Transcript Shakespeare`s Globe Theatre

Elizabethan Era
Important People,
Places, Events, and Ideas
that Shaped the Period
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24
March 1603) was Queen of England,
Queen of France (in name only), and
Queen of Ireland from 17 November
1558 until her death.
She is sometimes referred to as The
Virgin Queen (as she never married),
Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, and was
immortalized by Edmund Spenser as the
Faerie Queene.
Elizabeth I was the sixth and final
monarch of the Tudor dynasty (the other
Tudor monarchs having been her
grandfather Henry VII, her father Henry
VIII, her half-brother Edward VI, her
cousin Jane, and her half-sister Mary I).
Many legends exist around the Queen.
She reigned for 44 years, during a
period marked by increases in English
power and influence worldwide, as well as
great religious turmoil within England.
The Virgin Queen
Living in a conservative society, in which both
tradition and religion proclaimed the natural
inferiority of women, Elizabeth used her gender to
her own advantage by creating a personal myth
that raised her above the ordinary.
Elizabeth's councilors pressured her towards
marriage as the natural course, essential to
ensure an undisputed succession. But Elizabeth
found more advantages in remaining single. She
could avoid the loss of authority to her husband
and the dangers of childbirth, while using her
eligibility for political gain: European monarchs
who were hopeful suitors were less likely to pose
a threat.
Elizabeth was a strong ruler who was willing to use her sex to advantage--only in
Elizabeth's case it was by remaining a virgin, though she was reputed to have
“entertained” several men throughout her reign.
The Many Faces of a Queen
The Bard
Christened on April 26, 1564.
•Probably born a few days earlier
•The world attributes April 23 as the
anniversary of his birth
•He died on that day in 1616
Raised in the small village of Stratford,
on the banks of the Avon River
•Stratford-upon-Avon
The third of eight children of John
Shakespeare and Mary Arden
•John was a successful glove maker
and alderman
•Mary’s family was upper-class
Shakespeare’s Life
Very little of Shakespeare’s
childhood and early life is known
•Likely to have attended King
Edward VI Grammar School
Married Ann Hathaway
•Eight years his senior
They baptized their first daughter,
Susanna, on May 26, 1583.
The couple later had twins
•Judith
•Hamnet
Shakespeare Resurfaces
The next seven years are a mystery
Shakespeare again surfaces in 1592 as an actor
and playwright living in London,
•A logical place to live since all theaters
were located in the vicinity.
Actor and Playwright
Shakespeare made his real
money from his share of the box
office ticket receipts.
He was part owner both of the
acting company and the Globe
Theatre, where that company
performed.
Robert Greene, a competing
playwright, called Shakespeare
“an upstart crow.”
Another contemporary, Ben
Johnson, recognized his talent,
saying of him, “He was not of an
age, but for all time!”
Moving on Up
Non sanz droict (Not without right)
Shakespeare dutifully sent money back to
Stratford, where he purchased one of the town’s
largest houses, invested in real estate, and even a
coat of arms.
The description of the coat of arms: “Gold, on a
bend sable, a spear of the first, steeled argent; and
for his crest... a falcon his wings displayed argent,
standing on a wreath of his colours supporting a
spear gold, steeled as aforesaid, set upon a
helmet with mantles and tassles.”
• bend—diagonal bar; sable—black;
…of the first—gold; steeled argent—silver tip
The Shakespeares were recognized as members of the English gentry, were
entitled to write "gentleman" after their names, and could display the coat-ofarms on their door and all their personal items.
Body of Work
Shakespeare is credited with having written:
37 Plays
 10 Tragedies
 17 Comedies
 10 Histories
154 Sonnets
Like most writers of his period,
Shakespeare did not always write alone,
and a number of his plays (the exact
number is open to debate) were
collaborative. Consequently, the exact
number of works written by Shakespeare
will likely never be known for certain.
Elizabethan Theatre
Traveling groups of
entertainers would visit towns
and taverns to dance, perform
music, and present plays.
Several of Shakespeare’s
plays, including The Taming of
the Shrew, Midsummer Night’s
Dream, and Hamlet, feature
these traveling actors.
