Popular Culture Flashcards
Why and how did Elizabeth support theatre, music and art in England?
She thought it made her look like a prosperous monarch
She supported it through patronage
How were theatres designed?
So all sorts could watch the show
Yard or pit for labouring sort (cheapest but crime was common here)
Multiple floors of galleries (more prestigious and expensive the more you went up)
Why were the theatres so popular?
Cheap
Theatre dealt with topics which appealed to Elizabethan audiences
Good socially
Seen as fashionable then
What opposition was there to theatres?
Puritans - Believed it drew people away from prayer
General Public - Believed it spread disease and illness
They were believed to be dangerous as many members of the audience were drunk and crimes were committed regularly
What did the gentry do for pastimes?
Tennis, Banquets, Hunting, Fencing, etc.
What did general Elizabethans do for pastimes?
Feasts, jousts, bowls and archery were all examples of popular pastimes
What was medieval football?
A popular sport (thought to have started around 1481)
Local teams would play against each other.
As there could be hundreds of people on a single team, matches could end up in brawls or fights
Why did the puritans oppose entertainments, theatres and holidays?
They thought entertainment drew people away from worship.
They believed people should spend their time reading sermons and praying.
The theatre was seen to be the “chapel of Satan”
Why did the authorities oppose theatres?
They believed it led to crime, idleness and disorderly conduct.
Believed theatres spread disease. Government agreed.
Lord Mayor of London feared the effect of so many people in one place.
What was enforced in theatres to prevent the spread of opposing ideas?
Master of the Revels - Censored plays for blasphemy or dubious politics.
