week 6 Your Production

 The plot of Measure For Measure centres around he arrest of a member of the gentry named Claudio on the command of Lord Angelo. The play begins with The Duke's departure who leaves his trusty second in command Angelo in charge of Vienna. The city of Vienna is steeped with corruption and crime ridden. Unlike the Duke Angelo is very stern and cold, he cracks down on the bubbling corruption by abolishing brothels and goes down hard on any illegal sexual activity. Claudio is arrested for impregnating his soon to be wife, Juliet before the two could be married. Although their intercourse was consensual and by the book sex out of wedlock was highly illegal in that period. Claudio is sentenced to death by Angelo to serve as an example the rest of the citizens of Vienna. Whilst this is all going on we find out the Duke has not left town and remained in Vienna, disguised as a Friar to observe how Angelo rules the city in his stead. Claudio's sister Isabella who is training to be a nun is outraged  by her brother's unfair sentence and goes to beg for Lord Angelo's mercy. Angelo quickly falls in love with Isabella however he does not grant her brother his freedom, instead he proposes the only way she could possibly change his mind and free her brother is to share his bed. She refuses and visits her brother to inform him of Angelo's sick, hypocritical proposition. At first Claudio empathises with her but then starts to beg her to take up Angelo's deal. She is outraged by her brothers pleas and left with a huge decision to make. The Duke still disguised intercepts the perplexed Isabella and hatches a plan to free Claudio and bring the corrupt Angelo to justice.


The themes of the play are very much relevant today. This comedy explores justice, judgement and morality, Lord Angelo is left in charge and trusted to take care of Vienna, however he abuses his power and uses it to meet his sexual desires. Although Angelo is cold and strict in his approach and manages to inflict huge damage on the sex trade in Vienna and crack down on crime operating in the city, he is also hugely hypocritical, actually planning to commit a worse offence than Angelo and using his powerful position to get away with it. Religion is also a key theme in the play Shakespeare explores the concept of sin and how far people in that period could go to maintain their innocence and credibility in the face of God. For example from one perspective although the proposition that Angelo strikes is grotesque and hypocritical, Isabella would rather have her brother die than her virginity be severed and not be able to take up a religious position such as a Nun. All laws in that period covering intercourse had a religious undertone. The Duke is well respected in his position of power however when disguised as the Friar he is also well respected as a man of god which just goes to show in that period the most powerful individuals were those of wealth, law and religion.

Sex is another theme in Measure For Measure, brothels and the sex trade are a key part of the inner workings of Vienna and Angelo works hard to rid the city of it. The play touches on the negative problems these controversial establishments and businesses bring such as sexually transmitted diseases, illegitimate children born out of wedlock commonly referred to as Bastards. The play also explores how figures of power such as Lucio a wealthy gentlemen dabbles in this trade often visiting these brothels which he is exposed for later on in the play. As previously mentioned even the most powerful man in Vienna, Lord Angelo has the desire to break his own law by sleeping with Isabella and fulfil his needs.

The idea of gender is also a prevalent theme in the play. The three main female roles have less than flattering occupations and positions, Isabella is a training nun, Mistress overdone owns a brothel, Mariana is Angelo's previous lover who is used to trick Angelo into marrying her. Shakespeare chooses to have these women in limited roles to display a woman's place in society during that period. Although the main role is a training nun which is a rather dull position she is in fact one of Shakespeare's strongest and most fierce female roles. Against all the odds in favour of women in that period she has the bravery to confront powerful male figures and is not afraid to hide here feelings. She challenges Angelo about his laws and complains unapologetically on the treatment of her brother upon the Duke's arrival in full view of his subjects. Which in that period would require tremendous courage.

Measure For Measure was believed to be written by William Shakespeare in 1603 or 1604 and was published in 1623. It's first performance took place in 1604, the play is technically a comedy but also earned the term a 'problem play'.

