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Elizabethan theatre history
Elizabethan theatre history
Essay on the globe theater
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Imagine watching the famous plays of William Shakespeare being performed right in front of yours eyes at the amazing Globe Theater. William Shakespeare was part owner of The Globe Theater. The famous Globe Theater was a place where outstanding plays were performed. This theater held people from all over the world to watch performances. In the article “The Elizabeth Era” states that “often the Queen would come to the Globe Theater to watch Shakespeare’s work “(Alchin). The Globe Theater has great significance to British history because of the building structure, the actors, the performances, the fire accident, and its impact on England and its people.
To begin, The Globe Theater had a very unique building structure. In the article “The Globe Theater” Lee Jamison explains, “The Globe Theater was an open air theater experience and therefore exposed to England’s awful weather” (Jamieson). The Globe was built by Shakespeare's acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The Globe Theater was an octagonal structure, circular in shape having between 8 to 24 sides. The Globe had three stories of seating and was able to hold 3,000 people. There was a base stage where there was an area called the pit. This area held people who had paid a penny to stand and watch a performance. The fact that there is no roof for the building and is shape as an octagon, unlike any other theater makes it extremely different. Not only does the structure make the theater special, but the actors that have performed there added talent to the plays and Theater.
In, addition, The Globe Theater had outstanding, hardworking actors who helped the plays come to life through their work of art. In the article “Globe Theater” it states “As in other Venues where plays we...
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... made a tourist attraction while introducing art and theater into everyone’s lives including, the poor. Its background and history in general is very interesting to learn about and would have been a dream to experience during its time period when plays were what people had to be entertained with. This Theater was a just a beginning for many people to enjoy live performances of plays written by the great writer Shakespeare himself. The Globe Theater overall was an amazing theater and it was very sad to see it all be destroyed by the fire.
Works Cited
Alchin, Linda. Elizabethan-era.org.uk, May 16, 2012. Web.20 Mar.2014.
Alchin, Linda. William-Shakespear.info, n.d.Web.7 Mar.2014.
Crawford, Rocky. Enotes.com, n.d. Web.18.2014.
“Globe Theater.”(n.d.): Fun and Wagnall’s New World Encyclopedia. Web.5 Mar.2014.
Jamison, Lee. Shakespeare.about.com, n.d. Web.14 Mar.2014
In the early years of the Globe Theatre, before central heating was introduced, the audience would have to bring their coats and scarves in the winter, as this particular theatre is open-roofed. This meant that the cold, biting air was let into the room. After years of these cold nights, the performances were moved to the indoor playhouses in the winter. Directors tried to prevent this as much as possible however, so they tried to fit in as many plays during the summer seasons as they could. Whilst the construction of the New Globe Theatre was taking place, central heating was installed. Therefore, future audiences were able to enjoy every Shakespearean performance, even during the winter. The Old Globe Theatre also had limited artificial lighting, which was changed later on, and it was produced with materials with huge fire risks such as wood and only had one entrance/exit. Audience members also have to bring umbrellas or hats to suit the weather, as there is no roof to protect them from the rain or sun.
Of course, the Elizabethan Era being the time of Shakespeare, going to the theatre was always an option. Attending the most well-known, The Globe Theatre was an adventure in itself. Many of Shakespeare's plays (he acted in some of them) were performed at this magnificent theatre.
...“personality.” This play was one of the greatest historic plays of all times. Everyone wanted to come see this play because of how realistic it was. They loved how Shakespeare included a real life aspect of the play. Another positive was how educational it was. Audiences loved when plays had a point other than entertainment. A lot of things influenced the play from Queen Elizabeth and how she impacted theater with her wise ways, to basic social class and how mostly anyone could attend. Everyone enjoyed the atmosphere of the Globe. They liked how “natural” it felt. They loved how they could enjoy a play in the direct sun and warmth. This made audiences feel at home when they watched plays inside the globe. Specifically Henry V because of how realistic this play was. That is why the Elizabethan Era and Henry V were one of the greatest theatrical events of all time.
The original Globe theater, built in 1576, was actually just called "The Theater" and was
Queen Elizabeth I ruled for much of Shakespeare’s life in England and therefore had a great impact on his work. She had a big role in the social arts and culture. Affecting many peoples’ lives in England; she especially affected those in the arts. She supported artists in their work in many different ways. Shakespeare and his theatre being one of the artists she supported. The Queen would come to the theatres to enjoy a show, and whether or not she enjoyed it would be the result of the popularity and success of that play. Shakespeare made a living out of his play writings; the Queen would come and spend many pounds to see a play. This being the reason why Shakespeare would create characters appealing to his Queen.
