DRAMA IN THE RENAISSANCE
Henry VIII’s schism from the Church of Rome hastened the end of the Medieval
religious drama.
Drama flourished again over a period of about a century from 1558, when Elizabeth I
became queen, to 1642, the year when all theatres were closed down by the Puritans,
who controlled the City of London. During those years, drama became a major genre
and the quality of the plays was so exceptional that they became the major literary
contribution to the English Renaissance.
They appealed to people from all social levels, from the sovereign to the lowest
classes. Renaissance drama broke away from the religious roots of the Middle Ages to
reflect the humanistic spirit of the new age, which exalted human nature in all its
aspects and emphasised man’s life and destiny on earth and his position in the
universe. Elizabethan drama presented heroes and heroines larger than life as well as
human types, taken from contemporary English society. It also dealt with themes
taken from English history (like Shakespeare’s historical plays) to express pride in the
nation’s achievements and tradition.
Travelling companies of actors: the popularity of drama spread thanks to travelling
companies of actors, who held the status of servants of a Lord and called their
companies after him: for ex, the Earl of Leicester’s Men, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
etc. There were no women in these companies because acting was considered
immoral and, therefore, inappropriate for a woman. The roles of women were
interpreted by young boys. Performances took place on movable platforms in inn
yards or in town squares or in the manor houses of nobles until playhouses were built,
especially in London.
The Elizabethan Playhouse: The Elizabethan playhouse was circular or polygonal in
shape. The stage consisted of a rectangular platform which projected into the
theatre’s central pit.This area had no roof and no seats and was occupied by
spectators from the lower social classes, who could only afford to pay the basic
admission fee of one penny and stood throughout the performance. Around the
theatre walls, three tiers of galleries provided better and more expensive seats and
boxes for the higher social classes. The performance took place in daylight. If a flag
flew from the top of the playhouse, it meant that a show was in progress. Elizabethan
plays used no painted scenery. The setting was usually indicated or described in the
character’s speeches and it was up to the audience to use their imagination to
visualise it.