A contemporary production of Measure For Measure took place on the 6th of December 2013 and was performed at the Pushkin Theatre in Moscow. It was produced by the company 'Cheek by Jowl' and the Pushkin Theatre in a co production with The Barbican situated in London. Artistic director Declan Donnellan recognised the fact Measure for Measure is a very modern play in relation to its themes and ideas. Who wanted to target the theme of control in the play and how one of the main reasons that people are controlled by various companies and corporations is through shaming them. Obviously i was unable to see this play live but i was able to find the trailer on their website. My first impressions were the lighting and sounds were very harsh, uncomfortably bright in some scenes with darkness creeping in. It reminded me of the lighting in an interrogation room or any other powerful but sinister facility like a laboratory. The costumes were fully contemporary, powerful characters such as Angelo wore suits and other lower members of the law like Elbow and the constables were dressed in smart military attire.

I presume Claudio is the one in the centre, around him seem to be armed military police, heading home the idea that Vienna in this interpretation is a police state.

 Isabella was dressed in a modern nun outfit which was very disturbing to see Angelo cruelly harassing her onstage. Due to the ideology of the nun and the activity Angelo was conducting as well as facial expression.

Musical instrument being played onstage

Music was played onstage with a cello much like what would of occurred during Shakespeare's time. Lighting also allowed characters who were not at the centre of the action to become silhouettes with a Soviet red encapsulating their outline. Dance was took place onstage but in rather juxtaposed bleak settings. A typical ballroom dance to place in the midst of some raunchy sexual intercourse between several parties encased in what looked like glass tanks.  This brought me back to the whole laboratory idea, these I presume sex workers and their clients seemed to operate in claustrophobic glass tanks, dehumanising them. These ensemble members look animalistic in their confined circumstances almost like  animals ready to experimented on. Various disturbing torture practices took place onstage.  A character looked like he was being painfully hosed down, cleansed of his sins going back to that idea of control through shame.This may not be the case but from the trailer i assume the comic elements had either been abolished or replaced with a crueller black comedic style on the punchlines. Instead focusing on the relevant serious themes of the play such as Justice, sex control, law and order and corruption.

Torture practise taking place in the background, displaying the idea of cleansing.

http://www.cheekbyjowl.com/measure_for_measure.php#video (link to the trailer)

To summarise, my character Pompey Bum is Mistress overdone most trusted pimp and one of the fools of the play. He has no regard for Angelo's new law and very much enjoys his line of work. He is painfully funny, perverted and outlandish. Although he is very disrespectful and continues to operate in his trade he is very likeable and has effective but unorthodox people skills. He manages to talk his was out of every risky situation he finds himself in. He tends to try to humour his listener and talk in ream and reams until his persecutor has heard enough and lets him go. He takes pleasure in mocking peoples situation and getting under their skin especially if that characters particular stakes are high. Pompey is finally caught by a dim oafish constable who is constantly on his tail. He is given the choice to aid an executioner to reduce his sentence which he takes gleefully . He uses this opportunity to irritate and laugh at the prisoner in question. He enjoys picking on dim characters and if his sweet talking doesn't go to plan he often uses characters of higher status such as Lucio to bail him out of tight situations. As they visit his brothels.

week 5 Shakespeare Today

On the 3rd of April I ventured down to the National Theatre to see Simon Godwin's interpretation of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. This famous comedy tells the tale of two twins aboard a ship which is wrecked on the rocks during a violent storm of the coast of Illyria. Viola is washed ashore, assuming her brother Sebastian has drowned she fakes her identity, taking the name of Cesario and disguises herself as a male for protection. She then ends up being employed by the Duke named Orsino. An cacophony of mischief and confusion swiftly follows leading up to a grand conclusion.

Viola and her maids in contemporary dress

My first impressions of the play was how incredible the staging was. I have seen many productions at the national theatre and the staging is always brilliant due to their enormous budget and Twelfth Night was no exception. The set was circular and rotated around the stage containing different sections depicting different areas such as a street, or a room in the palace. Each section had adaptable floors and walls which changed depending on the setting of that specific scene. During a scene change the stage would set would rotate allowing you to see glimpses of what was occurring in other locations which was a nice touch. This kept the action going at all times from all sides. The main focal point of the stage was a towering platform depicting the bowl of a ship, however when rotated it was a large staircase which was used as a section of the palace. Obviously this is a complete contrast to staging and scenery in the Elizabethan period. During Shakespeare's time sets were very minimalist and bare only including props vital to the play's story line. Its fascinating to see how Shakespeare's writing is still maintained word for word but infused with modern technology.