Actors were expected to memorize hundreds of lines at a time. While one play could be performing, actors would be practicing lines for their next show. Play writers also began to make roles for the actors in the theatrical pieces. The theaters that actors performed in were roofless so that the sun could be used as lighting. Theatrical shows were held in the afternoon because it provided the best amount of light for the show. When the people gathered into the theater, the different classes of people were separated by where they could afford to sit and watch the show. The lower classmen were situated on the bare earth where it was dirty and smelly because it was never cleaned. The owners’ of the theaters found it less expensive if they did not keep high maintenance of their establishments. Higher classmen sat under a roof and for a penny more, they could buy cushions for their seats.
The Globe Theater is widely known as the world’s greatest amphitheatre of its time, bringing in crowds of thousands of people. The Globe was also where most of the famous playwright, William Shakespeare, performed his plays. With its unique design, the audience was able to enjoy the plays. Inside of this round and globe-like structure, the people from all around the area packed into the seats to watch Shakespeare and his actors. Despite the Globe Theater’s success, the theater had gone through many shut downs and rebuilding projects. Finally, the Globe was demolished for the last time. It was not until years later that the theater was discovered. Now, people from around the world are learning about this amphitheater and its role in the Renaissance time period. The Globe Theater is known for its structure, audience and actors, and history.
Sophocles' Oedipus the King was designed to work on an Athenian stage . Great amphitheatres, like those at Athens and Epidauros would hold thousands of citizens who would be seated in a semi-circular tiered theatron looking down upon the acting space. Central to this space was the skene, which represented the wall of a building, and would be entered by a central door. There would have been a rectangular stage in front of the skene for actors and a semi-circular orchestra for the chorus. The audience would be able to see the stage, each other and also the surrounding landscape beyond the amphitheatre. The theatre place, and the way the play was designed to be viewed on stage certainly contributed much to the play's impact and message.
Shakespeare's works have been a major influence on theatre. Not only did Shakespeare create some of the most admired plays in literature, he also transformed theatre by expanding expectations through characterisation, plot, action, language, and genre. He raised the status of popular theatre, permitting it to be admired by all.
The Globe Theatre was where Shakespeare had most of his plays performed. It had many decorations to make it look appealing and to try and to make it seem expensive and luxurious. The Globe Theatre was built in just 6 months between 1597 and 1598 just outside central London. The Thames River separated it from St Paul’s cathedral. The Globe was made in a round circular shape. This meant that at least one actor would have their back to the audience, however, this would not have mattered because the audience came mainly to hear the play – not to see it. When you were buying a seat for the theatre, the most expensive seats would not be the ones with the best view, they would be the closest ones in order to hear better. Also, these seats would be facing towards the audience, which means that everyone would see them, meaning fame. The Globe would usually be packed with decorations and ornaments. These would have nothing to do with the play, it was used to make the theatre look more attractive/expensive. Lots of people would come to see the plays. They would do this because Shakespeare’s plays were not published at that time so the public would want to see it...
Theatre serves to reflect society. From Shakespeare to Sophocles, a playwright’s work illustrates the different mechanics within a culture, time period, or society. Theatre offers viewers the experience of taking a step back and looking in on themselves. In this way, theatre is a mirror of the world and the way it functions. In the time period from 1968 to 1983, the world was transitioning.
England's most talented and well know poet and dramatist was born on April 23, 1564, at Stratford-upon-Avon, located in the cetre of England. His father, John, was a glove-maker and wool dealer involved with money lending. His mother Mary Arden was the daughter of a Farmer. William was the third out of eight children whom all died young. His father became Mayor in 1568, after serving on the town council for many years.
Greek and Elizabethan theatre, while similar in some respects, had a few large differences. The Greeks believed in a certain unity of theme, which was prevalent throughout the production. Greek plays were often drawn from myth or of historical significance, so it seems that only ki...
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 ...
Shakespeare's comedies can be recognized in terms of plot, structure and characters. We can see that Shakespearean comedies follow the same structural pattern, a basic plot on which the play is based. For example, a key feature of all comedies is that they depend upon the resolution of their plots. However, Shakespeare's comedies are distinguishable, as some are classed as comic dramas and others as romantic comedies. In comic drama, there is usually a motif of a place where reality and the unreal merge, the roles of characters are reversed and identities are mistaken or lost. This place may take on the form of a feast or celebration, or it may be presented as a place segregated from the normal society, such as the wood in A Midsummer Night's Dream. When scenes are set in this place, the ordinary rules of life and society do not apply. There is always an experience of chaos, which must be resolved in order for the play to become a true comedy.