Public Theatres and Drama Companies during Elizabethan Times (UGC NET/ Unit I - Drama)

 

Public Theatres and Drama Companies during Elizabethan Times

The Elizabethan Age (1558–1603), named after Queen Elizabeth I, was the golden age of English drama. It witnessed the transformation of theatrical performance from temporary, makeshift stages in inn-yards to permanent public theatres and organized acting companies.

1. Rise of Public Theatres

Before permanent theatres were built, plays were performed in inn courtyards, noble households, or at festivals. The first purpose-built public theatre in England was The Theatre, constructed in 1576 by James Burbage in Shoreditch, London. Its success inspired the construction of several others:

·         The Curtain (1577) – near The Theatre, associated with early performances of Shakespeare.

·         The Rose (1587) – built by Philip Henslowe, on Bankside.

·         The Swan (1595) – famous for Johannes de Witt’s sketch of its interior.

·         The Globe (1599) – most closely associated with Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

·         The Fortune (1600) – a rectangular open-air theatre.

These were public theatres, open to a broad audience for an affordable fee (as low as a penny for standing in the yard). They were typically polygonal or circular in structure, with open roofs over the yard and a covered stage.

2. Audience and Social Composition

Elizabethan theatres attracted a diverse audience:

·         Groundlings – Commoners who stood in the yard for a penny.

·         Gentry and Nobility – Paid more for covered gallery seating.

·         Audiences ranged from apprentices to merchants, aristocrats, and sometimes foreign visitors.

Theatre was both entertainment and social commentary, often dealing with politics, morality, and human nature.

3. Drama Companies

Professional acting companies evolved from troupes of travelling players. Because of laws against vagrancy, companies had to be licensed and placed under the patronage of a nobleman. Prominent companies included:

·         The Lord Chamberlain’s Men – Shakespeare’s company, later renamed The King’s Men under James I.

·         The Admiral’s Men – Led by Edward Alleyn and managed by Philip Henslowe, often performing Marlowe’s plays.

·         The Queen’s Men – Formed by royal order in 1583, serving as a propaganda tool.

·         The Earl of Leicester’s Men – One of the earliest touring troupes.

These companies had a repertory system, performing different plays in rotation, and actors often specialized in certain roles.

4. Theatre Practices

·         No women acted on stage; female roles were played by boys.

·         Minimal scenery; emphasis on costumes and language to set scenes.

·         Playhouses operated in the afternoon, relying on natural light.

·         Many plays were printed as inexpensive quartos; others survived only in folios.

5. Impact on Literature

The Elizabethan public theatre created an environment for the flourishing of playwrights like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and Thomas Kyd. The competitive nature of drama companies led to a diversity of genres—history plays, tragedies, comedies, and romances.

MCQs (UGC NET Style)

1.      Which was the first permanent public theatre built in England?
a) The Globe
b) The Rose
c) The Theatre
d) The Curtain
Answer: c) The Theatre

2.      Who built The Rose theatre in 1587?
a) James Burbage
b) Philip Henslowe
c) Edward Alleyn
d) Richard Burbage
Answer: b) Philip Henslowe

3.      The Lord Chamberlain’s Men later became known as:
a) The Admiral’s Men
b) The King’s Men
c) The Queen’s Men
d) The Swan Players
Answer: b) The King’s Men

4.      In Elizabethan theatre, the term “groundlings” referred to:
a) Actors in minor roles
b) Playwrights’ apprentices
c) Audience members standing in the yard
d) Stagehands
Answer: c) Audience members standing in the yard

5.      Which Elizabethan theatre was famously associated with Shakespeare’s plays after 1599?
a) The Swan
b) The Globe
c) The Curtain
d) The Fortune
Answer: b) The Globe

PYQs (Based on UGC NET Pattern)

1.      (NET 2015) Match the following Elizabethan theatres with their founders:
i. The Theatre – 1. Philip Henslowe
ii. The Rose – 2. James Burbage
iii. The Globe – 3. Richard Burbage and associates
iv. The Fortune – 4. Edward Alleyn
Answer: i–2, ii–1, iii–3, iv–4

2.      (NET 2018) Which one of the following statements about Elizabethan drama companies is NOT correct?
a) They required noble patronage to perform legally.
b) They had a repertory system.
c) Women frequently acted in female roles.
d) Boys often played women’s parts.
Answer: c) Women frequently acted in female roles.

