Shakespearean Theatre Words

Flies

Area above the stage where ropes and pulleys were set up so actors could be hoisted up into the air to create an illusion of them flying; trapdoor in the floor so actors could disappear or come out of it

Scene painting

Method used by Shakespeare - IN THE SCRIPTS OF PLAYS, he would write descriptive explanations describing locations or have characters mention names of locations (used b/c there were no painted sets, only tapestries)

Groundlings

Poorer people, who paid a penny for seats closer to the stage and not in the balconies at Shakespeare’s plays

Cosmopolitan

Moving beyond national boundaries (acheiving more) AND a state of mind; subtle, sophisticated, urban, minds open to every experience (high and low life)

Reformation

Shift in society where schooling was no longer controlled by the (Catholic) church (Shakespeare’s was founded by the guildsman, allowing scholarships for poorer ppl, enabling access to education that let them learn skills they needed to succeed the family business + lots of language stuff like Latin)

Guilds/guildsman

Merchant-trade class (during medieval-market time); example of guildsman: glovemakers (shakespeare’s dad); medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, banded together to protect their professional interests and regulate their trade within a specific town or city