Topic 3 - Popular Entertainment Flashcards
Who enjoyed more leisure time - the poor or the rich? Why?
The rich had more leisure time as they could afford it and didn’t have to work/ as many hours.
Name 3 sports the rich enjoyed. Explain what happened in each of them.
Hawking: A falcon or hawk would sit on a trainers arm with a blind cap on. When they bird’s cap was removed, it would fly off, kill prey and return. It wore a bell around its ankle as a tracking device.
Hunting: The nobility had their own deer parks to hunt for deer - for sport + dinner.
Archery: Men over the age of 24 were expected to practise archery after church on a Sunday. They practiced with a cross bow and long bow.
Name 2 things the poor did for entertainment + explain what happened in each.
Football:
- A very rough ball game - few rules, no proper goals or limits on team numbers. The winning team kicked the ball across the opposite finishing line.
Injuries = likely + the occasional death.
Wandering bands of players:
They enjoyed watching short plays. They set up a stage in a courtyard to attract audiences.
Common themes were Robin Hood - where the poor triumphed over the rich.
Name 2 types of entertainment that was enjoyed by all classes.
Dancing:
Enjoyed by Queen + popular across all classes.
The rich paid musicians to play foreign tunes.
Lower classes enjoyed traditional country dances.
Theatre:
All classes enjoyed going to the theatre- the poor stood near the front of the stage in the ‘pits’ as those tickets were the cheapest, and the rich had seats in the boxes.
Name 3 types of cruel sports + what happened. Did Elizabeth enjoy them?
Bear baiting:
- Bears were chained by the neck.
- Dogs were released to attack and anger the bear.
- Bets were placed on which dog would last the longest before the bear killed it.
Bull baiting:
a bull was tied with rope around its horns to a stake in the centre of a ring.
Trained bulldogs released one at a time to attack the bull.
The contest lasted one hour and bets were placed.
Cock fighting;
It involved a fight between two birds but
sometimes up to 20 were added into the ring.
They had to fight to the death. Bets were placed.
Elizabeth enjoyed cruel sports - they were added to her royal progress agenda..
She also overruled an attempt by an MP to pass a law banning cruel sports.
What was the first theatre to be built + when? Who was it built by? Why were they built?
The first theatre was built in 1576.
It was called ‘The theatre’.
It was built by James Burbage.
They were built to permanently house theatre companies.
Name 2 famous playwrights.
- Christopher Marlowe - famous playwright. Had a tragedy style eg Doctor Faustus.
- Shakespeare - wrote at least 37 plays varying from comedies to tragedies.
Why and when were bands of strolling players banned?
- A 1572 law was passed banning strolling players unless they had a license.
- There was a fear from authorities that they could incite riots.
- They were perceived as wondering vagabonds
Why were theatre companies set up? What did they have from nobility?
They were set up to provide entertainment + a replace,ent for wandering players.
They had financial support + patronage from nobility
Give 2 examples of theatre companies.
The Queens men est. 1583
Lord chamberlains men est 1594.
Which theatre premiered Shakespeare’s plays. When was it built?
The globe premiered most of Shakespeare’s plays.
It was built in 1599.
How many people attended the theatre each week? Which classes did the theatre attract?
Thousands.
The theatre attracted all classes.
What were the authorities concerned about when it came to theatres?
Why did the puritans not like the theatre?
Authorities:
Concerned about law & order - ideal place for pickpockets.
Also concerned about health & safety - easy to spread diseases - outbreaks of plague.
Puritans:
Considered theatre work the work of the devil, as plays lacked morals and contained rude gestures.
What two shapes were theatres?
Round or octagonal.
What did the theatre and canopy represent?
- The theatre represent the universe. The hell is beneath the stage and the canopy above the stage represents the heavens. The canopy was painted top with stars.
What time of day did plays take place? What was done to let people know plays were taking place?
- They were performed
in the afternoon for light purposes. - A flag was flown or a cannon was fired.
How expensive were ticket prices? How did prices vary depending on where you were? Where did the poor people usually sit?
The tickets were less expensive in the pits, because you had to stand and you weren’t sheltered. This is where the poor watched.
Tickets cost a bit more for the sheltered seats.
Did Elizabeth like the theatre? How did Shakespeare’s plays portray her?
- Elizabeth loved the theatre + became a patron of it.
Shakespeare’s plays promoted obedience and loyalty to the Queen.
What made plays popular?
They had gripping storylines - tales of heroism + good triumphing over evil.
Give an example of how plays were used as propaganda.
‘ Alarum for London’ showed Catholic Spanish soldiers killing innocent Protestants in the Netherlands.
