The History and the Culture of His Time

The History and the Culture of His Time

1564 London :, England, fewer than now live in. Oklahoma City Elizabeth I 1558 1603 on throne from to. Problems of the times: violent clashes between Protestants and Catholics. poverty and poor sanitation resulting in threats to health and life.

Henry VIII: Reigned from 1509-1547

Henry VIII: Reigned from 1509-1547 Desperately wanted a son so he formed the Church of England so he could divorce his first wife. * Married: 1. Catherine of Aragon (divorced) - daughter Mary 2. Anne Boleyn (beheaded) - daughter Elizabeth 3. Jane Seymour (died) - son Edward VI 4. Anne of Cleaves (divorced) 5. Catherine Howard (beheaded) 6. Catherine Parr (lived)

TOWER OF LONDON Tower of London: Window looks out on execution site

Execution: Henry VIII Style

1 st queen to inherit the title as monarch Daughter of Catherine of Aragon Restored England back to Catholicism called Bloody Mary because she had thousands of Protestants put to death

*Daughter of Anne Boleyn *Chose middle of the road Protestantism * Restored Great Britain to world prominence

Son of Mary Queen of Scots and Henry VIII s great-nephew

1. The first plays performed were first introduced by the church to help the illiterate congregation understand the (900 s). scriptures 2. Queen Elizabeth I was fond of the theatre which led to the development of acting. companies These traveled throughout England, generally performing in London in the winter and spring, but in the country during side the summer.

1. With the Queen s permission professional theatres in England were built for the first time. This resulted in entertainment moving from people watching executions and cock fighting to the theatre. Approximately 15,000 people attended the theatre in London each week (one out of every 5 people.) 1. 4. In spite of its popularity, Elizabethan theatre attracted criticism, censorship and scorn from some sectors of Elizabethan society. Parliament profanity heresy 1. censored plays for,, and politics. However, Queen Elizabeth (and later King James) gave protection that ultimately allowed the theatre to survive. 2. To appease the, Puritans Elizabeth established rules prohibiting the construction of theatres and performances with in the London. city limits This resulted in The Theatre being constructed just outside of London. ( The Globe theatre looked across the river to the center of London.)

Richard Burbage was the best known actor of his day. He was the leading actor in Lord Chamberlain s. Men Christopher Marlowe Shakespeare,, and Ben Jonson were considered the greatest playwrights of the era. appropriate Acting was not considered an profession for women in the Elizabethan era. Young boys played female roles. Groundlings paid one penny to stand and watch plays.

The ancient Greeks were the first civilization to put on dramas., Aristotle a famous Greek writer, wrote in his book, The Poetics what comedies and tragedies should be like. Shakespeare s writing is directly influenced by these views: 1. Ending: Tragedy ends with tragic death of the hero Always ends in death Comedy ends happily. Always ends in marriage Aristotle sees a movement from happy to sad as essential to tragedy.

Central character usually of high rank or. noble birth Usually a great character of his time. Brought down by a harmatia (Greek word that means flaw but is also the New Testament word for sin.) Hero nearly always brought down by this sin ; usually one of the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride, envy, gluttony, sloth, lechery, avarice, wrath.

Eight Elements of Shakespearean Tragedy 1. Hero is of noble birth. 2. Hero is male. 3. Hero has a. tragic flaw 4. Hero deals with dual conflicts ( internal and ) external 5. Good triumphs over. evil 6. Use of the. supernatural 7. Abnormal. psychological states 8. Use of coincidence and bad. timing

The end never justifies the. means Awesome burdens of the. soul Complete trust in someone invites. ruin Shakespeare believed that fate determined our destiny. Battle of the sexes.

tragic character flaw

Drama: Form of literature intended to represent life through theatrical performance, in which actors impersonate characters, imitate action, and reproduce dialogue. Tragedy: Literary composition in which a serious theme is dramatized and the hero meets with misfortune because of fate, moral weakness, and/or social opposition. Comedy: Literary work in which human actions are treated lightly and the ending clears away confusion and misunderstanding. Catharsis: Release of emotions. Classic: A work that has survived the ages. Act: Major division of a play.

Scene: The setting of any literature; a division of an act. Dialogue: Conversion between two or more characters designed to further the action and reveal character. Satire: Make fun of. Blank Verse: Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter. Catastrophe: The final important event in the play; the hero s death. Soliloquy: When a character speaks his thoughts aloud, although not directly to the audience. A soliloquy reveals the character s personal thoughts and feelings that would otherwise remain unsaid. Aside: When a character speaks directly to the audience without being overheard by other characters. This permits audience involvement on a more personal level. Anything said in an aside is to be believed as the truth in a Shakespearean play.

Stage Views

View of London from The Globe Theatre 1599 To appease the Puritans, Queen Elizabeth decreed that all theatres be built outside of London city limits. This is the view of London from The Theatre outside (?) the city limits!

The Bard s Bear