Question 4 - Who were the actors of Shakespeare’s plays and how did the experience of being an actor differ from the experience today?

Who were the actors?

In today's world, both men and women dominate the stage and screen. Even though women's roles are lesser than that of men, and are often only support of plots or are archetypal roles, times are changing. More strong female roles are evolving in our culture, represented by different races and ethnicities. However, in the Elizabethan times, women were not allowed to perform on stage. It scares me most to know that this was seen as the normality, as a given, as traditional, conservative and repressive values were so ingrained into culture at the time. Even the very idea of women performing roles for their own gender seemed obscene and outrageous.



Male actors would range in age, companies typically using young boys and senior actors in the same production. An actor was expected to be multi-talented, able to sword fight, sing, dance and quickly learn lines. Most would start their careers in apprenticeships from a young age.

Experience as an actor

Today, casts rehearse intensively together to build a working relationship, and will read and workshop  the whole play before they begin this process. Actors will be in one show at a time, reserving a period of time in the year to commit to one production. In Shakespearean time, this experience was much different.

As actors how have agents, and showcase their past roles online through advertising, actors had to have a license to perform in the Elizabethan times.

In preparation for performance, each actor would be sent his role with his lines, not knowing who the rest of the cast was until they finally rehearsed the scene! They also would not be able to read what happens before or after their scenes, so would enter the room with little understanding of the other significant forces in the play, and the all-important plot. Now, there are whole departments for costume, coaches for the actors' voice and directors to block scenes and work on character development, but in the Elizabethan times, this was different, the process much harsher for the actor. Actors were expected to provide their own costume and song, and to work out entrances and exits, as rehearsal time was only used to work out what wasn't specified in the script.

Performing on an open and popular stage was a daunting prospect, as if the audience disliked your production, you could be hit with harsh criticism, and, literally, fruits and nuts hurled by the groundlings! Touring across the country could also take its toll on the actors, who would travel the country to perform their plays in many different settings and stages, expected to provide for themselves. Furthermore, actors would often juggle many parts and plays at a time, as plays were not consistently performed night after night, different shows on each afternoon.

One similarity that exists today was the wages an actor was paid. If they performed in London, they were paid more than if they toured in the country, but wages were not large.

The profession of acting is now seen by many as a glamorous and exciting lifestyle choice, but in Elizabethan times, this was not so. The Church believed the plays shown to be disruptive, to cut into church services, to encourage carnivalesque behaviour. Actors were therefore seen by many as rowdy, untrustworthy people, and could even be accused of crimes they did not commit.

Question 4 - What were the theatres or ‘playhouses’ of Shakespeare’s time like and how were plays staged in them?

Theatres and playhouses of Shakespeare's time

Open air theatres were built extensively during Shakespearean times, based on the vast amphitheatres of Ancient Rome and Greece. The indoor playhouses, rather, were enclosed, small indoor halls that offered a more intimate experience and housed a lesser audience of 500.

Playhouses
The playhouses housed the wealthier citizens, the nobility, as seats in these closed venues were more expensive. A more powerful and affluent clientele of people were attracted when the luxury and comfort of playhouses became a possibility, therefore these were spaces where the wealthy would not mix with the poor. These theatres allowed plays to be performed all-year round, as a pose to the open air theatres, which were mostly used in summers and were greatly affected by the temperamental weather.

        indoor playhouse                                                            outdoor playhouse

Outdoor Playhouses
The outdoor theatres were much larger and attracted a completely different audience, ranging from the peasants to the nobility, the ground busy with sales of food and disruption. These theatres had a brick base with timber framed walls, the gaps filled with sticks, hair and plaster. The roofs were thatched or tiled, these hanging over the seated areas to provide some shade and shelter. After the tragic burning down of the Globe theatre, the roof was rebuilt with tiles instead of thatched straw, as straw is extremely flammable. Beside the raised stage and yard, there were also the 'lords rooms', a backstage area and storage rooms.


How were plays performed?

