Chapter 11Chapter 11

Theatre’s Revival in EuropeTheatre’s Revival in Europe

Theatre in the RenaissanceTheatre in the RenaissanceThe Commedia dell’arteThe Commedia dell’arte

Period of the Renaissance (ca 1350-1650) Martin Luther (1483-1546) and the

Protestant Revolution Commedia dell’arte

A people’s theatre popular from 1550-1750Actors and actresses who traveled and

performance impromptu farcesEmphasis on comic routines (i.e. slapstick) and

romantic intrigue between young lovers and their parents and betweens masters and their servants

Theatre in the RenaissanceTheatre in the RenaissanceAristotle ReturnsAristotle Returns

The PoeticsThe Poetics is “rediscovered” by is “rediscovered” by European scholars and artistsEuropean scholars and artists

Aristotelian ScholasticismAristotelian ScholasticismHumanism and the liberal artsHumanism and the liberal artsThe three unities of time, place, and The three unities of time, place, and

actionactionDeclamatory acting styleDeclamatory acting styleBeginnings of operaBeginnings of opera

Theatre in the RenaissanceTheatre in the RenaissanceThe Italian PerspectiveThe Italian Perspective

Perspective drawing Perspective drawing to perspective to perspective sceneryscenery Converging linesConverging lines The vanishing The vanishing

pointpoint Three dimensional Three dimensional

scenery on flatsscenery on flats Filippo Brunelleschi Filippo Brunelleschi

(1377-1446)(1377-1446) First theatre First theatre

architect; credited architect; credited with inventing with inventing perspective perspective paintingpainting

Stage techniquesStage techniques Raked stage – Raked stage –

upstage and upstage and downstagedownstage

Theatre in the RenaissanceTheatre in the RenaissanceSpanish DramaSpanish Drama

Golden Ages of Spanish Drama

Lope de Vega (1562-1635)The most prolific and idealist playwrightThe Sheep Well – most popular play

Calderon (1600-1681)Wrote “cloak and sword” playsHis plays use symbolism and depth to explore the

human conditionLife is a Dream – his most well known play

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan Theatre

Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 – 1603Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 – 1603 PuritansPuritans

Wanted to purify the church by abstaining form Wanted to purify the church by abstaining form amusements and sensual pleasuresamusements and sensual pleasures

Permanent Theatre buildingsPermanent Theatre buildings IndoorIndoor

Catered to the wealthyCatered to the wealthy OutdoorOutdoor

Permitted all members of society to attendPermitted all members of society to attend The Theatre (1576) was the name of the first such theatre The Theatre (1576) was the name of the first such theatre

built since the time of the Romans by James Burbagebuilt since the time of the Romans by James Burbage Environment for the theatre Environment for the theatre

Bear baiting, prostitution, and gamblingBear baiting, prostitution, and gambling

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan TheatreThe GlobeThe Globe

Performances began Performances began at 2:00 pmat 2:00 pm

Flags were used to Flags were used to advertise the playsadvertise the plays

Box officeBox office Groundlings and Groundlings and

gallery patronsgallery patrons Verbal scene paintingVerbal scene painting Costumes and propsCostumes and props Special effectsSpecial effects Music and danceMusic and dance

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan TheatreActorsActors

Masterless rogues and vagabondsMasterless rogues and vagabondsA company of 8-15 playersA company of 8-15 players

ShareholdersShareholdersEmployed for a single productionEmployed for a single productionBoy apprenticesBoy apprentices

Patronage of the nobilityPatronage of the nobilityLord Chamberlain’s MenLord Chamberlain’s MenThe King’s MenThe King’s Men

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan TheatreWilliams Shakespeare (1564-Williams Shakespeare (1564-

1616)1616) Born and died in StratfordBorn and died in Stratford

Started as an actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s MenStarted as an actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Wrote 37-38 plays and poetryWrote 37-38 plays and poetry

Combined popular appeal with poetic sensibilities Combined popular appeal with poetic sensibilities that were profound and poignant in their beautythat were profound and poignant in their beauty

Knew the dramaturgical tradition but did not hesitate Knew the dramaturgical tradition but did not hesitate to break the rulesto break the rules

Coined over 1,600 words and phrases in the English Coined over 1,600 words and phrases in the English languagelanguage