3.      (NET 2020) The term “public theatre” in Elizabethan times refers to:
a) Courtly drama performed for the monarch.
b) Open-air theatres accessible to paying public.
c) Amateur performances in villages.
d) Religious mystery plays in churches.
Answer: b) Open-air theatres accessible to paying public.

4.      (NET 2021) Identify the correct chronological order of the following Elizabethan theatres:
i. The Rose
ii. The Curtain
iii. The Globe
iv. The Swan
Answer: ii → i → iv → iii

Soliloqy and Aside : A Note (UGC NET UNIT I - DRAMA)

 

Soliloquy and Aside – A Note

Soliloquy

·         Definition: A soliloquy is a dramatic device in which a character speaks his/her thoughts aloud, usually alone on stage, to let the audience know his/her inner feelings, motives, or plans.

·         Function:

o    Reveals psychological depth.

o    Allows the audience privileged access to a character’s mind.

o    Moves the plot forward without other characters overhearing.

·         Examples:

o    Shakespeare: Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” (Hamlet, Act III, Scene I) is perhaps the most famous soliloquy in literature, exploring life, death, and moral hesitation.

o    Macbeth’s “Is this a dagger which I see before me” (Macbeth, Act II, Scene I) reveals his internal struggle before killing Duncan.

·         Difference from Monologue:

o    Monologue: Addressed to other characters.

o    Soliloquy: Addressed to self (and indirectly to the audience).

Aside

·         Definition: An aside is a brief remark by a character directly to the audience (or sometimes to another character) that others on stage are not meant to hear.

·         Function:

o    Provides commentary, humor, or secret insight.

o    Often used for irony or to reveal hidden intentions.

·         Examples:

o    In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago frequently speaks asides to reveal his schemes to the audience.

o    In The Tempest, Prospero uses asides to comment on events without other characters’ awareness.

Key Differences

Feature	Soliloquy	Aside
Length	Extended speech	Short comment or phrase
Audience	Audience only	Audience (and sometimes a single character)
Purpose	Reveal deep inner thoughts	Give quick insight, irony, or secret info
Stage Presence	Character usually alone	Other characters present but do not hear

MCQs on Soliloquy & Aside (UGC NET Style)

1.      Which of the following is not true of a soliloquy?
A. It reveals the innermost thoughts of a character.
B. It is always delivered in the presence of other characters who react to it.
C. It is addressed directly to the audience.
D. It is often used to advance the plot.
Answer: B

2.      Identify the soliloquy from the options below:
A. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears…” (Julius Caesar)
B. “Is this a dagger which I see before me…” (Macbeth)
C. “Et tu, Brute?” (Julius Caesar)
D. “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” (Richard III)
Answer: B

3.      In which of the following plays does Iago frequently use asides?
A. King Lear
B. Hamlet
C. Othello
D. Macbeth
Answer: C

4.      An aside is generally:
A. A speech addressed to another character.
B. A song performed for comic relief.
C. A brief remark unheard by other characters.
D. A poetic digression in the plot.
Answer: C

5.      Which of the following statements is correct?
A. A soliloquy is always shorter than an aside.
B. An aside may be directed to the audience or a character, but is unheard by others on stage.
C. A soliloquy requires another character to be present.
D. Asides are always written in prose.
Answer: B

Previous Year Questions (PYQs – UGC NET)

PYQ 1 (UGC NET, 2014)
Which dramatic device allows a character to express thoughts aloud while alone on stage?
A. Monologue
B. Dialogue
C. Soliloquy
D. Aside
Answer: C

PYQ 2 (UGC NET, 2016)
When a character speaks to the audience in a short comment that others on stage cannot hear, it is called:
A. Monologue
B. Soliloquy
C. Aside
D. Apostrophe
Answer: C

PYQ 3 (UGC NET, 2019)
Which of the following is a primary function of the soliloquy in Shakespeare’s plays?
A. Provide comic relief.
B. Reveal the inner workings of a character’s mind.
C. Address another character’s query.
D. Deliver a moral lesson.
Answer: B

PYQ 4 (UGC NET, 2021)
Match the dramatic devices with their correct descriptions:

Device	Description
a) Aside	i) Extended speech revealing inner thoughts while alone on stage
b) Soliloquy	ii) Brief remark to audience unheard by other characters

Options:
A. a-i, b-ii
B. a-ii, b-i
C. a-i, b-i
D. a-ii, b-ii

Answer: B

Tragi-comedy (Unit I Drama)

 

TRAGI-COMEDY

Definition:
Tragi-comedy is a literary genre that blends elements of both tragedy and comedy. It is neither entirely tragic nor entirely comic, but integrates aspects of both to reflect the complexities of human experience.