Plays were not just performed in one space, but had to be adapted to travel to playhouses, theatres and inns. Costume and music were of great importance to the audience when the plays were performed, visual and auditory delights. Often, the costumes were handed down from real nobles. Plays were sometimes performed in the round, and the action had to often reach a large audience on many sides.

The stages in Elizabethan times had little or no scenery except for objects needed for the plot, so plays were performed with the primary focus on the actor and his attire. The entrances and exits were in full view of the audience, but actors could enter or exit from above and below through trapdoors and from ladders, referred to as 'Heaven' and 'Hell' in performance!

Question 3 - The people attending the theatre

Who were the people attending the theatre?

The theatre was a popular lifeline of Elizabethan England, vital in a time without the technology we now heavily rely on for pleasure.  Theatres could hold 1500 people, but this would increase to 3000 with crowds flooding the surrounding areas.

Despite the strong class divide in Elizabethan times, and the separation between the luxurious lives of the rich and the harsh of the poor, everybody attended the theatre, of all social status. The audiences at the theatre were a communal melting pot of London citizens. Porters, carters and servants spent much of their free time there, alongside nobles and ambassadors. The royals adored the theatre, but casts of actors were sent to perform in their residences.

In the outdoor theatres, the cost of a place among the 'groundlings', standing in the yard, was only 1 penny, hence why the poor could afford to enjoy entertainment. You would be very close to the stage, with access to buying fruits, gingerbread and ale, but the floor was likely of poor quality and there were no toilet facilities. The most expensive seats were 'The Lords Rooms,' where the wealthier nobles would sit, sheltered from wind and rain. It was said that more men attended the theatre than women, and women of high status would hide their identity with a mask.

The atmosphere at theatres was a stark contrast to what we expect today. Both the wealthy and poor were vocal during the performances, cheering heroes and booing villains. Those on the ground often sold livestock, the theatre bustling with potential buyers. The engagement of the audience was a curse as well as a blessing - they could completely disrupt and destroy a play did they not enjoy it. For example, a play that used female characters to play female roles, a French touring group, were hissed at by the outraged audience. Members would throw fruit at the actors or vandalise the seats and walls did they not like the play, stamp on the floor, vocalise their upset, and fights could sometimes break out.

The streets and taverns would become overcrowded after performances, and the Church condemned the disruption that came with the vast number of people attending the theatre, also saying it was a haven for the spreading of disease, and that the actors on stage were irresponsible and immoral people. Furthermore, the showing of plays clashed with the afternoon church services, so many people didn't attend them, the noise from the plays disturbing the churches. Queen Elizabeth kept imposing restrictions on the theatre, such as not allowing players to establish themselves in the city, but these rules were constantly being broken.

It is amazing that the theatre, although a busy and sometimes dangerous place, brought all people together, a rare event where all social classes would indulge in the same ritual, and boo and cheer together.

Question 3 - London in Elizabethan times

What was London like in Elizabethan times?

London was the bustling centre for trade in the Elizabethan times, the River Thames providing a great means of transportation for cargo and goods. Unlike now, the water flowing through the city was smelly, dirty and filthy. London Bridge was bursting with shops where traders could show their wares. Much different to life now, severed heads were displayed along London Bridge, a dark and sinister reminder of what happened to traitors in Elizabethan times, a bleak practice that attracted flies and increased the already high spread of disease.

There were theatres all over the country, and many touring acting troupes, but Shakespeare resided in London for most of his working life. London was a haven for playwrights, where new plays were performed and the population included wealthy traders and manufacturers with the money to go to the theatre. London was also home to royalty and much of the nobility, who grew to love Shakespeare’s plays, and became patrons of the theatres, money needed to keep them going.

London was a large city, the numbers growing with the arrival of migrants from the country and Europe in search of work, due to changes in agriculture. From 1550 to 1600, ‘it is estimated that the city grew from around 50,000 residents to over 200,000’ a huge increase. In these times, the increases in the city lead to the ravage and spreading of disease, at a time when there was little medical advancement and understanding about the link between hygiene and illness. The deadly plague struck the cities in the hot summers, resulting in staggering deaths, and theatres had to be closed in these times.

