The Elizabethan Age

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live during the Elizabethan Era? To see the works of great playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson firsthand? The theater was one of the cornerstones of Elizabethan life, and many people knew the works of Shakespeare and Jonson. While Shakespeare was arguably the greatest of the time, many other playwrights, including Jonson, flourished during this time period. The Elizabethan age was a very important time in the history of England. The time period is named after the queen who ruled England during this time, Queen Elizabeth I (Haigh). This time was a great time for the advancement of England, as they were ushered out of the Middle Ages, and into this new era. While there were many hardships, and plague was a common occurrence, the people lived a much more comfortable life than they ever had before (Jonson). Many great accomplishments were also achieved, including Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation around the world, which was only the second time it had ever been done, and the victory of the British navy over the Spanish Armada (Haigh). Another one of the things that affected the Elizabethan age so greatly was the theater. The theater was one of the primary forms of entertainment in Elizabethan England, as anyone, rich or poor could attend the plays.The rich would sit in boxes or galleries, while the poorer people would have to stand for the entirety of the play (Haigh). The poor would stand in front of the stage which would normally be raised about 4 to 6 feet and the theater could hold on average 3,000 people (Trumbull). The rich however usually watched plays in indoor private theaters, but sometimes would watch the plays in the outdoor public ones. Performances ... ... middle of paper ... ... for a husband. In the end, Jeremy is discovered by Lovewit, and offers him the hand of Dame Pilant in marriage, in exchange for his forgiveness. Lovewit agrees, and the two get married, and Jeremy does not receiver punishment. This play has many themes, but the strongest ones include deception, greed, and order and disorder. The Alchemist however is only one of Jonson’s amazing plays, that are his legacy. The Alchemist is only one of many plays that influenced the way that we viewed Elizabethan society. It showed us that in the worst of times, no one was safe from treachery and deceit. The theater was one of the main forms of entertainment and anyone could enjoy plays such as this. It also shows that Shakespeare was not the only great playwright of this time. The Elizabethan period was a great time in our world’s history, and the theater was it’s greatest moment.

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