Elizabethan EnglandElizabethan England

LiteratureLiterature

PoetryPoetry Elizabethan England was a great period of literature. Elizabethan England was a great period of literature.

There were such popular writers as William There were such popular writers as William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson, Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson, Edmund Spenser, Thomas Kyd and some others. Edmund Spenser, Thomas Kyd and some others. Shakespeare made the English sonnet very popular. It Shakespeare made the English sonnet very popular. It was a poem of 14 lines with a special rhyme and was a poem of 14 lines with a special rhyme and structure. Shakespeare wrote more than one hundred structure. Shakespeare wrote more than one hundred sonnets and 25 plays in this period. Poets also wrote sonnets and 25 plays in this period. Poets also wrote poems to Elizabeth I. For example, Edmund Spenser poems to Elizabeth I. For example, Edmund Spenser wrote a sonnet “The Faery queen”. wrote a sonnet “The Faery queen”.

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare(1564 – 1616)(1564 – 1616)

William William Shakespeare was Shakespeare was born in 1564, in born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Stratford-upon-Avon. He was a Avon. He was a great poet and great poet and playwright. playwright. Shakespeare Shakespeare wrote 150 sonnets wrote 150 sonnets and 37 plays.and 37 plays.

William Shakespeare’s birthplaceWilliam Shakespeare’s birthplace

                    Around 1611 Around 1611 Shakespeare left Shakespeare left London and returned London and returned to Stratford. He died to Stratford. He died in Stratford at the in Stratford at the age of fifty-two on age of fifty-two on April 23, 1616, and April 23, 1616, and was buried in was buried in Holy Holy Trinity Church.Trinity Church. A A monument to the monument to the memory of the great memory of the great playwrighter is in the playwrighter is in the Poet’s corner in West Poet’s corner in West minster Abbey. minster Abbey.                     

Ben JonsonBen Jonson

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan Theatre

The Elizabethan The Elizabethan period was also period was also known as the known as the Renaissance of Renaissance of English Theatre. In English Theatre. In Shakespeare’s times Shakespeare’s times rich people employed rich people employed companies of actors. companies of actors. There were no There were no actresses, young actresses, young women’s parts were women’s parts were played by the boy and played by the boy and older women’s parts older women’s parts were played by the were played by the company’s clowns.company’s clowns.

All the actors All the actors were at the same were at the same time musicians time musicians and dancers.and dancers.

Actors first Actors first began performing began performing to the public in to the public in inn yards or inn yards or houses of the houses of the rich.rich.

In the Globe theatre.In the Globe theatre.

The fist The fist permanent permanent theatre was built theatre was built by James Burbage by James Burbage in 1576. It was in 1576. It was simply called the simply called the Theatre. Theatre. There There were two popular were two popular theatres in theatres in London, namely London, namely the Rose and the Rose and Globe where Globe where Shakespeare Shakespeare workedworked..

The Elizabeth The Elizabeth theatre usually theatre usually was a round was a round building with the building with the stage in the centre stage in the centre open to the sky. open to the sky. Several thousand Several thousand people stood in people stood in the open air. The the open air. The rich people bought rich people bought seats in the seats in the galleries round the galleries round the sides.sides.

The English The English Renaissance Renaissance Theatre declined Theatre declined after the death after the death of Shakespeare. of Shakespeare.

Elizabethan Elizabethan theatre was the theatre was the work of owners, work of owners, actors, actors, playwrights and playwrights and workmen.workmen.

Some of the Some of the brilliant actors brilliant actors were the were the Burbages, Philip Burbages, Philip Henstoe and Henstoe and Edward Alleyn. Edward Alleyn. There were such There were such talented talented playwrights as playwrights as Christopher Christopher Marlowe, William Marlowe, William Shakespeare and Shakespeare and Ben Johnson.Ben Johnson.

They wrote They wrote tragedies, tragedies, comedies and comedies and histories. For histories. For example, W. example, W. Shakespeare was Shakespeare was famous for his famous for his “Romeo and “Romeo and Juliet”, “Richard Juliet”, “Richard III”, Much Ado III”, Much Ado about Nothing” about Nothing” and other works.and other works.