ELIZABETHAN PLAYWRIGHTS

ELIZABETHAN Drama

Blackfriars Theatre

Theatre Interiors

Sketch of the Swan Theatre

The Elizabethan Era (1558 -1603)

A golden age in English history. height of the English Renaissance, and saw the flowering of English literature and poetry. Elizabethan theatre grew and William Shakespeare, among others, composed plays that broke away from England's past style of plays. More people were educated during this time in London than ever before.

Elizabeth I Symbolizes the Age

Queen Elizabeth Glory of England

To

people, she represented beauty and greatness one of the most powerful countries in the world

British Empire

Accomplishments
The Elizabethan age is characterized by a quest for knowledge Brought respectability to the theater Colonized many parts of the world Defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 Took over Scotland and Ireland Emergence of the middle class

Elizabethan Theatre

Why was Elizabeths reign such an important period in the development of the theatre? How does it still influence us today?

Drama in the Elizabethan Age

After defeating the Spanish Armada, England became intensely interested in the past. (Patriotic) Historical plays thrived. Playwrights were practical men, bent on making a living Plays were written to be acted, not read. Once a playwright sold his manuscript, he had no personal right to it.

Genres of Elizabethan Drama

Genres of the period included the history play, which depicted English or European history. Shakespeare's plays about the lives of kings, such as Richard III and Henry V. Tragedy was a popular genre. Marlowe's tragedies were exceptionally popular, such as Dr. Faustus and The Jew of Malta. The audiences particularly liked revenge dramas, such as Thomas Kyds The Spanish Tragedy. Comedies were common too. A sub-genre developed in this period was the city comedy, which deals satirically with life in London.

Genres of English Renaissance Theatre in Summary

History play (Marlowe Shakespeare) Tragedy (revenge tragedy Kyd, Marlowe, Shakespeare) Comedy (city comedy Ben Jonson) Romance (Shakespeare)

The Playwrights (Before Shakespeare)

In the 1530s, English drama was dominated by a group of playwrights known as the University Wits, who utilized a variety of genres including Classic literature Academic drama Morality plays Contemporary Renaissance literature from Italy and France.

Elizabethan Playwrights
The most well known playwright of Elizabethan times is Shakespeare. But there were also other writers who in their time were just as, or even more famous than the Bard.

PLAYWRIGHTS
The most famous playwrights from Elizabethan times are Christopher Marlow, Ben Jonson, John Lyly, and Thomas Kyd.

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
Educated at Cambridge Associated with the darker side of the Elizabethan period Died in a tavern fight at 28 Most famous play The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus

Christopher Marlowe
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MA from Cambridge Established blank verse as dramatic medium: Marlowes mighty line Overreacher Killed in a brawl

Tragedies: Tamburlaine Dido Queen of Carthage Dr. Faustus Edward II Massacre at Pari Jew of Malta

BEN JOHNSON
Most influential after Shakespeare Had strong convictions about what audiences should like Arrogant, quarrelsome, volatile temper Imprisoned 2 times Most famous works:Volpone, The Alchemist, The Devil Is an Ass 1stpoet Laureate of England

Ben Jonson 1572-1637

Educated at Westminster School -- no university but the most learned of playwrights Important comedies of humor include: Every Man in His Humor, Volpone, The Alchemist, Bartholomew Fair Wrote and staged court masques with Inigo Jones Celebrated poet and conversationalist: Sons of Ben

John Lyly 1553 1606

Lyly began his career as a writer with several novels, called Euphues. He then began writing plays, at first mainly for young acting groups made up from boys choirs. His plays often contained songs and commented on court life. His famous plays are Endymion (1591), Galathea (1592), Love's Metamorphosis (1601), and The Woman in the Moon (1597).

Thomas Kyd 1558 1594

Kyd was well educated and shared a room with the other famous Elizabethan writer Marlowe. Kyd's play, The Spanish Tragedy (1589), was the most popular and influential tragedy of Elizabethan times. Other plays attributed to him are Cornelia and Arden of Feversham. In 1593, he was arrested on the charge of heresy. He was eventually released but died in poverty and disgrace.