Inns were often built with inner courtyards, around which rose several
stories of floors. Early theater patrons simply stood at the railings of
these balconies to view performances, eventually giving rise to the
construction of similarly designed theaters.
Prostitutes, Rogues, and Cutpurses
Theaters of Shakespeare’s day were disreputable and banned in London.
The relocation of theaters outside the city limits was also due to the frequent
outbreaks of the deadly Black Plague. Resourceful actors simply built their
theaters outside of town.
The Globe was located in Southwark (SUH-therk), on the south side of town
just across the Thames River.
This red-light district was populated by the dregs of Elizabethan society:
prostitutes, charlatans, and actors.
Religion
Religion was an integral part of
daily life in Elizabethan England,
and serves as part of the
background fabric in many of
Shakespeare’s plays.
The Church of England had strict
rules on burials on hallowed ground.
Prostitutes, those who committed
suicide, and actors, for example,
could not be buried in the Church
grounds.
Shakespeare’s fame and fortune
earned his likeness a special place
in Holy Trinity Church in Stratfordupon-Avon.
The Natural Order
In Shakespeare’s day,
everyone had an official place
in the natural scheme of
things.
Technically, you were born
into a particular class,
married within that class, and
lived your life according to
that class.
Only those who were
unusually successful were
able to attempt to move up
the social ladder, but options
were still limited.
Love or Money?
To help maintain the natural
order, most marriages were
arranged, especially among the
upper classes.
Nobility married for politics, not
love.
Too much meddling with the
natural order of things might bring
on all manner of repercussions,
including natural disasters.
In fact, a violent storm in
Shakespeare’s plays is often a
harbinger of trouble to follow.
An Uncertain Time
Members of the royalty were expected to
be wise and virtuous. Commoners were
assumed to be crude, shiftless, and
dishonest.
The threat of usurpation and civil war was
very real.
Queen Elizabeth faced assassination
attempts, conspiracies to overthrow her,
and threats from other countries, especially
Spain.
Birth fixed your social status and also
determined some of your character traits.
Look to the Stars
Astrology was very much a part of everyday life.
Shakespeare was reputed to have been born under a
“rhyming planet.”
Body and Mind
Elizabethans believed that the
body was governed by four fluids,
or humors:
Black bile
Phlegm
Blood
Yellow bile
Good health required a balance
of the humors.
An ingrained notion was that an
ugly body contained an ugly mind.
In other words, beauty was more
than skin deep.
Racial Views
Jews, blacks, and anyone else who did not
fit the English mold faced discrimination,
restrictive laws, and sometimes even open
hostility.
Shakespeare’s plays reflect the society in
which he lived, though he managed to avoid
simple stereotypes.
Instead, he created complex characters
with real lives and real problems.
Shakespeare wrote plays about people and
their problems, not about racial stereotypes.
Othello and The Merchant of Venice are
two of Shakespeare’s plays that deal
with racial and/or ethnic issues.
Crime and Punishment
Witnessing public executions was a popular pastime in
Shakespeare's era.
People were fascinated by the shedding of blood, whether it be
human or animal, as evidenced by bear baiting and cockfighting.
Remember this when encountering the large amount of
violence on the Elizabethan stage and discussing why these
plays were so popular.
The Black Death
At the very time that Shakespeare's reputation was growing, a severe
outbreak of the bubonic plague was building in London.
This plague would kill 10% of the population within a few months,
including several of Shakespeare’s relatives.
When the plague was at its height, between June 1592 and May 1594,
theatres were frequently closed in order to keep the plague from spreading.
Enemies of the State
Spain, France, Germany, and Italy
The English were professionally
paranoid of anything foreign.
On the other hand, they were
habitually jealous of all things foreign:
Italian manners, French fashions,
Spanish gold, etc.
They have always been enemies with
the French, except when necessary to
unite against Spain.
Ironically, they have often been
allied with Spain, until that unfortunate
episode of the Armada in 1588.
Marriage and Family
With parental permission, boys
are legal to marry at 14, girls at 12,
though it was not recommended
so early.
One “came of age” at 21.
It was generally considered
foolish to marry for love, although
love may eventually occur later in
the marriage.
Everyone wanted (and expected)
to have children.