The character of Feste the court jester was also played by a woman, her costume is contemporary but also rather elaborate

The costumes were very contemporary and rather lavish and fashionable. Keeping in tune with the character's status and social class but with a modern twist. The story arc fitted the plays contemporary setting as the concept of a love triangle is very common in both theatre, film and TV today. Props such as a hot tub and a fountain emerged through trap doors which was a common feature in Elizabethan commercial theatre, where villains and heroes alike could appear from trap doors as a grand entrance. So it was great to see a nod to Elizabethan technology.

Fountain emerged from a trapdoor

Godwin also chose to keep the idea of fencing in the duel between Sir Andrew and Cesario over Olivia's love. I enjoyed the fact the pair conducted an unskillful duel with the use of fencing swords as oppose to a handgun or some other kind of alternative weapon as fencing took place a lot in Shakespeare's plays during the Elizabethan period, a skill the actors had to master themselves. Music was also used in the performance during the party sequences although the tracks were contemporary, the use of music was prevalent in Shakespeare's time actors had to be able to play musical instruments and sing onstage as well as act. The music in this case came from a stereo.

Duel between Sir Andrew and Cesario

In the play the idea was all roles were gender fluid and therefore some females actually played male parts. For example Malvolio a renowned comic role was played by comedic actress Tamsin Greig who i must say gave an excellent performance. The role traditionally is male however the name was changed to Malvolia and the character remained a strict no nonsense steward. In the Elizabethan period these foolish comedic roles would be cherished and reserved for a popular male comic actor. Women were not even allowed to act in plays altogether until 1660, not even the female parts. Therefore the idea of a woman taking a male part and changing it slightly would of coursed tremendous outrage during that period.

Malvolia discovering the letter that was planted by Sir Andrew, Feste and Sir Toby Belch

Shakespeare's work and the stories he tells in them can be interpreted and made relevant to today's audience. I think that changing the gender of Malvolio keeps the production fresh and creates a talking point and a new perspective.

week 4 Theatres,Actors And Acting In Shakespeares Time

An illustration displaying James Burbage's Theatre

Q1: One of the first playhouses in England since the Roman regime was constructed in 1576 by a man named James Burbage, an actor, a theatre impresario and most famous for building the first permanent, dedicated theatre since the roman times. The establishment simply known as 'The Theatre' was built on land belonging to a puritan named Giles Allen. Allen due to his beliefs had no intention of having an art form such as theatre take place on his land however this did not prevent Burbage from constructing his theatre on the site. In 1597 however the lease the pair managed to agree on had finally expired and Allen had no intention of formulating a new one. A clause in the previous lease let the actors who worked in Burbage's company take down the theatre and use the materials in further construction in the near future. The theatre was dismantled in the night by a company of actors and carpenters, the timber and other materials actually went onto to be used in the construction of The Globe Theatre. Located on bankside in Southwark.



Similar to many other Elizabethan amphitheatres which were constructed after, The theatre was described as octagonal or circular structure in terms of shape, which included 8 to 24 sides. There was an open are in the centre which was known simply as the 'pit' or 'yard'. This area was surround by three tiers of seating at different levels with balconies overlooking the back of the stage, with a projected section of the amphitheatre stage roughly halfway into the 'yard'. Theatre goers had to pay various prices depending on the seating levels.



The audience capacity of the average amphitheatre was between the figure of 1500 and 3000. The materials used in the process of construction included timber,flint, nails and the roofing was thatched which made these structures very vulnerable in the event of a fire. Theatre goers who sat in the pit paid one penny which was placed in a box at the entrance upon arrival. The boxes were collected and stored in a room known as a box office. which is how the term box office cemented itself in our society today. There was usually one main entrance to the playhouse and the owner of the establishment was called a 'housekeeper' a term also used today but under different circumstances.

