-air, polygonal amphitheater raised three stories high with a diameter of approximately 100 feet, holding a seating capacity of up to 3,000 spectators. The rectangular stage platform on which the plays were performed was nearly 43 feet wide and 28 feet deep. This staging area probably housed trap doors in its flooring and primitive rigging overhead for various stage effects (www.bardweb.net). At the base of the stage, there was an area called the pit, where for a penny, the "groundlings" would stand to watch the performance. Groundlings would eat hazelnuts during performances, and during the excavation of the Globe nutshells were found preserved in the ...

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...me, and was the house for many of Shakespeare’s and Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s plays. The Globe Theatre was one of the most prominent pieces in British Literature. Many of Shakespeare’s plays are still reenacted today. The legacy of the Globe lives on to this day, and will live on for many more years.

Works Cited

Mabillard, Amanda. The Globe Theatre. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2008. < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/theatre/globe.html >.

Lindaka. "The Old Globe Theater History." The OLD GLOBE THEATER History. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

"Theatre / Shakespeare's Globe." Theatre / Shakespeare's Globe. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

"The Globe Theatre." The Globe Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.

Pressley, J. M. "An Encapsulated Biography." Shakespeare Resource Center, February 10, 2005. October 11, 2005. .

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