Children were the property of
their parents, and gave them the
respect a servant gave his master,
or else.
Wives were the property of their
husbands. See previous
admonition.
Children and Childhood
Little boys were dressed in skirts, much like
his sisters, until the age of six or seven,
when he got his first pair of breeches or
breech hose.
This event, called breeching, was celebrated
with a party. After the event, the boy was
said to have been “breeched.”
Before this event, he was just "an
unbreeched boy."
Wet nurses were
often employed by
members of the
upper class.
Infants were wrapped in swaddling bands
for the first 6 to 12 months. It was
considered unhealthy to give them the free
use of their limbs.
Both boys and girls were dressed as
miniature adults, and were expected to act
accordingly.
Lovely Ladies
Standards of beauty change over the centuries.
To understand the cosmetics worn by Elizabethan
women, it's important to understand the effect they
were trying to achieve--that "ideal" of beauty that
they wanted to imitate.
In viewing paintings from the time, one can begin
to catch a glimpse of the ideal Elizabethan female:
bright eyes, snow-white skin, red cheeks and lips,
and fair hair.
Pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth, and (for
women) delicacy, and was sought after by many.
The sense of order which governed Elizabethan
society also governed the type of dress one could
wear. "Sumptuary" laws* outlined the degree of
luxury allowed each social class*, although a 1580
statute modified the law to allow some luxury to
those who could afford it.
Elizabethan dress was sumptuous and elaborate, mirroring the prosperity of the age.
Manly Men
Nobleman’s clothing was intended to display his
wealth, status, and sexual attractiveness.
One of the key aspects of a nobleman was that he
did not need to work to support himself, since he
lived on the income from the land he owned and his
other investments.
While his clothing reflected that he did not work, it
was not overly confining.
A nobleman was expected to be able to fence at
any time, and always wore a sword.
The dances of the time were also quite vigorous,
especially for men.
Hair was usually combed forward from the back to
form a fringe on the forehead.
Hats were worn by most men, outside as well as in.
Filling the Time
These are some of the ways an
Elizabethan might fill his or her time:
Hunting, drinking, gambling, tennis,
bowls (lawn bowling), shuttlecock (like
badminton), archery, billiards, hunting
and riding, wrestling, falconing,
listening to or playing music,
attending the theatre or having the
actors come to your home, singing,
dancing, embroidering, reading, and
political maneuvering.
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
In general, people eat two meals a day:
Dinner at midday (11:00 or 12:00) and
Supper in the evening (about 6:00).
Schoolboys, working people, and
housewives get up around 5 or 6 am, or
even earlier. These people certainly did
not wait until 11:00 to eat.
Sweets are commonly flavored with ginger, nutmeg,
mace, cloves, anise, coriander, rose water, sherry (sack),
almond and/or saffron, as sugar was not widely available.
Potatoes are not common; turnips are used in stews Tea
is not yet available, so there is not yet a “tea time.”
Tomatoes are present, but widely considered
poisonous.
Everyday Expressions
Antique language isn't necessarily "big words" or curious sentence
structure. Try these. (Note that "an" means "if".)
Instead of:
Say:
Okay
Wow!
Excuse me
Please
Thank you
Gesundheit!
Air head
Bottom line
Bathroom
Certainly!
Very well, 'Tis done, As you will, Marry shall I
Fie me! Marry! 'Zounds! I'faith! Hey-ho! God's Death! What ho!
Forgive me, Pray pardon, I crave your forgiveness, By your leave
Prithee, If you please, An it please you, By your leave
Gramercy, I thank thee, My thanks, God reward thee
God Save You!
Lightminded, Airling
In the end, At bottom, In the main, Finally, In the final analysis
Privy, Jakes, Ajax
Certes! (SIR-tees)
Hello was not actually a period greeting, but an exclamation of surprise.
You can say instead: “Good day,” “Good morrow,” “God ye good den,”
“Good den,” “God save you,” or “How now.”
Education
In general, only boys go to school. A girl's
education is accomplished at home, and
usually includes reading and arithmetic.
Of course, noble children get their
education at home, from private tutors.
It is understood that students must have
their education beaten into them, like their
manners and deportment.