 There was no clear heating system in place amongst playhouses therefore plays were usually put on during the summer months. During the winter period plays took place in indoor playhouses. There were also no toilet facilities in place therefore playgoers had to take care of buisness outside adding to the extreme sewage problem. Playhouses were almost all circular all octogonal in shape just like James Burbage's theatre. As previously mentioned most playhouses had 8 to 24 sides and were up to 100 feet in diameter and the height of the raised stage varied between 3 to 5 feet and usually supported by various pillars. Dimensions of the stage varied, lowest being 20 feet wide and 15 foot deep, the largest being 45 feet to 30 feet. Only rich masked women attended playhouses to maintain their reputation. The median of music was only added in the 1600s. Other effects were used to allow actors to fly and have grand entrances. These being made a reality with the use of rope and rigging. Trap doors were implemented into the floor of the stage to incorporate the effect of smoke into the action. this could be a tremendous risk however due to the fact the floor of the playhouse was made of wood, the structure itself also made from flammable materials.

Although Shakespeare would of been only 12 years old following the construction of 'The Theatre'. Shakespeare and his company 'The Lord Chamberlain's men' were one of several companies to perform there before Burbage and Allen could not agree on a new lease. Aswell as performing at 'The Theatre' Shakespeare's company played at another amphitheatre called 'The Curtain, built in 1577 and of course 'The Globe'. His company also had the chance to perform in front of royalty at Court to queen Elizabeth I aswell as King James I. Shakespeare's company had always planned to establish their own indoor playhouse and the chance finally arose when Burbage's company seized Blackfriars indoor theatre through a lease and were able to perform there during the Christmas period.

Blackfriars indoor theatre 

After the demise and deconstruction of 'The Theatre',The Globe opened up two years later in 1599 and held many of Shakespeare's most well known plays. In 1613 surprise surprise it unfortunately burnt to the ground following a fire breaking out across the thatched roof during Henry VIII. A second Globe was swiftly established a year later.  The reason why Shakespeare was able to hold most of his famous plays was because during construction of the first globe, the cost was spread across a lease with the five partners in TLCM, which Shakespeare was a part of therefore the company was able to afford to build this particular playhouse.

An illustration displaying the demise of the first Globe theatre 

There were two main types of  playhouses in Elizabethan England, one being an outdoor playhouse which would of held productions during the summer months. These were known as amphitheatres and were far more popular as more people from different social classes could afford to watch shows there. The second type being indoor playhouses which put on productions during the winter months. These were usually referred to as 'halls' or 'private playhouses'. The target audience for these establishments were the very rich, the audience capacity was only 500 as oppose to outdoor playhouses which could hold up to anywhere between 1500 and 3000.

Before playhouses theatre took place in Inn-yards. Essentially just yards were people could come and watch some inexpensive theatre, in some cases shows took place indoors. The audience capacity was around about 500.

An Elizabethan inn-yard

Q2: All actors were male, even the female parts which were often played by prepubescent boys. Many boys who played female parts actually received lead poisoning from the white makeup they used and in turn a large proportion of them died.

Information page displaying how horrible lead poisoning is.

In 1629 a visiting french theatre company used women to play the female roles, this was met with severe outrage with the crowd and the actors were pelted with projectiles, hissed and booed offstage. Actors themselves and their profession was not trusted, actors were usually referred to as rogues or vagabonds.

Actors were seen as troublemakers and used to even travel round the country in carts, locating large crowds to watch them perform and maintain a living before the introduction of playhouses. Travelling actors required licenses to travel. Plays were often regulated and prone to censorship especially if they spoke ill of the government. Theatre increased in popularity tremendously in a very short space of time. Many actors invested in shares in their companies and theatres which they performed in and in turn became very wealthy. Although actors in that period unlike today were not paid vast sums of money for their performances and in some cases their shares received cuts.Women were only able to act in playhouses until 1660.

High class Elizabethan actors

Most women parts were played by young boys however the comedic female roles were cherished and in most cases reserved for famous comic actors or popular fools. For example roles like Juliet's fumbling nurse in Romeo and Juliet would be played by a man and often look hideous adding to the thrill. Actors were also required to have a variety of skills such as fencing onstage, gruelling dance sequences and the ability to play an instrument and sing various songs.

Instead of going down the road of historical accuracy, costumes would be visually striking adding more attraction to various shows. Costumes were crucial as they provided another kind of spectacle for the theatre goers. Most costumes were usually second hand passed down from actual nobles.