The homes in Elizabethan London were famous for their black and white half timbered style. Some of the features the homes had are listed below;
-high chimneys, a contrast to the poorly ventilated country homes
-pillared porches
-thatched roofs
leaded windows

The city was overcrowded, dirty and busy. There was no drainage system, and people emptied chamber pots into the streets, which were slimy with refuse. The city had its own cleansers, however - the kites, which were small birds that made their nests from rags in the streets, and scavenged, eating rotting foods. The city was also noisy - as all the inhabitants drank ale, not water, and were constantly tipsy. Drinking was also an important social affair and a huge part of festivities.

Note - the quote used in this piece of writing is from the Globe's page on London.

Question 2 - Shakespeare's Life

Shakespeare's Life

Origins

Shakespeare was baptised on April 23, 1564, but the exact date of his birth is unknown, as he lived over 400 years ago and some of the records have been lost. He lived in Stratford - upon - Avon, a beautiful town outside London with a river running through it.

Family

His parents, John and Mary, had two other children before him, girls, who didn't survive past infancy. After his birth, the parents had two younger sisters and three younger brothers, Shakespeare the eldest child. His father eventually became the town bailiff, and married Mary Arden. It is said that Shakespeare attended the local grammar school, which taught many skills with a heavy emphasis on Latin. 

Relationships

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18, Anne a woman from a nearby town. She spent the rest of her life in Stratford after the marriage. They had 3 children, Susanna, Judith and Hamnet, who Anne cared for whilst Shakespeare went to London to work as a playwright. Hamnet died at the age of 11, due to . Both Judith and Susanna married, Susanna bearing a daughter. The family subsequently died out, leaving no direct descendants of Shakespeare.

We know little about Shakespeare's romantic life beyond his marriage to Anne, but some have speculated his homosexuality. Some argue that, because Shakespeare's sonnets are autobiographical, they are evidently addressed to a young man. Furthermore, it can be said that Shakespeare was a man that explored such a theme subtly in some of his plays, such as The Merchant of Venice. In this play, there is a strong, loving and suggestively homoerotic relationship between Bassanio and Antonio, two Venetians. Additionally, Shakespeare wrote the play Othello about a man alienated from society due to his skin colour, subject to racism; perhaps this could reflect his own 'alienation' were he a gay man in a time of homophobia. 

The world he lived in 

Shakespeare lived in a world where there was little scientific knowledge and a nation with strong superstitious beliefs that influenced their daily lives. Shakespeare wrote his plays angled at the upper-classes, yet people of all social classes came together to watch them, showing that theatre transcended the strong class divide he lived amongst.

The world he lived in was ravaged with disease, particularly in London where he worked. In 1593 and 1594, theatres were closed due to the plague. In this period, he wrote poetry of an erotic nature, and later published a now famous book of Sonnets in 1609.

He also lived in a patriarchal society dominated by men, where women were owned by their fathers and then their husbands. Despite Shakespeare writing plays that were heavily dominated by great female characters, women were never allowed on stage to play them.

Questions surrounding his work

Shakespeare was not a lecturer, but a questioner, one that clearly was ahead of his time and explored bold themes through theatre. For example, in The Merchant of Venice, the character Portia plays a man in order to play a role in court, something she wouldn't have been able to do were she a woman. Shylock, a Jew, is subject to repeated prejudice and verbal abuse at the hands of the protagonists, who are Christian men, their hypocrisy highlighted as they discriminate against another religion. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth defies stereotypes of women at the time, a strong and reckless presence. In Othello, Shakespeare asks questions to the audience about racism and slavery. Emilia, Iago's wife, gives a powerful speech in the play about the role of women, and repeatedly refuses to hold her tongue, fighting rebelliously until her death. 


(picture is of Zoe Wanamaker as Emilia in Othello)

She says: 

'Let husbands know

 Their wives have sense like them. They see, and smell,

 And have their palates both for sweet and sour

 As husbands have.'