Typical daily program of study for boy of noble birth:
7:00-7:30
Dancing
1:00-2:00
Cosmography
7:30-8:00
Breakfast
2:00-3:00
Latin
8:00-9:00
French
3:00-4:00
French
9:00-10:00
Latin
4:00-4:30
Writing
10:00-10:30
Writing and Drawing
4:30-5:30
Prayers, Recreation, Supper
10:30-1:00
Prayers, Recreation, Dinner
Defending One’s Honor
Calling someone a liar, or otherwise
impugning his honor, his courage, or his
name, was a challenge in itself.
Dueling was illegal, so aggrieved persons
usually took the fight out of the public arena,
and sometimes out of the country (any warzone would do).
Usually this was single combat, unlike the
group duels of France, which led to longstanding feuds.
If you were angry enough or unsure of your combat skills, you may not have waited
for a duel, or even for a fair fight. One or more of your men may have lain in wait to
ambush your unsuspecting adversary. People were frequently killed this way,
though often it was a gentleman's retainers who took the brunt of such attacks.
Tempers were short and weapons easy to hand. The basic characteristics of the
nobility, like those of the poor, were ferocity, childishness, and lack of self control.
All the World’s a Stage…
In an effort to curb the influence of the “immoral” influence of actors, acting, and the theater, city
leaders eventually banned women from acting, though they were allowed to attend performances.
As a result, boys played women’s roles, a
profession that proved hazardous to their
health. Shakespeare has female characters in
many of his plays successfully masquerade as
boys and men.
Puritans further sought to limit theater’s evil
influence by banning theaters from London
Because both Elizabeth I and the citizenry at
large were so fond of theater, the Puritans
achieved limited success in their push for
restrictions. They were finally successful,
however, in closing all theaters in 1642.
In 1647, a decree was issued declaring all actors to be rogues and vagabonds, and authorizing
the justices of the peace to demolish all stage galleries and seats; any actor discovered in the
exercise of his vocation should for the first offense be whipped, for the second be treated as an
incorrigible rogue, and every person found witnessing the performance of a stage play should
be fined five shillings.
The Globe
Two Globe Theatres were
“originally” built, one in the 16th
century, and the other in the 17th.
The first structure was built in
1599, and burned down in 1613.
A second Globe was rebuilt the
same year on the same site and
was used until being torn down in
1644 because of Puritanical
disdain for theater.
A modern reconstruction of the
Globe, named “Shakespeare's
Globe Theatre,” opened in 1997.
The
Globe
A Wooden “O”
Described by Shakespeare as a “wooden O,”
the Globe was an outdoor theater about 100
feet across, and may have had as many as 20
sides.
The stage was about 50 x 25 feet, and jutted
out into the audience, meaning the actors had
spectators on three sides.
Spectators who stood on the ground—
groundlings—paid the least: a penny.
An extra fee was required for a seat in the
galleries that formed the walls of the theater.
Special box seats cost still more.
The original Globe seated about 3,000
spectators, more than most modern theaters.
Suspension of Disbelief
Because no practical artificial lighting
existed, plays took place only during the
day, rain or shine.
Sets were probably simple. An ornate
chair might simply suggest the court of
King Henry VI, for example. Surviving
records indicate that Shakespeare spent
much money on costumes, which were
often the cast-offs of wealthy patrons.
A reading of Romeo and Juliet confirms
that a balcony existed above the main
stage.
Underneath the balcony was a small
curtained area used for dramatic
revelations.
Show Time!
Three blasts of the trumpet notified of
the start of the play.
The first play performed in The Globe
was Julius Caesar.
Shakespeare wrote and performed in
plays in The Globe.
During performance of Henry VIII in
1613 a spark from the cannon set the
thatched roof on fire.
It took less than an hour for the Globe
to burn down. No one was hurt or killed.
Architectural Features
Architectural Features
Flag—Signified which type of play was
being performed.
•
•
•
Black for tragedy
White for comedy
Red for history
The Heavens —The roof over the stage
protected the actors from the elements.
 It also represented the sky and heavens,
and was painted blue with golden stars.
 This area provided a place for actors to
hide.
 A selection of ropes & rigging would
allow for special effects, such as flying
or dramatic entries.
