THR130 Theatre History FINAL exam

When did the English Renaissance period begin and end?

It began in 1485 with the reign of King Henry VII and ended in 1642 with the English Civil War.

What are other names for the English Renaissance?

Early Modern England and the Elizabethan Period.

What major events shaped the English Renaissance?

The Protestant Reformation under Henry VIII, the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the publication of Thomas More’s Utopia.

What were interludes in early English theatre?

Short, standalone plays performed in courts or noble homes, acting as a bridge between morality plays and secular Elizabethan drama.

What is school drama, and who were notable playwrights?

Performances influenced by classical and medieval drama, done in grammar schools. Notable works include Ralph Roister Doister by Nicholas Udall and Gammer Gurton’s Needle.

Who were the University Wits?

A group of educated playwrights including Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, John Lyly, and Robert Greene who wrote full-length dramas such as Gorboduc.

What classical influences shaped English theatre during the Golden Era?

Roman playwrights like Seneca (tragedy) and Plautus and Terence (comedy), along with themes of revenge, supernatural beings, and mistaken identities.

How did English Renaissance drama reject neoclassicism?

It favored episodic plot structures, multiple locations and times, soliloquies, and mixed genres like tragicomedy.

What characterized Christopher Marlowe's plays?

Use of iambic pentameter ("mighty line"), complex characters, and themes of ambition, morality, and fate. Notable for Doctor Faustus.

Who was William Shakespeare and what types of plays did he write?

English playwright and actor. He wrote tragedies (e.g., Hamlet), comedies (e.g., Twelfth Night), histories (e.g., Henry IV), and problem plays (e.g., Timon of Athens).

Describe features of public (outdoor) theatres like the Globe.

Open-roof, round or octagonal shape, 1500–3000 capacity, pit for standing ("groundlings"), boxes for lords, tiring house, and stage with trapdoors and "heavens".

What differentiated private theatres?

Smaller (600-750 seats), indoors, more expensive tickets, better lighting, and catered to elite audiences.

What was the Master of Revels?

A royal official who licensed theatre companies and approved scripts.

Who were the shareholders and hirelings?

Shareholders were actors with ownership stakes; hirelings were paid for minor roles. Apprentices trained under them.

Why is realism debated in Elizabethan theatre?

While performances aimed for engaging storytelling, boys played female roles and actors often played multiple characters with limited rehearsal time.

How did Jacobean and Caroline drama differ from Elizabethan?

It became darker, more sensational, and less idealistic. Themes of corruption and violence grew under James I and Charles I.

Who was Ben Jonson and what is Comedy of Humours?

A playwright and critic who followed neoclassical principles. In Comedy of Humours, characters are driven by a single dominant trait.

What are morality plays?

Allegorical dramas with characters representing moral qualities (e.g., Everyman). They taught Christian ethics, though not always biblical.

What were mystery plays?

Mystery plays dramatized biblical stories.They were popular during the medieval period and often performed in cycles, showcasing events from the Creation to the Last Judgment.

What were miracle plays?.

Miracle plays depicted the lives of saints. Performed during religious festivals, often on wagons or platforms, they aimed to inspire faith and convey moral lessons.

Stopped before Spanish golden age.