The Elizabethan drama owed its development to two influential traditions: namely firstly to humanism as it was represented by the comedies written by Terence and Plautus and secondly to the English tradition of the English miracle and morality plays.
From the Latin comedies the Elizabethan drama adopted both formal innovations and new material as regards contents. To the newly adopted dramatic elements belonged the clear division into acts and scenes, the introduction of the actors who are to speak a prologue or an epilogue and new types of characters like the parasite, the miles gloriosus (the boastful knight), the shrewd and witty servant, the obstinate father who is deceived in the end, the ardent lover, and the girl disguised as a man.
As regards contents new motifs and themes like confusion, secret love affairs, separated families that happily reunite after having experienced many adventurous encounters, the unexpected reappearance of children who were believed to be lost were adopted from the plays written by Plautus.
Table of Contents
Some Introductory Remarks about the Dramatic Traditions of the Elizabethan Stage
Part One
1. The Control of the Stage
2. The Playhouses
3. Boy Companies and Adult Companies
Part Two
1. The Functions of Dramatic Art: some Shakespearean Suggestions
2. Three Methods of trying to Find out how Actors might have behaved on an Elizabethan Stage
3. Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Dramatic Language
Final Observation: The Audiences
Research Objectives and Themes
This study explores the foundational elements of the Elizabethan stage, focusing on the historical, structural, and linguistic factors that shaped theatrical life during the English Renaissance. It investigates how royal patronage, the architectural evolution of playhouses, and the economic structures of acting companies influenced the dramatic output and public reception of the era.
- The regulatory mechanisms and royal control over theater companies.
- The architectural development and functionality of public vs. private playhouses.
- The socioeconomic dynamics and organizational structures of acting companies.
- The role of dramatic language, metaphors, and stylistic devices in Shakespearean plays.
- The composition and behavioral patterns of Elizabethan theater audiences.
Excerpt from the Book
2. The Playhouses
In the 16th century the old medieval stage of Place-and-scaffolds had become obsolete and the pageant-wagons that were used for the performance of mystery plays like the Corpus Christi cycle could only be seen in secular contexts until the early 17th century.
The old and crude booth stage that was “a small rectangular stage mounted on trestles or barrels” had been preserved throughout the centuries. This type of stage could be surrounded by spectators on three sides and was usually set up in market-places. The booth proper was made of simple horizontally and vertically arranged posts from which curtains were hung and served as a tiring-house (dressing-room).
The advantage of this stage was that it could be easily set up, dismantled and transferred from one place to another.
Summary of Chapters
Some Introductory Remarks about the Dramatic Traditions of the Elizabethan Stage: This chapter outlines the dual influence of classical humanism and English miracle and morality plays on the development of Elizabethan drama.
1. The Control of the Stage: This section examines the role of royal authority and the Master of the Revels in censoring and patronizing acting companies, illustrated by historical proclamations and letters patent.
2. The Playhouses: This chapter details the physical evolution of theaters, from medieval booth stages to the specialized public and private playhouses of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
3. Boy Companies and Adult Companies: This section discusses the history of acting companies, their socioeconomic structure, and the reliance on boy choristers for women's roles during the era.
1. The Functions of Dramatic Art: some Shakespearean Suggestions: This chapter analyzes how Shakespeare utilized his characters to comment on the purpose of drama, performance techniques, and the poet's imaginative process.
2. Three Methods of trying to Find out how Actors might have behaved on an Elizabethan Stage: This chapter explores analytical approaches for reconstructing historical acting techniques through stage directions and spatial relationships.
3. Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Dramatic Language: This section investigates the function of the soliloquy as a device for self-exposition and mind-mapping, noting a shift in frequency throughout Shakespeare’s career.
Final Observation: The Audiences: This concluding chapter explores the demographic composition and behavioral tendencies of Elizabethan theatergoers, challenging stereotypes about their perceived disorderliness.
Keywords
Elizabethan Stage, Shakespeare, Acting Companies, Playhouses, Royal Patronage, Dramatic Traditions, Soliloquy, The Globe, Blackfriars, Metaphorical Language, Audience Behavior, The King’s Men, Renaissance Theater, Mystery Plays, Stage Design
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work provides a historical and analytical overview of the Elizabethan stage, covering the institutional, architectural, and literary factors that defined the era's dramatic landscape.
What are the central thematic fields?
The text focuses on stage regulation, theater architecture, the business of acting companies, stylistic language in Shakespearean drama, and the socio-historical nature of the audiences.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to reconstruct the conditions under which Elizabethan drama was produced and performed, highlighting the complex relationship between theater, the crown, and the public.
Which methodologies are employed?
The research relies on an examination of historical documents, archival records such as letters patent, theater history scholarship, and textual analysis of Shakespeare's dramatic works.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body investigates the legislative control of theater, the evolution of playhouse architecture, the economic structure of companies, and the linguistic and stylistic conventions found in plays like Hamlet.
How can this study be characterized by keywords?
The study is characterized by terms such as Elizabethan Stage, Shakespeare, Acting Companies, Playhouse Architecture, and Audience Behavior.
How were acting companies organized financially?
Acting companies operated similarly to joint-stock companies, where profits and expenses were distributed among shareholders based on the number of shares held.
What distinguished public from private playhouses?
Public playhouses were typically large, outdoor, round structures with greater capacity, whereas private playhouses were smaller, rectangular indoor venues, often with more expensive seating and different musical traditions.
Why did the popularity of soliloquies shift in later plays?
It is suggested that in his later works, Shakespeare moved away from the intense focus on individual psychological exposition towards a "general vision" in his narrative structure.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. phil. Volker Beckmann (Autor:in), 1983, A Short Essay on the Elizabethan Stage and its Language, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/456291
