Elizabethan Drama
Introduction
Elizabethan Drama
refers to the body of English plays written and performed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603).
This era marks the Golden Age of English
drama, characterized by the emergence of the professional
theatre, the flowering of poetic drama, and the establishment of great
playwrights like William Shakespeare,
Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and Thomas Kyd.
Key Features of Elizabethan Drama
1.
Humanism
and Renaissance Influence:
o Revival
of classical Greek and Roman ideals.
o Emphasis
on individualism,
secular themes,
and exploration of human
nature.
2.
Blank
Verse:
o Marlowe
popularized blank verse; Shakespeare perfected it.
o Helped
elevate the poetic quality of drama.
3.
Tragic
Heroes and the Concept of the Overreacher:
o Marlowe’s
Doctor Faustus is a classic example.
o Influenced
by Senecan tragedy.
4.
Revenge
Tragedy:
o Popular
genre introduced by Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish
Tragedy.
o Led
to plays like Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
5.
Mix
of Comedy and Tragedy:
o Shakespeare
frequently blended tragic elements with comic relief.
6.
Use
of Soliloquy and Aside:
o Helped
reveal the inner workings of a character’s mind.
o Widely
used by Shakespeare and Marlowe.
7.
Violence
and Supernatural Elements:
o Ghosts,
witches, and prophecy figure prominently (Macbeth,
Hamlet).
o Appeals
to the imagination and fear of the audience.
8.
Public
Theatres and Acting Companies:
o The
Globe Theatre, The Swan, The Rose were significant.
o Companies
like The Lord Chamberlain’s Men became popular.
Major Elizabethan Dramatists
William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
·
Prolific playwright of tragedies (Hamlet, Othello),
comedies (As You Like It, Twelfth Night), and histories (Richard III).
·
Innovations in character depth, plot structure,
and language.
Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593)
·
Known for Tamburlaine,
Doctor Faustus, Edward II.
·
Introduced the “Marlovian Hero”—ambitious,
daring, tragic.
·
Called “the father of English tragedy”.
Ben Jonson (1572–1637)
·
Famous for comedies of humours: Volpone, The
Alchemist.
·
Advocated classical unities and satire.
Thomas Kyd (1558–1594)
·
The Spanish
Tragedy laid the foundation for the revenge tragedy.
Relation to UGC NET Questions
1. Frequently Asked Topics
·
Match
the Following: Plays and authors.
·
Chronological
Order: Publication or performance dates of Elizabethan plays.
·
Assertion-Reason
Questions: Literary significance of blank verse, soliloquies,
Senecan influence.
·
Thematic
MCQs: Themes in Doctor
Faustus, Hamlet, Volpone.
·
Passage-Based
Questions: Extracts from Elizabethan plays asking about
character, context, or poetic devices.
2. Previous Year Sample Questions
Q1.
Match the following playwrights with their works (UGC NET June 2013)
A. Marlowe – 1. Edward II
B. Kyd – 2. The Spanish Tragedy
C. Jonson – 3. The Alchemist
D. Shakespeare – 4. Measure for Measure
Answer:
A–1, B–2, C–3, D–4
Q2.
Who is considered the first tragedian of the Elizabethan stage?
(UGC NET June 2019)
A. Shakespeare
B. Thomas Kyd
C. Marlowe
D. Ben Jonson
Answer:
C. Marlowe
Q3.
Which among the following is NOT a feature of Elizabethan tragedy?
(UGC NET Dec 2017)
A. Chorus
B. Revenge theme
C. Comic relief
D. Use of prose only
Answer:
D. Use of prose only
Elizabethan Drama in Contemporary Criticism
Modern literary critics have interpreted
Elizabethan drama in terms of:
·
Power
and politics (Stephen Greenblatt’s New Historicism)
·
Gender
and performance (Judith Butler on gender roles in Shakespeare)
·
Psychoanalysis
(Freudian readings of Hamlet’s indecision)
·
Postcolonial
interpretations (e.g., The
Tempest and colonial discourse)
Tips for UGC NET Preparation
·
Read summaries and critical analyses of major
plays.
·
Focus on dramatic devices, genres, and evolution
of theatre.
·
Learn timelines: when was each play
written/performed?
·
Study theatre history: Globe Theatre, acting
companies, censorship.
·
Practice MCQs on authorship, characters, themes,
and quotations.
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