What sense do you get of what life was like in Elizabethan England?
I get a sense that life in Elizabethan england was tough and often un-just but was also a time of great change and development for literate, theatre and science.It was a time when Britain began to find its feet in the world and life was becoming more exiting and exotic.
Religion
During the Elizabethan era almost everyone was brought up as Christians and mostly catholic. Everyone was required to attend church at least once a month. But there were a large amount of social and cultural changes at the this time, as queen Elizabeth changed the country into protestant.
Population
The population grew at this time with a large growth in London. The economy grew largely in the 45 year reign of Elizabeth. People were getting richer and there was a larger strain on luxury items like silk or luxury foods. This meant that merchants like glove makers or dress makers became more and more successful. This then lead to other services which had to exist in order to maintain the populations needs such as importing and exporting, legal services and health services. Goods were being shipped from europe and the middle east so this allowed people to gain more jobs and the economy to boom.
Discovery
It was also a time of great discovery. People began to ask more questions about the world they were living in, how they got their, where they could explore to. This is when Cartography became increasingly important as people were making new maps for an ever growing world and they started to discover new islands and countries.
Theatre
The growth of public theatres in this era was another key social change. A range of actors from different levels of society were now being able to act and perform in public which was a new experience for both the audience and performers. Theatre in this time helped to unravel British history in a new light, this helped people begin to understand history, tragedy and drama. For the first time different social classes began to merge together and enjoy entertainment, this was exiting because the lower class's had the same opportunities as the higher classes, theatre began to unite people and force them to be equal.
Religion
During the Elizabethan era almost everyone was brought up as Christians and mostly catholic. Everyone was required to attend church at least once a month. But there were a large amount of social and cultural changes at the this time, as queen Elizabeth changed the country into protestant.
Population
The population grew at this time with a large growth in London. The economy grew largely in the 45 year reign of Elizabeth. People were getting richer and there was a larger strain on luxury items like silk or luxury foods. This meant that merchants like glove makers or dress makers became more and more successful. This then lead to other services which had to exist in order to maintain the populations needs such as importing and exporting, legal services and health services. Goods were being shipped from europe and the middle east so this allowed people to gain more jobs and the economy to boom.
Discovery
It was also a time of great discovery. People began to ask more questions about the world they were living in, how they got their, where they could explore to. This is when Cartography became increasingly important as people were making new maps for an ever growing world and they started to discover new islands and countries.
Theatre
The growth of public theatres in this era was another key social change. A range of actors from different levels of society were now being able to act and perform in public which was a new experience for both the audience and performers. Theatre in this time helped to unravel British history in a new light, this helped people begin to understand history, tragedy and drama. For the first time different social classes began to merge together and enjoy entertainment, this was exiting because the lower class's had the same opportunities as the higher classes, theatre began to unite people and force them to be equal.
More people began to read and write. The bible was a huge influence on people as they became more interesting in analysing and understand english and latin. The types of books Elizabethans read varied on what class you were as the higher class often had more access to larger more extensive libraries and of course money was also an important factor. Herbal and scientific books were extremely popular as the population was able to educate themselves about how to treat illness or wounds. The publishing industry grew by a third in the Elizabethan time.
Question 2
Three years later they had twins Hamnet and Judith. As William became more successful Anne lived in Stratford while Shakespeare worked mostly in London. Some say that their marriage was difficult as he was often too busy to spend time with his family.
B.) Who were the actors of Shakespeare’s plays and how did the experience of being an actor differ from the experience today?
Only men and boys were given the opportunity to act in this time. Women were not allowed to perform in theatres (in England) until 1660. Boys would often play female roles and sometimes men would play and older female character.
From the clip of A midsummer nights dream the first main different that i noticed is of course the staging, set, lighting and costume. Although in Shakespeare's time the costumes of the actors were often bold, today we have so much more access to sound effects, lighting and set. In the clip you can see that the space has a scaffolding like construction in it were the actors can climb through and use, you have material in which the actors swing from and more props they can play with. In Elizabethan england there just wasn't the money or access to these things. This means the dynamics of the way the play is performed, spoken and stages is complete different because you numerous things to think about such as movement in relation to set.
You also have a varied cast men are playing male roles and women are playing female roles, this is different to the all male casts of Shakespeare's time. You also have a difference in ethnicity, in Shakespeare's time you would have had an all white cast whereas today and in this production you have people from different ethnic backgrounds.
