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The Age Of Elizabethan Theatre Essay Research (стр. 1 из 2)

The Age Of Elizabethan Theatre Essay, Research Paper

Elizabethan Theatre

-called this in honour of the current Queen (Queen Elizabeth I)

-a period of great unrest in England concerning England’s official religion

-Queen Elizabeth declared that no plays could be about the current religious matters or portray current political figures

-”Master of Revels” was the offical censor of all plays

-the Queen had to approve all the plays that were performed in London

-Queen Elizabeth liked Shakespeare’s plays and gave him support and protection

Acting Companies and Theatre Owners

-theatres had to be licenced and acting companies had to be sponsored by a patron whose rank was no lower than a baron

-Shakespeare was a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, which was later known as the King’s Men

-playwrights wrote to depict life as it was and let the audiences draw their own conclusions – holding up a mirror to nature and entertaining

-performances started at 2:00 to make the most of daylight

-James Burbage created the first theatre in London in 1576, called “The Theatre”

-when Shakespeare moved to London, he met with Burbage and became a promptor, then he became an actor, and later he became Burbage’s star writer

-Richard and Cuthbart Burbage opened “The Globe Theatre” in 1599

-Shakespeare produced most of his plays in the Globe and became part owner

-Shakespeare was a very popular playwright in his day and other playwrights were jealous of his success

-after 1603, Shakespeare had to write plays that would please the new King James I of Scotland (one of these is Macbeth )

-James I made theatre more widely acceptable in English culture and he contributed greatly to Shakespeare’s sucess

The Theatre Itself

-theatres held 1500 – 3000 people

-sanitary conditions were poor and diseases could pass around in theatres

-theatre was not popular with local merchants because it took away from business

-the Globe burned down in 1613 during a production of Henry VIII, but then rebuilt in 1614

-the theatre was open air and the stage was usually bare

-actors usually tell us where they are and what time of day it is in their lines.

-the stage was a raised platform, it had a stage house behind the back wall to store props and for the actors to change their costumes if needed, and make entrances and exits from

-there was a balcony, called the “inner above” to be used if needed, but most of the action took place downstage

The Actors

-actors usually wore their own clothes unless they were portraying someone evil, royal, or female

-women were not allowed to perform on stage and so boys would perform all female parts

-boys were apprentised to the acting profession between the ages of 6 and 14

-actors would have to learn many parts of a play, since up to three different plays would be performed in the same week by a company

-acting was not a well respected profession at this time

The Closing of the Theatres

-theatre was popular until 1642 when the Puritans closed down all theatres

-Puritans believed that playhouses were evil because it had nothing to do with God

-the Restoration Period began in1660 with the instatement of King Charles II

Overview of an Elizabethan Outfit

or

“She must be stifling in that thing”

http://www.dnaco.net/~aleed/corsets/index.html

This is a listing of the main elements of Elizabethan costume. (By the term “Elizabethan”, I mean the dress worn by the English approximately during Queen Elizabeth’s reign (1560-1600). Each item is accompanied by a short definition and explanation accompanying each item as well as pointers to more detailed information elsewhere at this site.

Even when one doesn’t take into account the variations in style between 1550 and 1590, and the radical spectrum of fashion occurring between the middling poor and nobility, there is a bewildering variety in English Elizabethan womenswear–French gowns, round gowns, loose gowns, night gowns, doublets, Italian gowns, and Flemish and Polish gowns, just for starters. So this is a general listing, not a specific one, concentrating mainly on the under-clothing worn by middle- and upper- class Englishwomen in the latter half of the 16th century to create the Elizabethan silhouette.

Putting on an English Elizabethan gown is a complicated process, and when you include hair and makeup, can take half an hour or more.

? Any undies, stockings, shoes, earrings, etc. go on first. Dress your hair and do your makeup before starting; once you’re dressed, it’ll be nearly impossible. Although Elizabethan women didn’t wear underwear per se, they did wear stockings. These usually came to just above the knee, and were held in place by a garter at the top of the calf. See Knitting Period Stockings for more details.

There is evidence that Englishwomens’ shoes during Elizabethan times were usually thin-soled with leather soles, and had uppers of leather, velvet or other fabrics lined (by the nobility, at least) with scarlet , taffeta, or satin. They were for the most part simple, slipper-type shoes, cut low on the top and round-toed, although heeled shoes became more popular from the 1560s onward. For more information, here’s a site containing Patterns for Tudor Shoes.

To protect their shoes from the muck and mud of an average English street, women wore pattens, or chopines. Pattens were wooden soles, usually 1/2 to 1 inch thick, hinged at the ball of the foot with leather straps that were strapped on over the shoes, rather like sandals. Chopines, also called pantobles or mules, ranged from sturdy-soled shoes with heels to high, discoesque platforms.