Staging was very minimal in Elizabethan theatre, most plays had very little scenery, only using props which were vital to the story line of the play. Such as weapons, thrones, tables, beds or a grave. Actors had to rely on their talent, costumes, special effects, grand entrances and of course each other. Although most entrances and exits were in clear view of the audience grand entrances were a key part of Elizabethan shows. Actors, usually those playing the hero could 'descend from the heavens' using rope. Or actors playing the villain or the fool could 'emerge from hell' using a trapdoor.

Midsummer Night's Dream being performed, you can clearly the set is extremely minimal however the costumes are very elaborate and visually striking 

Week 3 Shakespeare's London and Elizabethan Audiences

Picture displaying the audience from the perspective of the actors

Theatre was a form of entertainment which attracted many Elizabethans regardless of their class or profession. Many servants and apprentices spent a lot of their time in theatres, the common folk would stand in the pit and watch the action right before their eyes. Spectating from the pit was a very cheap privilege, common theatre goers would have to pay a small fee of one penny. They would place the fee in a box upon arrival, spawning the term box office which is heavily used in our current society. The commoners or groundlings would stand for entirety of the play, prices of the show depended on the comfort of the seating. The gentry, one social class who were not born of noble birth however obtained large amounts of properties, earning vast sums of money, would be seated in the galleries often watching using cushions for comfort. More wealthy and noble individuals would watch the action from the best seats as they were the only social class able to afford them. Their seats would be situated on the sides of the stage. These seating areas were known as "the lords rooms". The entry fee to these prestigious areas started at 6 penny's, six times the amount required to watch from the pit. One penny equated to the same price for a loaf of bread, compared to today's prices, a trip to the theatre in Elizabethan society was incredibly cheap, which is one of the reasons why theatre was so popular. Royalty very much enjoyed the theatre however members of the royal family never attended public showings instead acting companies were invited to perform on their property.

A typical Elizabethan sixpence

Performances were put on during the afternoon due to the lack of artificial lighting and lasted around two hours. Men and woman both attended plays however the presence of men was far more prominent. Wealthier woman would often wear masks to shows with the purpose of disguising their identity to prevent any damage done to their reputation. The presence of special effects really enticed large numbers of audiences, these effects included fireworks, smoke/mist effects, the firing of an actual functioning cannon and grand entrances using ropes. Vast numbers of people flocked to the theatre by 1600 theatres such as The Globe could house almost 3000 spectators  if the play was popular enough. Since many plays were put on during most afternoons, 10,000 to 20,000 spectators visited the theatre each week. There were no lavatories established in these spaces therefore business was taken care of outside, adding to the huge overwhelming amounts of sewage which ran through the streets.

An illustration displaying the audiences violent behaviour at times

Some theatre goers dressed to impress but audiences in that period were rather barbaric and disrespectful to the actors involved. Most audience members liked to get involved and invested in the action on display. Members of the audience would applaud and cheer the heroes and booed the villans sometimes hurling projectiles at the character in question. Special effects and music was also celebrated. Fights often broke out amongst members of the audience due to the cramped conditions, heightened temperature, emotional investment, drink and tensions running high. Thieves and pick pockets also often operated in theatre crowds which caused further conflict. If the audience did not like what they were watching they would scream insults and launch further projectiles such as food and empty bottles at the actors. In some cases the behaviour would become so bad the company would have to put on something else to please the audience and prevent them from doing further damage.

An illustration depicting 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' being performed on stage, not a violent play by any means but this play is filled with comedy and love which would have also held the audiences's attention. 

violent plays filled to the brim with gore were often the most popular as this kept the audiences attention throughout. During the period between 1560 and 1640  more than 3000 new plays were written to meet the ever growing audience's demands. Most plays were often famous tales of the past such as previous kings and battles. Which is why many of Shakespeare's plays such as Richard the third and Henry the fourth are renowned historical retellings. These plays were packed with extreme onstage violence, music and plenty of humour to attract more theatre goers and prevent their actors being harassed. Stalls and markets were also established selling merchandise and refreshments which attracted further masses even non theatre goers who just wanted to purchase goods.