Eileen Atkins doing Emilia's speech for the 400 yr anniversary of Shakespeare (link)

Despite his exploration of bolder themes, some question his earlier play, The Taming of the Shrew, a play that depicts the gradual 'taming' of a woman, originally outspoken and headstrong, who is reduced to loving her husband (who she's forced to marry). At the time, the submission of the woman would have been widely seen as normal and perhaps even humorous, but I find it difficult to enjoy watching and to grasp as a feminist in 2017. I saw a production of it recently at The Globe, marketed towards children even younger than me. I was surprised that, out of all the plays he's written, they chose one with a storyline that is shocking in this day and age. I felt that the play tried to present too many things at once - the set was a wedding cake, there were dolls on stage, there was music, they used Brechtian techniques. They didn't clearly enough present the play with a feminist retelling, and depicted some glamorised scenes of sexual assault. One minute, there would be laughter at a comedic joke, the next the play plummeted into a dark theme, leaving me conflicted as an audience member. I found it harrowing to watch a black woman be bound to a white, powerful man with a rope, making me think of slavery. To see her being deprived of food, sleep, enjoyment, at his leisure. They injected the play with random bursts into song that felt awkward. Of course, the play was marketed to a younger audience, but I was not satisfied with the outcome.

Overall, I think that Shakespeare's plays offer so much to us in our generation. His words, penned over 400 years ago, still are so powerful and relevant to our lives. His characters are rounded, multi-faceted, and we can perform his plays in modern and old settings, and embrace and challenge what he explores.

Question 1 - Superstition, Religion and Medicine

SUPERSTITION 

In Shakespearean times, the population had little scientific or medical knowledge, and few travelled out of their home country. Therefore, the people were highly superstitious, which influenced their views on everything, from treating illness to religion.

One superstitious belief which resulted in deaths, injuries and wreaked havoc in villages was the belief in witches. A witch was someone said to have sold their soul to the devil, with powers to cause illness, curse people and animals, and to have other supernatural abilities. The harsh reality was that the idea of witches existing was used to single out and torment harmless women, and as a toxic tool to quash any rebellion or 'unnatural behaviour' in women. The mistreatment of witches resulted in deaths by drowning, burning at the stake and breaking the bones of them, practices that sound inhumane and shocking to a modern day reader but were seen as perfectly valid in Elizabethan times. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, a play featuring 3 manipulative witches, to appeal to the new King James, a man who was so suspicious of witches that he wrote a book on them.

We still believe in some superstitions today, that originated in Elizabethan times, such as 'bless you', originating as a saying to stop the devil entering your soul through your mouth!

Religion

Almost everyone in Elizabethan times was a Christian, the law stating that you had to go to church each week. Most are said to have believed in Heaven and Hell, and that the devil was a 'specific person'. There was a great tension surrounding the divide of Catholicism and Protestants - if you were from the 'wrong religion' you could be killed or tortured, a belief that heavily marginalised Jews. Shakespeare writes about the prejudice against them in his play, 'The Merchant of Venice' featuring a wealthy moneylender and jew, Shylock.

Medicine

In Elizabethan times, the theory believed was that the body had 4 'humours', blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. These liquids were believed to affect and alter your personality, and an imbalance was said to cause illness.

The bubonic plague was killing a third of the population, and the root of most medical issues was the lack of sanitation, due to their lack of understanding a connection between disease spreading and unclean conditions. 

Question 1 - Money, Entertainment and the Theatre

MONEY 

In Elizabethan times, all coins were alloyed, made of a mixture of more than one metal, as pure silver or gold is too soft to sustain as a coin. 240 pennies, or 20 shillings, equated to a pound. The distribution of this money across the nation widely benefited the upper classes, the lower classes surviving on as little as 4 pennies a day.

Life for the rich in the Elizabethan era was a stark contrast to life for the poor, a class with money at their disposal which was used for luxury and excess. The hierarchy was as follows:

The Pope
The Monarchy
The Nobles
The Merchants
The Middle Class
The Labourers (working class)

ENTERTAINMENT

The societal and rich Elizabethans enjoyed many forms of entertainment, such as jousting tournaments, banquets, and the cruel yet hugely popular practice of bear-baiting. Bear baiting was so popular with Queen Elizabeth I that she was said to have stated that no plays could be acted on Thursdays for only bear-baiting was to happen on that day.