Put on your Chemise/smock. This was a simple underdress worn to protect the clothing from sweat and body oils. It often had full sleeves gathered to a cuff, and either gathered to a neckband or fitted close to the chest, although examples exist of ungathered smocks. For more information on the history and variety of Elizabethan smocks, see the section on Elizabethan Smocks and Chemises

If you’re going to wear an under-petticoat under your farthingale to keep warm and to prevent any flashes of leg, put that on now. Petticoats were underskirts worn both for decoration (often an overskirt would be tucked up to display a pretty underskirt) and for warmth. Decorated petticoats were worn over a farthingale and bumroll (see the next two sections), but flannel under-petticoats are also documented as being worn underneath the farthingale. The tailors’ patterns of the time, and surviving petticoats and skirts, most commonly show slightly gored or flared pieces gathered or pleated to a waistband. For more information on petticoats, visit this page on Elizabethan Petticoats

Put on your farthingale/hoop skirt. The Spanish farthingale, worn from approximately 1540-1580, was a cone-shaped underskirt stiffened with willow osiers or other materials. The design for this farthingale was imported from Spain; hence the name . It was this undergarment which created the signature early Elizabethan A-line skirt . As the century waned, it gradually gave way to the French Farthingale, which had a different look altogether. For more info on the farthingale and its evolution throughout the Elizabethan era, look at the sections on the History of the Farthingale and Making Elizabethan Farthingales.

The corset/pair of bodies. This was a close-fitting stiffened garment, usually with a wooden busk down the front to make it flatter and stiffer. The pair of bodies, or some comparative type of stiffening, is essential for all middle class and upper class Elizabethan gowns; even if you have a beautiful bodice and sleeves, the period effect will be ruined by the torso’s natural lumps and bulges if you go without a corset, unless the bodice itself is heavily boned (in which case it is itself called a pair of bodies–you have to love period terminology). Look at the sections on the History of the Elizabethan Corset, Corset Materials, Corset Patterns and Sewing a Corset Together to find out more about this garment.

Put on your bumroll. The bumroll, worn by almost all Elizabethan women of any means, was a round, crescent-shaped pad that makes the skirt stick out like it should. Look at Making an Elizabethan Bumroll for more information.

If you have a partlet, this goes on now. The partlet was a curious item of clothing worn by Tudor and Elizabethan women which covered only the front and back chest and tied under the arms. Originally it was worn over a dress, but by the mid 16th century it was, for the most part, worn over the corset and under the bodice.

The petticoat/forepart/kirtle now goes on. This piece of clothing evolved from a separate dress under the gown, known as a kirtle in Tudor times. Although kirtles continued to be worn under dresses throughout Elizabeth’s reign, the term–and the kirtle itself–gradually came to signify a separate underskirt or petticoat, often elaborately decorated, as well as a dress entire. In time, the front section of the kirtle alone would be decorated; known as the forepart, this triangular section at the front of the petticoat/kirtle, which was sometimes detachable and often decorated to match the bodice or sleeves. Sometimes only the forepart was decorated, and the rest of the petticoat left plain. Check out this article on Elizabethan Petticoats.

The gown. The gown consisted of a skirt attached to a bodice, with sleeves sewn on or tied on with points. Some bodices had low, square necklines, while others covered the torso all the way up to the neck. most pictures and surviving items of clothing show them laced together or closed with hooks and eyes. Alternately, a woman could wear a doublet over her skirts. During the 1570s the skirt was often split in the front to show the decorative forepart underneath. bodices attached to front-split skirts fastened together at the front, and sometimes had a decorative stomacher pinned over the front fastening. Look at the bibliography for some good references on Elizabethan clothing.

Religion

Everyone has one. We were all brought up to be Christians of one sort or another.

The official established state religion is the Church of England. It is referred to as the new religion or the established church, but not yet as “C of E”. (Do not give in to the modern inclination to acronyms.)

Puritanism is not a separate religion, but a Calvinist attitude within the Anglican church. Puritans do not yet look like Pilgrims (see Comparative Religion).

Being a Roman Catholic is not a crime, but there is a fine for not conforming to the established religion; that is, for not going to Protestant services.

Paying the fine does not allow you to have a priest or practice the Catholic faith. There is no legal way for Catholics to practice their faith.

It is illegal to be a Catholic priest in England. It is very illegal to be a Jesuit.

A non-conforming Catholic is called a recusant (rec-YOU-zant) and is guilty of recusancy.

Everyone is required to attend an Anglican service once a month. The service is referred to as the Prayer Service, or the Prayer Book Service, and sometimes as Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper.

Mass is a Catholic service only. It is illegal to hold or attend one at any time in the reign, though punishment varies. People of high rank are less likely to get in trouble.