Week 2 Shakespeare's Life And Biography

Shakespeare's birthplace 

Due to many historical records being lost or never existing in the first place, there are many details that are not present within historical findings of Shakespeare's life. From  what we know from expert historians William Shakespeare was born and baptised in Stratford- Upon- Avon in on the 26th of April, 1564. Although historians cannot pinpoint his actual birth date due to inadequate evidence therefore it may of occurred a few days earlier. The young Shakespeare was the youngest surviving child out of his collection of siblings. His parents Mary and John Shakespeare first two children died in their infant years. Shakespeare had three younger brothers named Gilbert, Edmund and Richard as well as two younger sisters, Anne and Joan who sadly passed away at just seven years old.

John Shakespeare's occupation was a leather worker who specialised in working with soft leather designed to construct gloves. John was a prosperous businessman and married Shakespeare's mother Mary Arden. He rose through the ranks and eventually became the town Baliff when William turned 5 years old. Shakespeare's mother was the daughter of a local farmer. His parents were wealthy and it is thought Shakespeare led a healthy, safe childhood.

Stratford Grammar school

Shakespeare was thought to attend Stratford Grammar School. Like all institutions in the Elizabethan period the curriculum was dominated by the study of Latin classics. The boys were taught to read and write in Latin they also had to memorise and perform in classic Latin plays. It is thought Shakespeare left school at around the age of 15.

Several years later after he left school in 1582 Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. Anne was a local farmers daughter, she grew up in a village called Shottery outside Stratford. In 1985 the two had twins named Judith and Hamnet. His wife and children remained in Stratford whilst Shakespeare worked in London. Shakespeare's son Hamnet died when he was 11. His older daughter Susanna who was born from a previous lover, married a well known Stratford doctor named John Hall. Their daughter, Shakespeare's granddaughter was born in 1806 named Elizabeth. A few months before his death in 1616, Williams daughter Judith was married to a Stratford vintner named Thomas Quiney. The family eventually died out leaving no descendants of the renowned playwright.

Plaque dedicated to 'The Lord Chamberlain's men'

During his time in London Shakespeare was a very well known actor, playwright and established his own theatre company. One of his earliest plays was the historical retelling of Henry IV in 1592.  For a little more that two decades Shakespeare had many roles in the London theatre as both an actor and director, also a business partner in the renowned acting company "the lord Chamberlain's men". Through the years William gradually became more famous in the London theatre scene.
During his time he wrote\co wrote 40 plays and also published a book of 154 sonnets, as he was also a keen poet. From 1599 he was the co owner of the Globe theatre. He made a large amount of income from his work and purchased the second largest abode in Stratford 1597 where he settled down with his family.

One his last plays of his tremendous career was "The Two Noble Kinsmen" which he wrote in the year of 1613. He died three years later on April the 23rd which is believed to be his birthday. The exact reason for is death is unknown however experts believe it could of been as a result of a various infection due to the demise of his brother in law a week earlier.

Week 1 Life In Elizabethan England

Elizabethan England had a tremendous financial divide, it was heavily dominated by the rich and powerful upper class. This was a period which was only enjoyed by a selective few, most of the country however endured difficult lifestyles. One quarter of the country was Barron wilderness made up of hills heath and vast moors. Many citizens lived and worked in the country and struggled to survive. large families of seven or eight people lived among these primitive wastelands, this was due to lack of protection as well as relying on their children to help work and earn money and later looking after them when they grow older. These families lived in incredibly basic housing constructed of mud, stone and thatched roofing. The conditions of these primitive abodes were dark and cramped as these families could not afford to sustain light for too long. Due to  the poor construction of these homes, inhabitants were left vulnerable to the cold weather and disease.

an illustration displaying the English countryside in the Elizabethan era 

During the Elizabethan period job opportunities were not brilliant. In the country most people worked in agriculture as laborers, working long hours on various farms. As jobs were limited many people living in rural areas had to float from place to place, searching for farms which would employ them on a daily or in most cases casual basis. Laborers daily salaries would be a 'Groat' also known as a four pence. This was not nearly sustainable for families with children. The rich however lived very different lives. Their homes were far more grand, they enjoyed extravagant feasts and joyous dancing however there were a group which may had less wealth but far more power, this group were known as the gentry. The gentry held positions of upmost importance such as magistrates, sheriffs and MPs, together they practically ran the entire country. The rich had the presence of servants in their household, the richer the household, the greater number of servants. Cleanliness was a vital part of culture and sophistication. Due to most water being contaminated, clean water was reserved for parts of the body which show such as face and hair. Therefore the rock kept themselves clean by washing their clothes and applied perfume to improve the smell of clothes, bodies and hair.