Key Features:

• A serious plot with tragic situations that are ultimately resolved.
• Comic relief or humorous elements embedded within a grave storyline.
• The ending is usually happy or hopeful, despite dark themes.
• Often involves characters of both high and low social ranks, which is typical of Renaissance drama.
• Uses suspense and surprise, sometimes avoiding tragic catastrophe at the last moment (a device called deus ex machina).

✦ HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

1. Classical Antiquity:
• Aristotle did not classify tragi-comedy as a separate genre.
• The fusion of tragic and comic elements was frowned upon in early classical poetics.
2. Renaissance Period:
• Tragi-comedy gained popularity as a hybrid form.
• Giovanni Battista Guarini’s Il Pastor Fido (1590) is considered a foundational tragi-comedy in Italy.
• In England, John Fletcher formalized tragi-comedy as a dramatic genre.
3. Fletcher’s Definition (preface to The Faithful Shepherdess):

"A tragi-comedy is not so called in respect of mirth and killing, but in respect it wants deaths, which is enough to make it no tragedy; yet brings some near it, which is enough to make it no comedy."

✦ FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF TRAGI-COMEDY:

Work	Author	Features
The Winter's Tale	William Shakespeare	Begins with jealousy and near-death; ends with forgiveness and reunion.
The Tempest	William Shakespeare	Themes of betrayal, but ends with reconciliation and marriages.
The Faithful Shepherdess	John Fletcher	Pastoral setting with mix of love, jealousy, and moral resolution.
The Merchant of Venice	William Shakespeare	A potentially tragic plot with comic resolution and romantic unions.
Cymbeline	William Shakespeare	Misunderstanding, poison, exile – but concludes with revelation and peace.
Waiting for Godot (Modern example)	Samuel Beckett	Comic dialogue set in an existential void – blurs genre distinctions.

✦ FUNCTIONS & PURPOSE:

• Allows for emotional complexity.
• Reflects the uncertainty of life, where joy and sorrow are intertwined.
• Offers social commentary using satire and irony within serious plots.
• Facilitates audience engagement with shifts in tone and expectation.

✦ TRAGI-COMEDY VS. OTHER FORMS:

Aspect	Tragedy	Comedy	Tragi-Comedy
Tone	Solemn, serious	Light, humorous	Mixed (serious with comic elements)
Ending	Sad, catastrophic	Happy, celebratory	Happy or at least redemptive
Characters	Nobility, great figures	Commoners, fools	Both high and low characters
Themes	Fate, death, downfall	Love, marriage, wit	Misfortune, recovery, reconciliation

✦ SAMPLE MCQs ON TRAGI-COMEDY:

1. Who among the following gave a formal definition of tragi-comedy in his preface to The Faithful Shepherdess?
A) William Shakespeare
B) Ben Jonson
C) John Fletcher
D) Thomas Middleton
Answer: C) John Fletcher

2. Which of the following Shakespearean plays is considered a tragi-comedy?
A) Hamlet
B) Macbeth
C) The Winter's Tale
D) Julius Caesar
Answer: C) The Winter's Tale

3. What is the essential characteristic of a tragi-comedy according to John Fletcher?
A) It includes elements of horror and satire.
B) It has no deaths but brings characters close to it.
C) It always ends in death.
D) It is a farce in a tragic setting.
Answer: B) It has no deaths but brings characters close to it.

4. Which Renaissance Italian writer helped shape tragi-comedy with Il Pastor Fido?
A) Dante Alighieri
B) Petrarch
C) Giovanni Battista Guarini
D) Machiavelli
Answer: C) Giovanni Battista Guarini

5. Which of the following best describes tragi-comedy?
A) A satire with a moral message
B) A tragedy with comic elements and a happy ending
C) A farce with tragic consequences
D) A romance with political themes
Answer: B) A tragedy with comic elements and a happy ending

The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd & MCQs

 The Spanish Tragedy: A Critical Analysis with MCQs

Introduction

The Spanish Tragedy is a foundational work in Elizabethan drama and widely regarded as the archetype of the revenge tragedy genre, preceding and influencing works like Shakespeare's Hamlet. Thomas Kyd explores themes of justice, revenge, madness, and the inefficacy of political systems, interweaving classical devices with contemporary concerns.

