During the 1500s in England a burst of literary accomplishments arose that was never before seen in the history of the theater. In the new idea of theaters, playwrights lifted the Elizabethan Theater to new heights. Men like Shakespeare dared to write plays about real people in a variety of real situations. Through their efforts, Shakespeare produced plays that were far more sophisticated and entertaining than any plays of the past. Audiences expressed their pleasure by demanding more and more plays. The public shared a great deal of interest in the theaters and playwrights of this time. People from all over the city of London would travel to experience the drama of the Elizabethan Theater.
The theater was a very important aspect of Elizabethan life in the medieval ages. Life in Elizabethan times was difficult and dangerous. Many people were poor tenant farmers, often living at the mercy of wealthy landowners.
Shakespeare's Globe, London (rebuilt 1997)
A reconstruction of the Globe Theatre in London, o...
Shakespeare Globe Theater 2 dbElizabethans sought relief from their harsh lives by attending plays and other forms of entertainment, which made the theater so important to Elizabethan culture. There were many theaters in Elizabethan times, all very similar to each other. However, when William Shakespeare began writing playwrights, his final production was so exceptional, that no other person could compare. With this, Shakespeare was mainly featured at one theater, The Globe. With the popularity of playwrights in the middle ages, the theaters themselves were popular as well. By the late 1500s, performances were becoming expensive, shutting out the non-payers. The solution was to find or construct buildings that were suitable for the performance of plays. By the late 1500s, there were over a dozen theaters in the immediate London area. At this time, the most popular theater, "The Theatre" housed the most prestigious of plays. For years, this one theater acted as the...