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan TheatreShakespeare's ContemporariesShakespeare's Contemporaries

Thomas Kyd (1558-1594) The Spanish Tragedy (1589)

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) Challenged the status quo with his plays The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (1589) was

one of his most well known plays Murdered under a suspicious cloud when he was only

29 years old Ben Jonson (1573-1637)

Lead a checkered life as a young actor and playwright Rose to become England’s first poet laureate Wrote many well known plays and masques Upon Shakespeare’s death, he worked

conscientiously to advocate for the publication of his plays

Elizabethan TheatreElizabethan TheatreMasques and AntimasquesMasques and Antimasques

Masques – elaborate court Masques – elaborate court entertainments that emphasized entertainments that emphasized poetry, spectacle, music and maskspoetry, spectacle, music and masks

Inigo Jones (1573-1652)Inigo Jones (1573-1652)Most influential set designer in the Most influential set designer in the

English theatre English theatre The Masque of BlacknessThe Masque of Blackness (1605) (1605)The Players ScourgeThe Players Scourge (1632) (1632)The antimasque traditionThe antimasque tradition

Restoration DramaRestoration Drama

RestorationThe Puritan Civil War of 1643Restoration of Charles II in 1660

Comedy of MannersWilliam Congreve (1670-1729)

The Way of the World (1700)

Women as performers and playwrightsAlphra Behn (1640-1689)

The Rover, or the Banished Cavalier (1677 and 1681)

French Neoclassic TheatreFrench Neoclassic Theatre

The Three Unities (time, place, and action)The Three Unities (time, place, and action) Academie FrancaiseAcademie Francaise TragedyTragedy

Jean Racine (1639-1699)Jean Racine (1639-1699)PhaedraPhaedra (1677) (1677)

ComedyComedyMolièreMolière (1622-1673)(1622-1673)

TartuffeTartuffe (1664) and (1664) and The Imaginary The Imaginary InvalidInvalid (1673) (1673)

Theatre in the Age of ReasonTheatre in the Age of ReasonIdeas and BeginningsIdeas and Beginnings

Age of Enlightenment (ca 1650-1800) Age of Enlightenment (ca 1650-1800) Emphasis on man’s ability to reasonEmphasis on man’s ability to reason

Great Minds of the EnlightenmentGreat Minds of the Enlightenment Francis Bacon (1561-1626) - considered the father Francis Bacon (1561-1626) - considered the father

of the Enlightenmentof the Enlightenment Galileo (1565-1642) - advocated for a heliocentric Galileo (1565-1642) - advocated for a heliocentric

view of the worldview of the world Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) Rene Descartes (1596-1650)Rene Descartes (1596-1650) John Locke (1632-1704)John Locke (1632-1704)

Founding Fathers of the United StatesFounding Fathers of the United States Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson Ben FranklinBen Franklin Thomas PaineThomas Paine

Theatre in the Age of Theatre in the Age of EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Revolutionary TheatreRevolutionary Theatre Domestic tragediesDomestic tragedies

George Lillo (1693-1739)George Lillo (1693-1739)The London MerchantThe London Merchant (1731) (1731)

Voltaire (1694-1778)Voltaire (1694-1778)Mahomet Mahomet (1742)(1742)

Gotthold Lessing (1729-1781)Gotthold Lessing (1729-1781)Nathan the WiseNathan the Wise (1779) (1779)

Sentimental comediesSentimental comedies Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)

The CriticThe Critic (1779) (1779) Pierre Beaumarchais (1732-1799)Pierre Beaumarchais (1732-1799)

The Marriage of FigaroThe Marriage of Figaro (1786) (1786)The Barber of SevilleThe Barber of Seville (1816) (1816)

Romanticism and the Birth of Romanticism and the Birth of MelodramaMelodrama

RomanticismRomanticism Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

ConfessionsConfessions Edmond Rostand (1868-1918)Edmond Rostand (1868-1918)

Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac (1897) (1897) Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832)Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832)

Faust Faust (1808 and 1832)(1808 and 1832)

MelodramaMelodrama Combines melody and dramaCombines melody and drama Formulaic plots with easily defined charactersFormulaic plots with easily defined characters Poetic justicePoetic justice