Thesis on "Literary Criticism on Elizabethan Theater as a Popular Entertainment for Its Time"

Thesis 6 pages (1760 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Elizabethan Theatre

Theatre in the Time of Elizabeth I: Popular Entertainment and Social Incentives for Attendance

William Shakespeare is one of the most recognizable names in the world even four hundred years after his death, and his dramatic texts contain some of the most well-known stories and phrases in the English language, and indeed throughout the Western world. This is true to the point that many of the other playwrights of his era are obscured and forgotten in light of Shakespeare's prominence; his fame today might lead one to believe that he was single-handedly responsible for the popularity and genius of Elizabethan theatre. In reality, however, Shakespeare was relatively late in Elizabethan theatre. Though certainly the preeminent practitioner of playwriting in the Elizabethan style, he did not so much create the genre as perfect it and perpetuate it into the Jacobean age.

The fact is, Shakespeare's genius might simply have gone unnoticed if not for the already-present popularity of theatre going in the Elizabethan age. The plays of this time -- particularly Shakespeare's -- are still popular today, but going to the theatre in the Elizabethan age was arguably more popular than attending movies is today. This popularity is not immediately understandable given the complex relationship that Elizabethan's had with their theatre. Theatre practitioners, from the playwrights to the actors, were considered little better than prostitutes in the hierarchy of society, yet enjoyed royal patronage at the same time -- but so did many practitioners of the oldest profession, truth be told, though somewhat more discreetly in most cases. This, in fact, explains theatre's popularity at the time -- Elizabethans were no strangers to contradiction, and in fact thrived on it.

There are other reasons that the theatre of the time was so popular of course, but the richness and apparent paradox of the experience was what brought the audiences in droves night after night to the many theatres within and just outside the City of London (Shakespeare Info). It was taboo, but the taboo was titillating and exciting to Elizabethan audiences then as now, only they admitted to this titillation more openly and fully. It is essential to note that prior to Elizabeth's reign, England had endured first the rule of Henry VIII, which was at best disruptive and at worst tyrannical in his separation from the Catholic Church and his investment with religious leadership, followed by harsh Protestant measures under Edward VI's handlers and even harsher Catholic reform efforts under Mary (Freedley & Reeves 93). Though a Protestant, Elizabeth was far less vocal about it, and the easement of social and religious tensions led to a general licentiousness.

Though drama certainly existed in England prior to Elizabeth's reign, it was largely derivative of Roman and Greek plays, and in fact many plays were little more than translations of these classical works. Original plays still modeled on these older works began to appear in the decade prior to Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, but it was her patronage of the theatre (though considerably frugal by many standards) that signaled the beginning of the Golden Age of drama, which has yet to be matched in that country or arguably any other ever since (Freedley & Reeves). The emergence of theatre as the entertainment of choice cannot be seen as an automatic response to easing social tensions, however, and in fact a great deal of variety existed for entertainment purposes in the Elizabethan Age.

An examination of these other forms of entertainment can actually help to explain theatre's popularity on several levels. First, the trend of licentious behavior and an enjoyment of things that appealed to the baser human instincts can definitely be seen in many of these entertainments. Bear biting (in which trained dogs were set against chained bears, often to the point that the bear and/or several of the dogs were dead), dog fights, and cockfights were all common entertainments of the time -- the viciousness and violence perhaps serving as a vicarious outlet for such impulses in the time of peace and prosperity (Elizabethan Entertainment). Dancing, which was one of the only activities that members of the opposite sex could publicly engage in together with impunity (provided they were in the right situation, of course) also gained in popularity during the Elizabethan Age.

While these twinned elements of violence and sexuality were becoming more publicly utilized in popular entertainments, the enjoyment of traditional entertainers such as traveling troubadours and minstrels was seen to decline in the Elizabethan Age (Elizabethan Entertainment). This shows a definite shift of interest away from traditions and stories of the past, and a greater interest in the more prurient aspects of life and society. This can be seen directly reflected in many of the plays of the time, especially the histories. These "history" plays, though they portrayed real people taking part in real events, stretched the truth hugely. Certain characters in Shakespeare's histories do not even remain consistent in their personalities or the details of their lives across different plays. Instead, elements of violence, greed, heroism, and other extremes of human characteristics are made larger than life.

This general trend in the shifting types of entertainment made theatre an obvious choice to Elizabethan audiences. Theatre today tends to have a sense of refinement and artistic integrity, but to audiences of the Elizabethan era it was a base and bawdy form of entertainment, where shouting at the actors onstage was commonplace, and both food and drink were served liberally in the audience -- all for a fee, of course. Theatre was also an automatically sexually-charged atmosphere, as well, due to the mixing of genders and of classes that occurred in the audience (both of which were much less likely to occur in other public arenas, especially in the higher classes), as well as for the situations presented onstage and the male cross-dressing that took place (again playing up a definite social taboo).

This illustrates an interesting dichotomy that existed in Elizabethan theatre. At the same time as it was considered a base form of entertainment and was opposed on moral grounds by a large number of people (leading to the closing of theatres less than a century later under Oliver Cromwell), drama was also reaching the pinnacle of its cultural achievement during this time (Kareti par. 4; Freedley & Reeves). That is, though going to these plays might have been considered a form of bawdy and base entertainment by many of the theatre goers, and though the production of theatre was considered a dishonorable task, some of the best dramatic literature of all time was produced during the half-century or so of Elizabeth's reign (Freedley & Reeves 93-8). This is in part the reason for speculation that Shakespeare's plays were actually written under a false name by a nobleman who could not have his name so directly associated with the theatre of the time.

The general trends in entertainment during the Elizabethan Age provide one reason that theatre was able to become so popular; the aesthetic similarities, for better or for worse, are clearly evident. There was another more direct way that these other forms of entertainment increased the popularity of theatre, however. The various iterations of animals ripping each other apart, or attempting to rip each other apart, were often included in a theatre's entertainment wither prior to the play or during an intermission (Elizabethan Entertainment). The feasting and banqueting that formed another common diversion for many Londoners during the Elizabethan Age could also be incorporated into and evening of theatre, with those able to afford the privilege obtaining tables in the higher balconies of the theatre, away from the grabbing hands of the rabble (Elizabethan Entertainment; Shakespeare Info). Music was also a common feature in many plays of the day, adding to the variety of entertainment available in a single sitting at the theatre (Kareti par. 5).

The blend of many different forms of entertainment was almost certainly a major cause of theatre's popularity as a form of entertainment in the Elizabethan Age. The fact that it was affordable -- and afforded markedly different experiences -- to members of all classes increased this popularity still further. Low prices (or pure sneakiness) got even the poorest of peasants a spot to stand next to the stage, where vocally and even physically interacting with the actors was an expected and constant occurrence (Kareti (par. 6). Higher prices got more exclusive and less crowded seats in the several tiers of seating that surrounded the central courtyard-like area of Elizabethan theatres (Shakespeare Info). For nobility paying royal fees, private performances in great halls could even be obtained.

Such private performances, however, negated one of the primary reasons for theatre going for many of the emerging merchant class. During the Elizabethan period, citizens not connected with nobility ere finding an ability to amass wealth in a way previously unheard of, and they needed a way to show this off. Theatre provided an excellent opportunity for ostentatious consumption. Clothing… READ MORE

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