English Renaissance Theatre Flashcards
When did the English Renaissance begin and end?
Began during the reign of Henry VIII and ended in 1642 with the Puritan take over.
What is the English Renaissance also referred as?
The Elizabethan Period.
What are interludes?
Brief dramatic entertainments presented at court and in homes of nobility.
What change happened to morality plays?
They became more secular and were influenced by Italian Renaissance humanism.
What was the importance of English School Dramas?
- They became increasingly popular. Written at universities and presented at schools and colleges.
- They were established by Queen Elizabeth I for court entertainments.
- Used Blackfriars for their productions.
What is a Blackfriar?
An indoor hall.
What structure did Elizabethan playwrights follow?
They followed the structure of the medieval episodic form.
What things do English dramatists rarely observe?
The unities of time, place, and action. They used many characters and many scenes ranging through time and shifting from place to place.
What kinds of plots were used by English Dramatists?
Parallel plots or subplots related to the main dramatic action.
How were violence and supernatural beings addressed by English Dramatists?
Violence was presented onstage and often had supernatural characters.
What was the importance of the Soliloquy?
Often attacked by the Italians, was a popular dramatic convention for the English Dramatists.
What did the English dramatists mix?
Genres. Often mixing comic and dramatic scenes.
What resources did English Dramatists use since they had to write plays quickly for popular theatre?
They used other dramas, literary pieces, and history.
Who was the 1st significant playwright to emerge in the Elizabethan period?
Christopher Marlowe.
What did Christopher Marlow focus on when it came to playwriting?
He focused on the dramatic poetry element of playwriting.
Who developed iambic pentameter?
Christopher Marlowe.
Describe Iambic Pentameter.
It has five beats to a line. It has two syllables per beat with an accent on the second beat. It developed great beauty in literature.
What was William Shakespeare doing in London in 1590?
Working as a playwright and actor.
What was the name of the company Shakespeare was apart of?
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men (after 1603 the King’s Men).
What did Shakespeare do other than playwriting?
Often acted as small but important roles such as the Ghost in Hamlet. He was a shareholder in the company part owner of the theatre, he was also involved with the management of the troupe.
Who added comic scenes in his tragedies? Name some examples.
William Shakespeare. The drunken porter in Macbeth and the gravedigger in Hamlet.
What are the rules Shakespeare made based on different rules?
He skillfully alternates scenes so that each episode illuminates or forms a counterpoint to the one before and just after it.
He uses subplots to reinforce major themes that are equally effective as the main plot.
He created a fascinating collection of characters, both principle and supporting.
His use of language has been praised for centuries.
His complete works was not published until 1623, 7 years after his death.
What were the two types of theatres during the English Renaissance?
Public and Private.
How many public or outside theatres were built outside of London?
13.
What is said to be the forerunner of Elizabethan public theatres?
Bearbaiting rings or inns adapted for performance.
Why were public theatres built outside of London?
London city officials opposed theatre on moral grounds and forbade it in the city.
What were the different shapes used to make theatres?
Some were circular, some polygonal, and at least one was square.
How was the audience seating divided in public theatres?
Pits, Galleries, and Boxes.
The galleries consisted of how many levels?
3 levels. A section for the higher classes, and an undivided section that had bench seating.
Where were the boxes located?
The boxes were on the 1st level reserved for the upper classes and nobility (known as the Lord’s rooms).
What is the yard?
The ground in front and on the sides of the stage.