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.jpg/250px-Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg) Elizabethan Era: 1558–1603 |
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The Elizabethan culture is one of the most noteworthy cultures in our world today. Many things contributed to the development of the Elizabethan culture including theaters, amphitheatres, famous plays, famous playwrights, famous actors and famous acting troupes.
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[edit] Theatres and Amphitheatres
Theatres and amphitheatres have contributed the most towards the development of the Elizabethan culture. Theatres have created a whole new lifestyle for the Elizabethan people. Now people can spend their free time being entertained by watching a play in a theatre or an amphitheatre. They only have to look at the closest theatre to see if it has a flag on top of it, which indicates that the theatre has a performance that day. Amphitheatres are the best choice for you if you are one of the working class people who don’t have a lot of disposable income. With only one penny you can enjoy watching a decent play. If you don’t like the crowd and the noise in amphitheatres or if you are one of the people from the higher class, you should visit a reputable theatre instead. The entry price is much higher than amphitheatres, but it is really worth it because you will be able to watch better plays and more famous actors. Theatres and amphitheatres will remain the best form of entertainment in the Elizabethan culture.
[edit] The Globe Theatre
The Globe theatre is one of the most famous theatres in all of England. It was built in 1597 by Cuthbert Burbage and Richard Burbage as a replacement to The Theatre. The Theatre was built in 1576 by James Burbage because it was more profitable than performing in streets. The Globe theatre was formed when The Theatre was disassembled, renamed to The Globe and rebuilt in a cheaply leased land in London. The Theatre had to be moved because of a dispute between James Burbage and Giles Allen on making a new lease agreement. The Globe theatre was a huge success because 1500-3000 people would attend each performance and because there was a new play almost every two days. The Globe theatre has really good actors; the most famous actor is Richard Burbage who has extraordinary acting skills. The protector of The Globe theatre was Lord Chamberlain, whose job was to make sure that the theatre was supported by Queen Elizabeth I.
[edit] The Rose and Swan Theatres
The Globe theatre is not the only theatre in the city, since there are many other theatres that are competing against it. The most notable competing amphitheatres are the Rose and the Swan amphitheatres. The Rose amphitheatre was opened by Francis Langley in 1595 on the river bank side of Surrey. It was built very quickly, in only 6 month, and was built from cheap timber. The amphitheatre is 72ft. in diameter and has a 35ft. wide and 15ft. deep stage. The entry is only a penny and it has neither heating nor toilets. It has a maximum capacity of 1500-3000 people. The second competing amphitheatre is the Swan amphitheatre which was built by Philip Henslowe in 1587 in Paris Garden, Surrey. It has some of the same features as the Rose amphitheatre. It has a 72ft. diameter and a 35ft wide and 15ft stage. The capacity of the theatre is also 1500-3000. There are 12 theatres and amphitheatres in London. This is mainly because of your passion for this new form of entertainment.
[edit] Actors
There are many young actors who perform in the Elizabethan theatres. The upper class’s children mainly join the choir and perform to Queen Elizabeth to get paid a lot of money. While children from low-class families who act female roles on the stage have to put on makeup that could cause lead poisoning. These low-class children often join acting groups such as Paul’s Children. Paul’s Children perform in small theatres, and they earn very little money and have to work under harsh conditions and great risks such as lead poisoning and constant abuse. One of the most famous young actors on the Elizabethan stage is Salomon Pavey. He had such a great talent in acting women’s role on stage that was praised by Shakespeare himself. However, he died an unfortunate death when he was only 13 years old.
[edit] Acting Troupes & Costumes
There are several acting troupes in London. The most famous acting troupes are Lord Strange's Men, Lord Chamberlain's Men, Admiral's Men and King's Men. Many famous and talented actors are in those troupes. All actors on the Elizabethan stage have to get a special license from Queen Elizabeth in order to wear those expensive costumes. Because of the sumptuary law, people are only allowed to wear expensive costume if they are from the royalty or have a special permission from Queen Elizabeth.
[edit] Famous Playwrights & Plays
Many famous playwrights contributed to the development of the Elizabethan culture. The most famous Elizabethan playwrights is William Shakespeare. He contributed to the development of the Elizabethan culture by influencing people through his plays. His plays are written in a very unique and favourable style that is a mixture of romance, comedy and tragedy. He has written several plays, and the most renowned ones are Henry VI, Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth. Aside from Shakespeare, there are many other playwrights who also made great contributions to the development of the Elizabethan culture. The most notable one is Ben Johnson who is most famous for opposing Shakespeare's style. His plays are much more realistic, and he avoids Shakespeare’s style of mixing romance, comedy and tragedy. Some of his most endorsed plays are Volpone, The Silent Woman, The Alchemist and Catiline.
[edit] Review of Romeo & Juliet
Romeo & Juliet is Shakespeare’s most famous play, as it incorporates all aspects of his writing style, including comedy, tragedy and romance. Shakespeare captures the audience’s attention by telling the story’s climax in the introduction so that the audience would anticipate the dramatic events that would lead to the tragic climax. No lines are wasted in this play and every single line has its own importance in delivering the full experience to the audience. Every moment in the play contributes to the movement of the story from the introduction to the climax. The audience is only interested in knowing how these two lovers’ fate leads them to their death. Romeo & Juliet is the best play ever written, you must see it if you haven’t already.
[edit] Conclusion
To put it briefly, everything in the England had an important role in developing the Elizabethan culture. Everyone contributed to create this amazing and wonderful culture. The Elizabethan culture will never be forgotten.
[edit] References
- Alchin, Linda. Elizabethan Acting Troupes, Amphitheatre, Costumes. Elizabethan Era. 17 May 2007. 29 Apr. 2008 <http://elizabethan-era.org.uk >.
- Chrisp, Peter. Welcome to the Globe! New York City: DK, Inc., 2000.
- Schoenbaum, S. Shakespeare, The Globe & the World. New Jersey: Oxford UP, 1979.
- Yancey, Diane. Life in the Elizabethan Theatre. San Diego: Lucent Books Inc., 1997.
[edit] Further Reading
- Chrisp, Peter. Welcome to the Globe! New York City: DK, Inc., 2000.
- Schoenbaum, S. Shakespeare, The Globe & the World. New Jersey: Oxford UP, 1979.
- Yancey, Diane. Life in the Elizabethan Theatre. San Diego: Lucent Books Inc., 1997.
[edit] External Links
Category:Golden ages Category:Tudor England Category:Historical eras Category:Economic booms