Typical horse and carriage

The poor during this period would travel entirely on foot. The rich however traveled by coaches pulled by horse. This craze took the country by storm and soon the amount of coaches dramatically increased. The greater number of coaches meant that the price dropped therefore even lower reaches of the gentry could travel in this way. At the time the queen had many enemies due to her being a Protestant ruler. As a result of this she had a large network of spies which reported any treachery among the ranks of the gentry. The rich may of been far better off than the poor majority of the population however they certainly were not untouchable.

Entertainment was a very prevalent to people in Elizabethan society. Life was hard for both the poorest and the wealthiest at times. The morality rate was high due to frequent outbreaks of horrific diseases such as the Bubonic Plague and life expectancy was disturbingly lower than it is today. Feasts, jousts and extravagant banquets were common occurrences among the rich. For the poorer members of the population means of entertainment included acting troupes, lower level jousting and tournaments, dance, trained animals and animal sports stretching from cock fighting to bear fighting. The poor population also enjoyed mystery plays (re-enacting stories from the bible) strolling players and jugglers. The upper class also followed sport such as archery, bowling, tennis and dice, hammer throwing, quoits, wrestling and quarter- staff contests which were duels fought with staffs. Gambling, hunting and hawking were also forms of entertainment during Elizabethan England particularly with the wealthy upper class.

a depiction of a hanging

Public executions were a common occurrence. These public displays of cruelty were effective ways of reminding the public of the government's power and means of social control. However for the masses public executions were incredibly popular as a form of entertainment. Huge crowds flocked to these demonstrations of violence Most law breakers were hung by the neck until dead however noble offenders were allowed to be beheaded as oppose to hanging. Traitors of the crown were punished by being hung, drawn and quartered this was the most grisly and painful punishment which was rarer than the other forms of execution however when it did occur crowds lapped it up in their masses.

The Elizabethan period may be regarded as the "golden age" due to culture and economic growth as well the blossoming of poetry and theatre and the beginning for the British Empire. However there were heightened religious tension between Protestant and Catholic Christian beliefs. This was down to the country's recent exit from the Roman Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England, initiated by King Henry VIII, Elizabeth's father. After Henry's heir Edward VI died of tuberculosis at a very young age, Mary I took over and ruled for 5 years. Unlike Henry Mary was a devout Roman Catholic and was very cruel to believers of the opposing religion. She burned over 300 Protestant heretics. She believed any belief opposing that recognized by the crown was treachery and punishable by death. Earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary". In 1554 she married king Phillip of Spain and finalizing the country's transition to a Catholic state. The couple beared no children and the queens half sister Elizabeth succeeded her in 1558.

a portrait of queen Elizabeth 

Elizabeth just like her father was a Protestant therefore the throne reverted back to Protestantism. Elizabeth was not as cruel as her half sister and allowed freedom of religion for Catholics as long as they abided by her laws which did hinder practicing Catholics to worship openly. Due to the country's switch back to heightened political tensions with European countries with Catholic crowns such as Spain. Catholic fractions in England were backed by catholic countries which tried to cause problems and end her reign. Elizabethan England was a Christian nation however the two forms Protestant and Catholic clashed at every turn. Some Elizabethans were puritans which was a much stricter form of Christianity.