However there are still similarities, your still have music and dance involved in this piece just like most Elizabethan plays did. It is interesting to see how Shakespeare's theatre had such an impact not he way plays are permed today and the signifficance of music and dance in a piece.
I also have looked at the national theatres adaptation of Macbeth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGLmOP3oLw) a main difference in this production is the staging. The stage is not set out in the round but instead in a cross layout this creates a totally different, immersive performance for the audience. Another main difference is effects like making it rain on stage this is something Shakespheres plays wouldn'thave been able to achieve, this would have made the performance inmodern day more real for the audience and actors.
Question 2
Shakespeare's life and biography
William Shakespeare was born to the family of John and Mary Shakespeare in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died on April 23rd 1616. His mother and father had previously lost two daughters so William was their first to survive, you could say that he was lucky from birth. The family were catholic Christians.
His father John Shakespeare, was a leather worker who specialized in the soft white leather used for gloves and similar items.John slowly became more and me successful, in his success Mary and John brought a house in which was expensive for their time. William grew up in a well to do environment
At the time of Shakespeare England was transitioning into a new age, an age where religion, science and literature was at the for front of peoples discoveries. In the 16th century English rulers had changed to protestant to catholic and back again before William was born. No one knows that the future holds at the point of his birth. Williams Warwickshire up bringing was later used in his writing as he talked about places and people he knew and had seen. Some say his love for the English countryside began when he was a young boy and these memories transferred into his writing.
At the age of 7 William went to School. At this time 150 new Elizabethan schools were created. Children in his generation were now the most literate than ever. Grammer and Latin were extremely important. Theatre was also a key part in Williams education, he would often take part in School plays where he learnt about politics and acting. When he was a boy he got taken to Coventry to see what were called 'mystery plays'. Mystery plays told the stories of the bible like the flood and the creation of the world. This opened up deep feelings within William and must of inspired him. he never forgot these plays and their rawness and subtle humour. Some people say he wanted to carry this feeling on after they were banned when he was 15.
Later in 1582, William married Anne Hathaway. When they met she was expecting her first child from another father, Susanna. William married Anne at the age of 18, Anne was 26. Anne spent most of her life in Stratford.
Three years later they had twins Hamnet and Judith. As William became more successful Anne lived in Stratford while Shakespeare worked mostly in London. Some say that their marriage was difficult as he was often too busy to spend time with his family.
Hamnet died in 1596 at the age of 11. The family ended up dying out leaving no direct descendants of Shakespeare which made him and his past harder to trace.
Question 3
What was London like in Elizabethan times and who were the people attending the theatre?
In Elizabethan London the population was growing fast. Between 1550 and 1600 the city grew from around 50,000 to 200,000. This meant that new homes had to be built in order to hold the people and migrants, in addition jobs had to be made to keep the economy going. London was expanding out of its borders. The streets were narrow so often crowded, houses were crammed tightly together so family's and communities lives closer together. The city was loud and bustling, yells of traders, scuffles and outside work like cleaning or washing up.
London at the time also didn't have a sufficient drainage system so chamber pots were thrown from windows and doors. This meant the streets were riddled with disease and infection.
A range of people from different classes and backgrounds attending the theatre in this time. if you were rich you would often have better more expensive seats, this was often Royalty. In open air theatres the cheapest price was 1 penny which bought you a place standing in the yard around the stage, this was often the lower class theatre goers. In the yard you could buy food and drink yet there were no toilets people often urinated during the performance, other higher class ticket buyers complained of the smell.
Generally there were more men then women in the theatre.
I find it interesting how in the Elizabethan times a range of social classes came together to enjoy the theatre, it was something that united people instead of dividing. In today's society i think there is a stigma attached-to theatre that suggest only 'certain types' of people attend or feel able to go. Often now you see a large number of white middle class audience members. I think its important to remember the origins of the playhouses and there aim, to unite.
Question 4
A.) What were the theatres or ‘playhouses’ of Shakespeare’s time like and how were plays staged in them?
What was London like in Elizabethan times and who were the people attending the theatre?
In Elizabethan London the population was growing fast. Between 1550 and 1600 the city grew from around 50,000 to 200,000. This meant that new homes had to be built in order to hold the people and migrants, in addition jobs had to be made to keep the economy going. London was expanding out of its borders. The streets were narrow so often crowded, houses were crammed tightly together so family's and communities lives closer together. The city was loud and bustling, yells of traders, scuffles and outside work like cleaning or washing up.
