Transcript London During Elizabethan Era

• Shakespeare Background
Guess which one is the
movie version!?!?
• Lived 1564 -1616
• Wrote 37 plays
– Romeo and Juliet
– Julius Caesar
– Hamlet
– Othello
– King Lear
– Macbeth
• about 154 sonnets
• Started out
performing with
“The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men”
• Background
• Most quoted author (alluded to),
other than the Bible
• Called “The Bard” of Avon
Shakespeare’s Birthplace
 Born in Stratford-on-Avon (about 100 miles outside of London)
 Family was considered affluent by social standards.
 Father was a glove-maker and leather tanner.
 Father was eventually appointed to an office equivalent to mayor in 1568,
but fell to misfortune in 1576 because of debt he owed.
Shakespeare’s Grammar School
This is the Guild
Church and Grammar
School where
Shakespeare attended
school with other boys
his age to learn Latin,
Greek, drama, poetry
and history. Girls did
not attend grammar
school during this time.
Shakespeare began attending public Grammar School at age seven.
He already knew how to read and write English—which is amazing
since both of his parents were illiterate. Grammar school involved
mostly the study of Latin. The typical school day was from 6:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.—a two-hour mid-day break—and then back to school from
1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. There were only forty days off per school year.
Shakespeare’s Marriage and Children
Anne Hathaway shared a house with her brother
following the death of both her parents. In a rural
community such as this, women tended to marry
earlier, and it is likely that the village gossip machine
would have been gearing up to turn her unmarried
state into an issue when Will came along, and, in
1582, Anne subsequently became pregnant. William
was 18 and Anne was 26. They married in
November, before the pregnancy was too advanced,
in what was probably a Catholic service.
Six months after they wed, Anne gave birth to their daughter Susanna. In
1585, twins Judith and Hamnet were born, but Hamnet died at age 11.
After William turned 21, there would be no more children for Anne and him.
Anne Hathaway died in 1623, having lived just long enough to see a monument built to
her late husband at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. She is buried in the chancel
(the space around the alter at the front of a church) next to him.
Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms: “Got to Get Paid, Son”
The Shakespeare family had long
sought armorial bearings and the
status of gentleman. William's father
was eligible for a coat of arms and
applied to the College of Heralds, but
his worsening financial status prevented
him from obtaining it. The application
was successfully renewed in 1596,
when William himself became
prosperous at the time. The motto "Non
sanz droict" ("Not without right") was
attached to the application. The theme
of social status and restoration runs
deep through the plots of many of
Shakespeare’s plays.
Shakespeare’s Burial Place
Written on Shakespeare’s tombstone:
“Good friend for Jesus sake
forbear, to dig the dust
enclosed here. Blessed by
the man that spares these
stones, and cursed be he
that moves my bones.”
Shakespeare's death at the age of 52 will almost surely remain a mystery. We do
know, however, that in a world where plague, syphilis, typhus, scurvy, tuberculosis,
smallpox, malaria, dysentery and toothaches shortened a Londoner’s life expectancy
to 35 years, Shakespeare fared quite well, leading a relatively long and healthy life.
The Age of Shakespeare
• Elizabethan Era (1485-1660)
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Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
Economy grew quickly
London largest city in Europe
Great supporters of the arts
Drama considered lowest form
of literature
Judi Dench plays Queen Elizabeth I
in the movie “Shakespeare In Love”
Rise of Prestigious Playhouses
• Change in English Theatre
– Traveling theatre company
– Met with resistance
because of crowds
– James Burbage built
England’s 1st playhouse
– Failed lease negotiation
resulted in The Globe
Theatre
James Burbage
• The Globe
• Many playwrights with
nowhere to “play”
• Barn turned into theatre
• Original Globe was 3
stories tall and held about
3000 people.
• Although most of
Shakespeare’s plays were
held there, he only owned
12% of the theatre.
• The Globe
• All classes of people
attended plays there.
• No roof so they had to
use sunlight for lighting.
• Plays had to be
performed during the
day—no night
performances.
• People often skipped
work to go.
• The Globe was not
allowed to be built in the
city of London because
crowds often became
too rowdy.
• Types of Plays
The color of flag flying at The Globe
informed the public which type of
play was being performed that day.
– Comedies: light and
amusing, usually
with a happy ending
– Tragedies: serious
dramas with
disastrous endings
– Histories: involve
events or persons
from history
•
Costumes were often the
company’s most valuable
asset
•
Costumes were either made
by the company, bought in
London, or donated by
courtiers, which were people
in the upper class.
• The Elements of the
Theatre and Plays
– Costumes
• Acting
• Only men were
permitted to perform
• Boys or effeminate
men were used to play
the women
• It would have been
indecent for a woman
to appear on stage
The Double Switch! Girl is
Boy and Boy is Girl!
– Spectators
Will Ferrell is the most
famous alumnus of the
comedy improvisational
group called “The
Groundling” based in
Los Angeles
• Wealthy people got to
sit on benches
• Groundlings, poor
people, had to stand
and watch from the
courtyard
– Women not allowed
(They had to dress
up as men to attend)
– Threw rotten
vegetables at bad
performance
• There was much
more audience
participation than
what there is today
• London During
Elizabethan Era
– Personal
hygiene/health
The way of life was pretty unhygienic during
Elizabethan period by today's standards.
There was no running water, you did not
have indoor toilets, and there was no toilet
paper. Instead of toilet paper, people would
typically use clumps of grass or hay for
cleaning. To top it off, London and other
places were overly crowded and this made
for a huge mess all the time. The unhygienic
conditions along with overpopulation is
probably what caused the Bubonic plague
and other problems to spread so easily from
one person to another.
• Poor Sewer System
• Bathing was considered
dangerous to health
• Body odor was strong!
London During Elizabethan Era
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– Diseases
>> Bubonic Plague
>> Smallpox
Many childhood
diseases
Children often died
before reaching
5 years old
Caused by flea bites. This
disease killed an estimated 75
million people, 30-60% of the
European population.
Even Queen Elizabeth caught
smallpox, but recovered. The
scars from the disease were
covered with heavy white
makeup which was fashionable
at the time.
Any pictures of Physicians of the Elizabethan era look very strange
and quite frightening. Elizabethan Physicians adopted protective
costumes against the disease in the 16th century. Elizabethan
Physicians wore long dark robes with pointed hoods, leather
gloves, boots, and the most bizarre masks featuring long beaks
which were filled with bergamot oil. Amulets of dried blood and
ground-up toads were worn at the waists of the Elizabethan
Physicians. It was their custom to douse themselves with vinegar
and chew angelica before approaching a victim. Although this might
sound pointless today, these precautions would have protected the
Elizabethan Physician. The bizarre and gruesome Physician masks
would have acted as protection against contracting the disease
through breathing the same air as the victim. The cover-all clothing
would have protected the Elizabethan Physician from fleas and
therefore the Black Death / Bubonic Plague.
London During Elizabethan Era
– Entertainment
• Bear-baiting
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A post would be set in the ground towards
the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it,
either by the leg or neck. A number of welltrained hunting dogs would then be set on it,
being replaced as they tired or were
wounded or killed. In some cases the bear
was let loose, allowing it to chase after
animals or people.
• Races
• Gambling
• Music
• Drinking/socializing
London During Elizabethan Era
– Clothing
• One set of clothing
used all year long,
rarely washed
• Underclothing was slept
in, infrequently changed
• Clothes handed down
from rich to poor