Elizabethan Drama Quiz

Early English Drama

• Early English drama was primarily performed in Latin.
• Cycle plays, a popular form of medieval drama, were performed on wagons known as pageants.

Types of Plays

• An allegory conveys a deeper meaning through characters and events.
• Miracle plays depict the lives of saints, while mystery plays focus on scriptural stories.
• Interludes are brief dramatic performances presented during feasts.
• Morality plays typically utilize allegory, emphasizing moral lessons.

Elizabethan Theatre

• Elizabethan plays aimed to depict lifelike characters and conflicts.
• Court interludes were created to entertain and amuse audiences.
• Church plays served the purpose of instructing audiences on liturgical practices.
• The Elizabethan stage was not known for elaborate scenery.

Performance Practices

• Most Elizabethan plays did not start at sunset, contrary to popular belief.
• The absence of actresses in the era marks a unique aspect of Elizabethan drama.
• Costuming played a vital role in Elizabethan productions.
• Audience interaction was common, especially among groundlings, who engaged with actors on stage.

Shakespeare's Life

• Life elements in morality plays were adapted by Elizabethan drama for its own means.
• 'Bard' refers to the term 'poet,' a title often associated with Shakespeare (Bard of Avon).
• Significant dates in Shakespeare's life include his birth in 1564, marriage in 1582, departure for London in 1585, and death in 1616.
• His wife was Anne Hathaway, mother Mary Arden, daughter Susanna, and son Hamnet.
• New Place was the house Shakespeare purchased in 1597.
• The King's Men was the theatre company associated with Shakespeare during King James I's reign.

Shakespeare's Works

• Scholars attribute a total of 38 plays to Shakespeare and 154 sonnets.
• "Romeo and Juliet" is recognized as Shakespeare's earliest tragedy, written in 1596.
• During the plague closure of theaters (1592), Shakespeare composed two long poems.
• "Love's Labour's Lost" is categorized as an early comedy, while "Measure for Measure" is a "dark comedy."
• Other notable works include "King Lear" (early 17th-century tragedy), "The Winter's Tale" (mix of comic and tragic elements), "Henry VIII" (last play), and "Richard II" (history play from the 1590s).
• "Venus and Adonis" was published between June 1592 and April 1594.

Definitions and Language

• Comedy is defined as a light-hearted narrative aiming to evoke laughter; the dictionary emphasizes professional entertainment with jokes and satire.
• Tragedy, according to a personal definition, involves upsetting or disturbing life events.
• Many new words in Elizabethan English were borrowed from Greek and Latin.
• Caxton's introduction of the printing press helped standardize spelling, grammar, and vocabulary, contributing to the evolution of the English language.