A ‘Golden Age’ Flashcards
All 20 cards in this deck
Who was allowed to act in Elizabethan theatres?
Only men — boys played the roles of women.
True or false? Only wealthy people could attend plays at Elizabethan theatres.
False. Both rich and poor attended; tickets came at a range of prices and the poor stood in the pit.
Name one purpose-built Elizabethan theatre.
Either the Theatre (1576) or the Rose (1587). They were built for the growing audiences at new non-religious plays.
What was the 'Golden Age' of Elizabethan England?
The idea that Elizabeth's reign was a time of peace, prosperity and cultural achievement, when people believed they lived in a more enlightened and sophisticated age.
Who were the gentry in Elizabethan England?
Wealthy landowners below the nobility who grew rich from land, trade and office, and often built grand new houses.
Give two changes that made Elizabethans believe they lived in a 'Golden Age'.
Any two of: the rise of the gentry, the printing press, greater wealth from trade and exploration, new colonies, new technology such as the astrolabe, and Renaissance art and theatre.
Give two reasons the Elizabethan 'Golden Age' could be seen as a myth.
Only a small minority lived in luxury while the poor had just enough to survive; England was still brutal, with torture, harsh punishments, low life expectancy and epidemics.
What was 'Gloriana'?
The glorified image of Elizabeth used as propaganda in portraits, poetry and pageants, which enhanced the sense of a 'Golden Age'.
How did the places plays were performed change during Elizabeth's reign?
At the start plays were put on in the courtyards of inns; by the end they were performed in purpose-built theatres.
Where did rich and poor sit or stand in an Elizabethan theatre?
Rich people sat in the gallery (the 'Lords' rooms' were the most expensive seats); the poor gathered in the pit below the stage.
Why did the theatre develop despite opposition?
The Queen approved of it and enjoyed plays performed at court, and she and the nobility gave patronage to acting companies such as the 'Queen's Men'.
Why did Puritans oppose the Elizabethan theatre?
They thought plays were immoral and theatregoing ungodly — people would rather go to a play than to church on Sunday.
Why did the London city authorities oppose the theatre?
They feared crime, disorder and the spread of disease when large mixed crowds gathered.
What did the Council of London do about plays in 1574?
It banned plays within the city limits, so theatres such as the Globe were built outside the City in Southwark.
True or false? The authorities banned the theatre completely because they saw it as a threat.
False. They censored plays when necessary but also used the theatre as useful entertainment and propaganda for the masses.
How did the homes of the rich change in Elizabethan England?
Prosperous gentry built new houses with glass windows, chimneys, several storeys and fine furniture — the 'Great Rebuilding'.
What did Elizabethan fashion show about a person?
Their wealth and status — the rich wore ruffs, silks, velvets and jewels, and sumptuary laws restricted what each rank could wear.
True or false? Elizabeth's long reign, compared with those of her brother and sister, was itself seen as evidence of a blessed age.
True. Her long reign and the defeat of Spain were viewed as signs of England's special time.
Who was William Shakespeare?
The most famous Elizabethan playwright, born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. An actor and shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men, he wrote histories, comedies and tragedies such as Richard III, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
What was the Globe Theatre?
An open-air playhouse built on Bankside in Southwark in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain's Men, Shakespeare's company, using timber from The Theatre. It held roughly 3,000 people.