London at the time also didn't have a sufficient drainage system so chamber pots were thrown from windows and doors. This meant the streets were riddled with disease and infection.
A range of people from different classes and backgrounds attending the theatre in this time. if you were rich you would often have better more expensive seats, this was often Royalty. In open air theatres the cheapest price was 1 penny which bought you a place standing in the yard around the stage, this was often the lower class theatre goers. In the yard you could buy food and drink yet there were no toilets people often urinated during the performance, other higher class ticket buyers complained of the smell.
Generally there were more men then women in the theatre.
I find it interesting how in the Elizabethan times a range of social classes came together to enjoy the theatre, it was something that united people instead of dividing. In today's society i think there is a stigma attached-to theatre that suggest only 'certain types' of people attend or feel able to go. Often now you see a large number of white middle class audience members. I think its important to remember the origins of the playhouses and there aim, to unite.
Question 4
A.) What were the theatres or ‘playhouses’ of Shakespeare’s time like and how were plays staged in them?
The globe as we know on southbank is not a direct copy of either of it's pre incarnations. It is not the real globe it is the guess work, the Collums, the gods , the thrust stage the curtains. It is the work of historians, crafts men and one Johannes De Witt who made a sketch depicting the swan theatre's interior.The sketch shows a protecting stage party roofed with a tower behind used for changing costumes. In 1567 the Red Lion theatre was the first true playhouse before the globe. Shakesphere first entered London in 1590, theatre's were only just being built. The globe used to be set in a place of danger, animal fighting, prostituation, the most popular form of entertainment was bear baiting lords and ladies would go see this for fun. This was a fair sport. It was a banishment area shared with prisons, un-consecrated graveyards and lunatic asylums. Only the globe survived souly as a theatre, others relied on animal bating.
They detested the theatre and even blamed a very rare earthquake in 1580 on the playhouses. They considered the theatres a haunt for the ungodly. A give of protsitutes and shady characters a breeding ground for infections a distraction from the worship of god. Men played all female part before the 1660's when things changed.
Only natural lighting in the theatre. Trumpets would play before the show. Flyers were used to advertise the shows . Their was little scenery and no curtains costumes were elaborate but no always historical accurate. Overtime plays became more ambitions and challenging the acting became less bombastic The golden age of theatre lasted only 75 years playhouses attracting over 50 million paying customers, few writers made any money. They sold their scripts
B.) Who were the actors of Shakespeare’s plays and how did the experience of being an actor differ from the experience today?
Only men and boys were given the opportunity to act in this time. Women were not allowed to perform in theatres (in England) until 1660. Boys would often play female roles and sometimes men would play and older female character.Actors were seen as low class and not taking part in everyday society. Location had a key influence on people's perception on actors, because the theatres were in a known dirty and dangerous area of London, outside the city walls. Outside he walls of the city's regualyions and laws did not apply. Actors could even be wipped under the vagrancy act. Actors then were treated as nothing even though there work was enjoyed by many, there experience was brutal whereas today actors are often put on pedestals and are respected in their profession.
Question 5
Watch some clips of contemporary productions of Shakespeare plays. What do you notice about them and how they differ from what you know about the original performance conditions of Shakespeare’s work?
Watch some clips of contemporary productions of Shakespeare plays. What do you notice about them and how they differ from what you know about the original performance conditions of Shakespeare’s work?
You also have a varied cast men are playing male roles and women are playing female roles, this is different to the all male casts of Shakespeare's time. You also have a difference in ethnicity, in Shakespeare's time you would have had an all white cast whereas today and in this production you have people from different ethnic backgrounds.
However there are still similarities, your still have music and dance involved in this piece just like most Elizabethan plays did. It is interesting to see how Shakespeare's theatre had such an impact not he way plays are permed today and the signifficance of music and dance in a piece.
I also have looked at the national theatres adaptation of Macbeth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGLmOP3oLw) a main difference in this production is the staging. The stage is not set out in the round but instead in a cross layout this creates a totally different, immersive performance for the audience. Another main difference is effects like making it rain on stage this is something Shakespheres plays wouldn'thave been able to achieve, this would have made the performance inmodern day more real for the audience and actors.
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