Plot Overview

The play follows Hieronimo, the marshal of Spain, whose son Horatio is murdered by Lorenzo and Balthazar, members of the Spanish nobility. Denied justice through the state, Hieronimo resorts to private revenge, ultimately enacting a gruesome play-within-the-play that culminates in the murder of the perpetrators and his own suicide.

Key Themes

1. Revenge and Justice

·         The crux of the play lies in the conflict between divine justice and human vengeance.

·         Hieronimo initially seeks legal justice but turns to private revenge when denied redress, illustrating the failings of judicial institutions.

2. Madness as a Mask

·         Hieronimo’s descent into apparent madness mirrors Hamlet’s behavior in Shakespeare’s later tragedy.

·         His madness, both real and feigned, becomes a means of survival and a strategy for revenge.

3. The Theatricality of Revenge

·         The play-within-the-play is a metafictional device that allows Hieronimo to enact justice through artifice.

·         It highlights the theme of illusion versus reality and the performative nature of revenge.

4. Political Corruption and Power

·         The play critiques how political power shields the guilty.

·         Lorenzo and Balthazar are protected due to their social standing, showing the deep-rooted class-based injustice.

5. Supernatural and Fate

·         The presence of the Ghost of Andrea and Revenge as chorus figures frames the narrative within a cosmic structure.

·         These allegorical figures embody fatalism, suggesting that events unfold as decreed by destiny rather than human agency.

Character Analysis

Hieronimo

·         A tragic hero akin to Senecan protagonists.

·         His transformation from loyal servant to vengeful father embodies the tragic fall from rationality to bloody excess.

Bel-Imperia

·         A powerful female character who participates in revenge.

·         She challenges gender roles by actively contributing to the plot of retribution.

Lorenzo and Balthazar

·         Antagonists representing corruption, manipulation, and privilege.

·         Their crimes go unpunished until Hieronimo intervenes, reinforcing the necessity of personal vengeance in a broken society.

Style and Structure

·         The play adopts blank verse and prose, depending on the speaker’s status or psychological state.

·         Incorporates Senecan elements like ghosts, soliloquies, and violent climaxes.

·         The choric commentary by Andrea and Revenge offers an ironic detachment and guides the moral interpretation.

Legacy and Influence

·         Widely influential, The Spanish Tragedy set the template for English revenge tragedy.

·         It prefigures Hamlet and influenced dramatists like Shakespeare, Marlowe, and Webster.

Previous Year Questions (PYQs) – UGC NET

PYQ 1: UGC NET July 2018
Which of the following plays contains a play-within-the-play used as a tool for revenge?
A. Doctor Faustus
B. The Spanish Tragedy
C. Edward II
D. Gorboduc
Answer: B. The Spanish Tragedy

PYQ 2: UGC NET 2017
Who is the author of The Spanish Tragedy?
A. Christopher Marlowe
B. William Shakespeare
C. Thomas Kyd
D. John Webster
Answer: C. Thomas Kyd

PYQ 3: UGC NET 2013
The revenge theme in English drama first appeared prominently in which play?
A. Hamlet
B. The Spanish Tragedy
C. The Jew of Malta
D. Women Beware Women
Answer: B. The Spanish Tragedy

Sample MCQs

Q1. Who acts as the chorus throughout The Spanish Tragedy?
A. Bel-Imperia and Horatio
B. Revenge and Ghost of Andrea
C. Hieronimo and Isabella
D. King of Spain and Viceroy of Portugal
Answer: B. Revenge and Ghost of Andrea

Q2. What role does Hieronimo hold at the Spanish court?
A. King’s Secretary
B. Chief Minister
C. Marshal of Spain
D. Court Jester
Answer: C. Marshal of Spain

Q3. What is the final form of Hieronimo’s revenge?
A. A letter to the king
B. A public duel
C. A courtroom trial
D. A play-within-the-play that ends in real deaths
Answer: D. A play-within-the-play that ends in real deaths

Q4. Which classical dramatist greatly influenced the structure of The Spanish Tragedy?
A. Plautus
B. Sophocles
C. Seneca
D. Euripides
Answer: C. Seneca

Q5. What motivates Bel-Imperia to join Hieronimo in his revenge?
A. Political ambition
B. Grief over Horatio’s murder
C. Fear of Balthazar
D. Hatred of her family
Answer: B. Grief over Horatio’s murder

Conclusion

The Spanish Tragedy is more than a melodrama of blood and revenge—it is a powerful commentary on justice, authority, and human emotion. Kyd’s masterful blending of classical structure with Elizabethan themes makes the play a cornerstone of Renaissance drama and a crucial text for UGC NET English literature preparation.