The banquets that the rich would indulge in often would consist of 5 courses and the meals would range from stuffed chicken and venison to sugared plums and preserved fruits. The diet of an upper-class Elizabethan was rich and dominated by meats and fish, considered a delicacy, as well as cheeses, cakes, pies and pastries. Due to the lack of fruit and vegetables in a rich Elizabethan's diet, many were subject to health problems such a scurvy.

The Poor

The poor also had many forms of entertainment, theatre being a massively significant pastime for the masses. Much like in Roman times, all people would come together in the communal activity of watching plays. An example is Shakespeare's Globe in London, the richer seated and the poorer flooding the grounds, often with livestock such as chickens that they would try to sell, armed with rotten fruit they would hurl at the actors were they not successful. When London was hit with an outbreak of the bubonic plague, acting troupes would travel around the country to perform for the poor, away from the dangers of the city.

There were also many festivals for feasting and drinking, such as Midsomer's Day, and dances were popular. The poor also engaged in games such as chess, as reading was an impossibility for most. Dancing and music were present in the lives of the lower and upper class, as well as gambling.

THE THEATRE

The theatre was hugely popular during Shakespearean times as described above. 'Renaissance theatre', (or early modern English theatre) was the name given to the genre of theatre that Shakespeare was at the centre of, Cristopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson some of the other significant writers. It is often incorrectly called Elizabethan theatre, but this refers only to her reign, some of Shakespeare's plays having been written after her death in 1603, therefore in the Jacobean era. Plays written throughout this era increased in volume as popularity for theatre grew, the remaining plays we still possess today showing a huge range of 'variety, quality and extent.' Although plays were watched by both the lower and upper class, the plays were often engineered towards the upper classes and depicted stories of noblemen and women in positions of power, of heroes and heroines, kings and queens. The audience loved tragedies (e.g Shakespeare's Othello), comedies, history plays (eg. Richard III), and morality plays.

Question 1 - The Population, Jobs, Life for the poor

LIFE FOR THE POOR

After watching A Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England, I have learnt a lot more about the harsh conditions in which poor countrymen lived. I myself viewed the era as a time of success, power, wealth - headed by a strong Queen, an era of banquets, entertainment and excess- yet I now see the underbelly. The rich are few of many, the vast open land of England dominated by the poorer masses, a class living difficult lives and working in grueling jobs with little wages.

A quarter of England was dominated by moors, marshlands, and heaths. Although we now view these areas as the beautiful 'green belt' of England, said spaces were seen as dangerous and horrific, with no roads or passages - you were defenseless in these vast spaces.

A typical home in which a poor countryman would reside would be a small thatched cottage, housing 7-8 people. The rooms of the cottage would be dark, candles being an expensive luxury at the time. The natural light source would also be blocked of by shutters, that covered the small windows of the home. The only light would come from an ever-smoldering fire, causing the air to constantly be thick and musty with smoke. The homes would have an opening in the roof to let out smoke, but the houses were still unpleasant to live in - hence why countrymen spent the majority of their time in the vast outdoors. A poor family would have little possessions, and sleep on a thin hay mattress.

Due to 7-8 people living in one house, the inhabitants would easily catch diseases, the life expectancy low due to poor medical knowledge and dwellers living in unclean conditions.

JOBS

The employment options for countrymen were extremely limited; they would travel from farm to farm as labourers, looking for work. Their hours would be extraordinarily long, doing menial work from damn to sunset. They were given no more than one groat, a coin made of silver, the equivalent to 4 pence. This wage would be just enough to afford basic food and ale (water was polluted), but there was nothing left for rent, clothing, children, or firewood.

The food that they ate was fresh fruit and vegetables from the ground, food seen inferior for nobles. Their meals would often be stews and soups, porridge a staple breakfast and their diet comprised of some lean meat. Despite the diet seeming meagre, the diet was healthier than that of the upper classes with a higher consumption of vitamins, fresher whole foods and less rich and sweet foods.

The life for the poor in Elizabethan England was hard, a world away from the lives of the few rich.