Superstitions lingered around society during the Elizabethan era. A combination of ignorance and fear of the unknown allowed superstitions to develop. Due to inadequate medical and technological advances many people clung to superstitions to piece together awful or unexplained events. Fear of unstrung forces and the act of god as well as the strong religious presence allowed superstitions to become a segment of day to day life. One of the most renowned supernatural superstitions in Elizabethan England was witchcraft. The bubonic plague was a very prevalent ordeal in this era which caused the deaths of up to 30-60% of Europe's total population. Ineffective medical care and medicine triggered people into relying on witchcraft as a scape goat. Other events such as unpleasant illness, strange deaths,unsubstantial harvests, various crop failures, fires and other disasters, deaths of animals were all believed to be the work of witches. Women were mostly targeted and accused of being witches, the perfect suspect for townsfolk would be an old, poor, unprotected, independent single woman, normally widows, if they kept a pet it was a bonus. The extreme fear of witchcraft birthed the following superstitions which still play a part today in the idea of witches. A witch would mostly if not always be portrayed as an old grotesque hag. Witches were often thought to keep various animals as pets such as the cat, frog, raven, bat, crow, wolf etc.
Witches were believed to brew magic and insidious potions over a cauldron. Wise woman were often targeted as their knowledge of various herbs aroused suspicion. Finally witches were also known to live alone and independently therefore old widows often became suspects.

People in Elizabethan England were terrified of unnatural forces and the power of religious idols that some bizarre theories were crafted over very mundane events. Many of the following superstitions still come into play in today's society. The tradition of saying "bless you" following a sneeze derived from the belief the devil could enter your body when opening your mouth to let out a sneeze. the words "god bless you" would act as a blessing to prevent this from happening. The superstition that walking under a ladder is thought to bring about bad luck came from the Elizabethan era. walking under ladders was avoided as ladders in those days were associated with the gallows and various other executions. Putting new shoes on the table was thought to bring imminent death. Spilling salt or  pepper was seen as bad luck as these spices were tremendously expensive. Contrasting to the famous superstition in today's society, the event of a black cat crossing your path was deemed incredibly unluckily. This idea spawned from the theory, the colour black was associated with dark magic. Cats were also thought to be kept by witches. The phrase "touch wood' derived from the Celtic superstition that a specific tree contained magical powers which would defend you against bad luck.

Medicine during the Elizabethan era was extremely basic. During this period there were many illnesses that thrived due to lack of sanitation. This was the case in larger towns and cities. There were sewage streams that flowed through the streets. Sometimes the sewage was removed and dumped into rivers for example in the Thames. Creatures such as fleas, rats and lice see these environments as a haven for contracting and spreading filthy diseases. The bubonic plague also known as the black death took the lives of many elizabethans, killing nearly a third of the population. Physians had little understanding in what caused these various diseases. The black plague was spread by being carried by fleas and transmitted by rodents.



Physicians wore some pretty strange garments as seen in the picture the entire body is covered, the face by a bird-like mask, the beak filled with bergamot oil, they wore long robes and their feet and arms were protected by large boots and gloves. Although these outfits looked ridiculous they prevented the physicians from obtaining the disease from their patients. The strange mask prevented the user from breathing the same air as the victim.

Medicine could only be received depending on your wealth or class. The ministrations of the average Physician would be worth 10 shillings, which was far too expensive for most Elizabethans. The Bubonic plague itself was treated with many basic remedies such as a warm poulice of butter,tobacco,onion, garlic, lily root and dried toad. Remedies for head pains included sweet smelling herbs, for example rose, lavender, sage and bay. Stomach pains were combated with mint, balm and wormwood. For wounds vinegar was used as a cleansing agent and letting blooded was carried out by using leeches.

a diagram depicting the interior of the globe

When theatres were introduced plays were not allowed to be performed within the capital. Therefore theatres were established outside of the city, across the Thames in Southwark. Plays were mostly performed in the courtyards of various inns or sometimes in nobleman's households. Nobles had to be careful if any of the material is politically controversial, or challenges the crown which could get them in trouble with the monarch. The first ever theatre was constructed in 1576 called simply 'the theatre'. It was built in Shoreditch. After the construction of 'the theatre' further open theatres were established around london, for example the Rose in 1587, the Hope later in 1613. The most renowned playhouse was the Globe which was constructed in 1599 by Shakespeare's company. These impressive theatres could house several thousand spectators. Most stood in the pit in front of the stage, however nobles and wealthy Elizabethans could afford to watch the action on stage unfold from the comfort of a chair, located at the side of the actual stage. Due to the fact there was no artificial lighting, performances took place in the afternoon to obtain natural lighting. Woman were allowed to attend plays, wealthy ladies usually wore luxurious, well crafted masks to hide their identity. All roles were played by men, even female characters which were usually played by young feminine looking boys.