Architectural Features
Upper Stage —This “chamber” area
was used for most bedroom and
balcony scenes.
Galleries —Three covered seating
sections ringing the stage.
 Audiences paid more to sit on these
tiered wooden benches under a
thatched roof to keep out of the
elements.
 For an additional penny, a patron
could borrow a cushion to sit on.
Architectural Features
Main Stage —Where the main action
of the play took place, especially
outdoor scenes of battlefields,
forests, or cityscapes.
 It was often called an “apron” stage
because audiences could sit on all
three sides.
 The stage was intentionally built
four or five feet high so audience
members could not interfere with
the actors on stage.
 For a larger fee, patrons could
sometimes sit up on the stage next
to the actors.
Architectural Features
Inner Stage —This stage was used
mostly for indoor scenes.
 It had a curtain that could be
opened or closed for scene
changes.
The Pit or Yard —Audiences paid
one penny to stand in this cobbled
area and watch the performance,
rain or shine.
 Often these patrons, or groundlings,
would participate in the play by
cheering, shouting, or throwing
food at the actors.
Architectural Features
Support or 'Herculean' Pillars —
These wooden pillars supported the
roof and were painted to look like
marble.
 Actors used these pillars to “hide”
on the main stage and observe
other characters while speaking in
asides to the audience.
Trap Door —Actors playing ghosts or
witches could rise or descend
through this door built into the main
stage.
 The cellarage underneath was
referred to as “hell.”
Architectural Features
Entrance —“Gatherers” stood at the single
entrance to collect one penny from each
patron per performance.
 Patrons put their pennies in a box,
hence the term “box office.”
 It took audiences about half an hour to
file into the theatre.
Foundation —The Globe’s foundation was
constructed of brick to compensate for
the its location on wet, marshy land
close to the Thames River.
Thatched Roof —A roof made of thatch, a
plant material, such as straw, rushes,
leaves, or the like.
Architectural Features
Hut —A small, house-like structure build
over the Heavens.
 The hut was also used for storage and
additional sound effects, such as alarm
bells, cannon fire, and thunder.
Tiring House or Room —Dressing and
storage rooms.
 Actors rested here between scenes and
changed into and out of their lavish
costumes.
 Large props were also stored here.
 The doors to the tiring house also
served as the main entrances and exits
for the actors.
A Man for the Ages
Shakespeare endures today not only in
schools and theaters, but also in familiar
sayings from our everyday speech.
Most scholars agree that Shakespeare
possessed a vocabulary of about 30,000
words, and that he freely extended his
repertoire as he felt the need.
He invented words, used old words in new
ways, and had fun with the English language.
Some argue that he didn’t necessarily
create all of these “new” words, but was the
first to put them in writing. Regardless, his
contributions to the English language are
inestimable.
Will’s Legacy
Shakespeare invented around 2000 words and phrases, many of which
are still in use today, though their meanings may have changed.
Assassination
Dwindle
Gloomy
Monumental
Alligator
Barefaced
Suspicious
Academy
Bump
Generous
Countless
Amazement
Courtship
Submerge
Viewless
Critical
Dislocate
Exposure
Impartial
Gnarled
Lapse
Laughable
Lonely
Majestic
Aerial
Misplaced
Premeditated
radiance
Dishearten
Arouse
Critic
Dauntless
Glow
Gossip
Remorseless
Rivals
Scuffle
Swagger
Tranquil
Negotiate
Outbreak
Vaulting
Undress
Numb
Zany
Obscene
Ode
Frugal
The Sincerest Form of Flattery
In addition to thousands of stagings of his plays over the generations,
Shakespeare’s classics have also enjoyed great success on the silver
screen. Below are several modern adaptations of his works:
Ten Things I Hate About You—The Taming of the Shrew
Kiss Me, Kate—The Taming of the Shrew
My Own Private Idaho—Henry IV
O—Othello
Romeo Must Die—Romeo and Juliet
ShakespeaRe-Told (BBC Television series)—Various Plays
She’s the Man—Twelfth Night
West Side Story—Romeo and Juliet
Forbidden Planet—The Tempest
Strange Brew—Hamlet
King of Texas—King Lear
The Lion King—Hamlet
Renaissance Man—Hamlet