1. Origins of
English Drama

2. Summary The Middle Ages Miracle and Mystery plays Trade Guilds
Pageants
Morality plays
Elizabethan Theatre
Stage
Actors
Scenes
Audience
The Globe Theatre
Summary

3. Mystery plays they developed from the 10th to the 16th century
representation of scenes
from the Bible
they were performed in
churches

4. little by little, out into the churchyard
then, on pageants
responsibility taken on by the trade guilds

5. Miracle plays Representation of lives of saints
Combination of professional and
amateur actors
Performed on pageants
Acted in English

6. Trade Guilds they were groups of tradesmen and artisans
guild derives from the Old
English geld, which means
“payment”
on particular feast days
they prepared biblical plays
to perform

7. Pageants processions associated with secular and religious rituals
important aspect of the celebration of Corpus Christi

8. re-enacted the entire history of salvation
plays were performed
in wagons (pageants)
each sponsored by a
guild

9. Morality plays more refined invented plots
personification of vices and virtues
didactic purpose
written in vernacular

10. Everyman Dutch Elkerlijk late 15th century
Everyman represents all mankind
is summoned by God, tries to convince several friends to accompany him

11. allegorical characters, personifying abstract ideas:
Fellowship
Kindred, Cousin
Goods
Good Deeds
Knowledge
Beauty, Strength, Discretion, Five Wits

12. Elizabethan Theatre
It was influenced by Humanism, which developed in all Europe
authors were supported by the Queen
the Queen had to approve all the plays (Master of Revels)
theatre was considered a form of entertainment and not an art

13. The Stage composed of: a baldachin that covered it
the inner stage behind a
curtain
a balcony
a garret where there were
machines
a trap door

14. The Audience plays attracted people from all classes Royals Nobles
Commoners
a theatre could hold from 1500 to 3000 people

15. The Scene actors used very simple objects
actors represented physical sensation and feelings with words
the theatre building was deeply linked with the performance

16. The actors
The Actors
the reputation of early Elizabethan actors was not good
later they became the equivalent of today’s superstars
young boys played female roles

17. The Globe it was built from the timbers of “ The Theatre ” in 1559
it went up on flames in 1613
it was destroyed another time by Puritans in 1644
most of the Globe and all of its stage was open air
The Globe

18. above the main entrance there was the inscription “Totus mundus agit histrionem" (the whole world is a playhouse)
Richard Burbage built the Globe for the Chamberlain’s Men
Shakespeare appeared as an actor on the Globe’s stage