Elizabethan drama is difficult to define, mostly because Elizabethans did not have a distinctive word for drama or theater. In Elizabethan times, the English language was not yet standardized and standard dictionaries were nonexistent. There were also no copyright laws in Elizabethan England. Because of this, Elizabethan playwrights wrote without worrying too much about plagiarism. Elizabethan drama originated from a combination of Christian liturgy and English Medieval theater. Elizabethan drama also owes a lot to the French tradition of dramatic literature, as well as Greek and Roman.
In Elizabethan times, theaters were not built on a regular basis, but rather they would be put together for the different plays that were produced. Because there was no fixed place to produce Elizabethan drama, playwrights had less obligation to meet certain rules or demands made by anyone other than themselves. Theatrical performances began in the afternoon and then lasted until late at night. Elizabethans liked long theatrical productions because it allowed them time to socialize without feeling rushed.
The trappings of Elizabethan stagecraft first appeared during Tudor times at court performances. Elizabethan playwrights would often break up the dialogue in their plays with songs and dances to suit Elizabeth I’s (a Virgin Queen) taste. Elizabethan stage sets were designed to look like real places, so Elizabethan theatergoers could feel transported into another place or time. Furthermore, Elizabethans had no spotlight; they relied on torches to light the stage. The costumes of Elizabethan times also contributed to this dramatic effect.
The Elizabethan era was marked by formalism in drama, even though Elizabethans enjoyed humorous entertainment just as much as any other people during that period. Formalism is when drama derives its structure from established customs rather than audience reactions. During Elizabeth times, many playwrights followed a standard dramatic format called a five-act play. Elizabethan drama would depict only the more serious aspects of Elizabethan life, so Elizabethan theater was not as entertaining as modern day theater.
Elizabethans enjoyed comedies, but they were extremely subtle and ironic rather than outright funny. Elizabethan plays have been divided into two main categories: history plays and tragedy. History plays were based on historical events from Elizabethan times. Tragedy was about tragic heroes or heroines who suffered as a result of their own flaws, such as pride or ambition. Elizabethan tragedies always ended with the protagonist dying, whether by the treachery of others or by his own folly. Elizabethans also had a fascination with revenge tragedy, where characters took vengeance on others for perceived slights.
Elizabethan drama also often portrayed Elizabethans as representatives of either good or evil, which may have contributed to the ideology that Elizabethans were divided into “good” and “bad” people during their era. However, Elizabethan theater was not only about Elizabethan politics; Elizabethan playwrights sometimes explored social problems or other issues through their plays. Music played a role in Elizabethan theater, too. Often songs would be inserted between scenes so they could become familiar with the audience before they reappeared later in the play.
Music was also incorporated into some Elizabethan plays themselves, especially comedies, where music was used for lighthearted entertainment during performances. Elizabethans loved dancing, too. Songs and dances were sometimes inspired by Elizabethan politics, like the song “We Be Soldiers of England”, which was used as a rallying cry during Elizabeth’s reign. Elizabethans loved to dance along with the song, imagining themselves as soldiers on the battlefield. Elizabethan theater had few props and no scenery; it relied instead on costumes, music, dance, and dramatic dialogue to tell their stories.
Elizabethan theater also marked an important period in English history because it provided entertainment for Queen Elizabeth I throughout her life. Elizabeth loved watching plays, so she became very involved with them at times. Elizabethan drama was known for its use of heightened language often termed as blank verse, meaning poetry without rhyme. The characters were portrayed not only by actors but through techniques of stagecraft, like changes in the Elizabethan theater lighting which made scenes more realistic by altering highlights and shadows.
Elizabethans also had no footlights; they relied on flaming torches to light the stage. Elizabethan plays were divided into Elizabethan acts rather than scenes, so that there could be ten or fifteen minute breaks during Elizabethan plays. One of the most famous Elizabethan playwrights was William Shakespeare. His first known play is “Titus Andronicus” (1589-1593), but his most famous works are probably “Hamlet”, “Macbeth”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and many others where he used blank verse, better known as iambic pentameter – a rhythm of five beats to each line.
Elizabethan drama flourished during Elizabeth I’s reign, eventually becoming known as Elizabethan theater, until the early 1600s when English people introduced it to other countries. Elizabethan theater was very popular in Elizabethan times, but it also had many controversies involving censorship and heresy charges against writers like Christopher Marlowe who wrote plays that were considered to be too controversial.
The Elizabethans loved watching plays performed by their favorite playwrights like William Shakespeare or Christopher Marlowe; this combined with Queen Elizabeth’s deep appreciation for the arts helped make Elizabethan theater extremely popular. The Elizabethan era marked a time of discovery during which England began looking outward toward the sea and learning about different cultures; this is reflected in their love of Elizabethan drama because Elizabethans loved imagining themselves as other people who lived in different times and places.
Elizabethan comedians also used Elizabethan plays to poke fun at Elizabethan society, or local Elizabethan customs. Elizabethans loved watching plays that invited them to imagine a world where they could cast judgment on others for their misdeeds, enjoy a great show with friends and family, or just escape from reality into a fictional world where anything was possible; through his works William Shakespeare helped make Elizabethan theater popular by providing these possibilities for Elizabethans.