Older people may still refer to the service as a Mass, but it is politically touchy. Reformers refer to the detestable enormities of the “Mass priests”.

The rosary is period in several forms, including the modern one, and used only by Catholics. The rosary cross usually does not include a corpus, or figure of Christ.

The figure may still be on the crucifix in the Anglican Church but not in any Puritan, Calvinist, etc., congregation.

The Protestants sometimes refer to Roman Catholics as Romanists. Catholics do not refer to themselves as Papists.

The term Puritan is common in period, although sometimes the word Precisionist is used.

The Pope published a writ (1570) absolving English Catholics from allegiance to the Queen, since she is (he says) a heretic. Anyone who kills her is pre-absolved from the sin of murder.

You can apply the term atheist to anyone who disagrees with you in religion. In usage, it does not entirely mean you believe that there is no God, but that you don’t believe in my God. Any heretic can be called an atheist. So can a Jew.

Comparative Religion: The Catholics

This is a selection only of the principal attributes of the Roman Catholic faith as understood in period. It is by no means complete, but in general covers the points on which the Lutherans and other Protestants disagree with Rome.

Salvation is gained through faith in God, the prayers of the Church, the grace of the sacraments, and doing good works. Good works include both acts of mercy and major church building projects.

Only the Church, through its priests, can interpret God’s will to Man. The laity do not read the Bible for themselves.

The source of the Church’s authority is Scripture, the divinely inspired writings of the Church Fathers, and an amorphous thing called Sacred Tradition.

The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Grace is conferred by a sacrament simply from your participation in it, and your faith in its power.

The Pope, as the rightful heir of St. Peter, is the head of the Church. He is considered to be infallible in matters of faith and morals, although this is not yet dogma.

There is a half-way point between Heaven and Hell called Purgatory, where a person’s sins are purged to make him worthy of Heaven. The prayers of the living can shorten a soul’s stay in Purgatory, so it is good to pray for the dead.

The saints were more virtuous than they needed to be to get into Heaven, so there is this reserve of leftover grace available. Drafts on this reserve are called indulgences, and they are for sale.

Worship is directed to God but prayers are often addressed to one of the saints. The saints are Mankind’s advocates before God the Father.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is the most revered holy personage who is not actually divine. The Mother of God is thought to be more compassionate than the sternly just Father.

All rituals, simple or elaborate, are carried out in Latin. Priests cannot marry, and are required to remain celibate.

Comparative Religion: The Church of England

Most of these basically Lutheran tenets apply to all Protestants. The Calvinist (”puritan”) refinements are presented further along.

Man’s wickedness is so great that no amount of good works could hope to atone for our sin. God, being all good, would not require something of us that is impossible. Therefore, the only thing necessary for salvation is believing in His Name (”justification by faith”).

The Church exists to guide but is not necessary for salvation. There is no need for priests to interpret God’s will. Supporting the Church, or denying the flesh, does not bring you closer to God. If you are united with Him at all, it is completely and absolutely.

The Roman church has corrupted the original doctrines and teachings of Christ and His Apostles for its own purpose, and no longer represents the true faith of Christ. The only source of religious authority is Scripture.

The two sacraments are Baptism and Holy Eucharist (Communion). The other so-called sacraments are worthy but not Scripturally justified.

No sacrament is efficacious without understanding and faith.

There is no principle of Papal authority: the Pope (or Antichrist) is just a man and subject to error. He is not the leader of the true church.

The doctrine of Purgatory is denied as being un-Scriptural. You go straight to Heaven or Hell, according to God’s judgment. Thus prayers for the dead, including Masses and purchased indulgences, are of no value.

The selling of indulgences is a particular vice because a) it is not in Scripture and b) it encourages sin. The Church cannot put divine forgiveness up for sale.

Your relation to God is not mediated by priests or saints, but is a personal acceptance of the message of Scripture. The Virgin Mary almost disappears from protestant consciousness, and the role of the saints is greatly diminished.

All rituals are performed in the vernacular. Rituals are less elaborate, although candles and bells are still in use.

Ministers can marry, although the Queen would prefer they did not.

More Comparative Religion: Calvinists

(Puritans, Huguenots, Presbyterians, etc.)

Refer to the Lutherans, then add…

Every one is predestined, according to God’s plan, to be saved or damned. No action on any one’s part can change this.

Those who already saved are called the Elect. Good works are an aspect of the behaviour expected of the Elect, but are not required for salvation. They are not Saved because they are virtuous; they are virtuous because they are Saved.

The prayers of priests are no more perfect, and no more important to God than others.

Testifying, or preaching and interpreting Scripture, is encouraged and expected of both ministers and the congregation.

The prayers of noblemen are no more valuable to God, either. Every man is equal in the sight of God. This is dangerously revolutionary thinking.