CLA2145 Final Exam PDF

Terms/Names/Concepts: Mystery Play: Medieval dramas depicting Bible stories, often performed in cycles. They were crucial in educating audiences about Christianity. Miracle Play: Dramas based on saints’ lives and their miraculous deeds. They reinforced the moral and spiritual values of the Middle...

Terms/Names/Concepts: Mystery Play: Medieval dramas depicting Bible stories, often performed in cycles. They were crucial in educating audiences about Christianity. Miracle Play: Dramas based on saints’ lives and their miraculous deeds. They reinforced the moral and spiritual values of the Middle Ages. Pageant: Mobile stages or wagons used in medieval theatre to present plays in public spaces. Pageants allowed theatrical performances to reach broad audiences. Liturgical Drama: Early medieval dramas performed within churches, dramatizing biblical events. These marked the roots of European theatre’s revival post-antiquity. Wakefield Master: An anonymous playwright of the Wakefield Cycle, known for blending humor and serious themes, significantly influencing medieval drama. Everyman: A morality play depicting the journey of Everyman toward death and salvation, representing the genre’s educational nature. Commedia dell’arte: Improvisational Italian theatre featuring stock characters and physical comedy. It influenced European theatrical traditions, including Shakespeare and Molière. Lazzi: Comic routines in commedia dell’arte, often improvised, showcasing actors' physical and comedic skill. Harlequin: A clever and acrobatic servant in commedia dell’arte, whose antics and costume became iconic. Corral: Spanish courtyard theatres used during the Golden Age, enabling a unique audience interaction and performance style. Auto Sacramental: Spanish one-act allegorical plays about the Eucharist, combining religious teaching with theatricality. Baroque: A dramatic artistic style, influencing theatre through grandiose staging, elaborate sets, and emotional intensity. Tirso de Molina: A Spanish Golden Age playwright known for The Trickster of Seville, introducing Don Juan as a literary archetype. Lope de Vega: A prolific Spanish playwright who modernized theatre by blending drama and comedy, catering to diverse audiences. Pedro Calderón: Spanish playwright whose works, like Life is a Dream, exemplified philosophical depth and baroque theatricality. Spanish “New Comedy”: A blend of serious and comedic elements, emphasizing honor, love, and social conflicts, pioneered by Lope de Vega. William Kempe: A comic actor in Shakespeare’s company, known for his clown roles and improvisational talent. The Globe: Shakespeare’s iconic theatre in London, central to the English Renaissance drama and Elizabethan stagecraft. Richard Burbage: A leading actor of Shakespeare’s company, renowned for originating roles like Hamlet and Othello. Spoken Decor: A Renaissance practice where actors described settings verbally, compensating for minimal scenery. Christopher Marlowe: An influential Elizabethan playwright whose works, such as Doctor Faustus, shaped English tragedy. Psychomachia: The struggle between virtues and vices in morality plays, symbolizing human moral conflict. Restoration Theatre: English theatre post-1660, known for wit, sexual suggestion, and the reintroduction of women on stage. Breeches Roles: Female characters disguised as men, popular in Restoration theatre, highlighting gender dynamics. Drury Lane Theatre: One of London’s major theatres, central to Restoration and later theatrical history. Benefit Performance: A performance where proceeds went to a specific actor or crew member, ensuring financial support. Rake Stage: A sloped stage design used for better visibility and dramatic effect, common in early modern theatres. Orange Wench: A woman selling oranges in Restoration theatres, often doubling as a go-between for audience and performers. Aphra Behn: One of the first professional female playwrights, known for her Restoration comedies like The Rover. Classicism: A theatre style emphasizing harmony, order, and adherence to the unities, inspired by Aristotle and ancient Greek drama. Pierre Corneille: French playwright known for Le Cid, blending neoclassical ideals with dramatic intensity. Jean Racine: A French tragedian whose works, such as Phèdre, exemplified emotional depth and neoclassical perfection. Molière: A French playwright and actor, master of satire and comedy, known for works like Tartuffe. High Comedy: Comedy emphasizing wit and social critique, often aimed at a more sophisticated audience. Comédie Française: France’s national theatre, established in 1680, central to French classicism and theatrical tradition. Enlightenment: A cultural movement emphasizing reason and individualism, influencing theatre to explore social issues and moral dilemmas. Mixed Bills: Programmes combining multiple short plays or performances, popular in 18th-century theatre. David Garrick: An influential 18th-century actor and manager who advanced naturalistic acting and refined theatre production. Sarah Siddons: A celebrated actress of the 18th century, renowned for her tragic roles and emotional intensity. Carlo Goldoni: An Italian playwright who reformed commedia dell’arte, replacing improvisation with scripted, realistic dialogue. Carlo Gozzi: Goldoni’s rival, who defended traditional commedia dell’arte, emphasizing fantasy and theatrical spectacle. Beaumarchais: French playwright of The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, which blended comedy and social critique. Drame Bourgeois: A genre of 18th-century drama focusing on middle-class issues and morality, reflecting Enlightenment values. Figaro: A witty character from Beaumarchais’ plays, symbolizing social mobility and satire. The Fourth Wall: The imaginary barrier between actors and audience, its acknowledgment or breaking shapes theatrical engagement. Questions: 1. How did the audience change in European theatre throughout time (social composition, accepted behavior, approach to theatre, the size of the crowd, etc.)? The audience of European theatre evolved significantly over time, reflecting broader societal changes. In ancient Greece and Rome, theatre was a communal activity with large, open-air spaces accommodating thousands from diverse social classes. Audiences were lively and participatory, often reacting vocally during performances. During the Middle Ages, theatre became intertwined with religious practices, and performances were primarily directed at educating a largely illiterate population through morality and mystery plays. The audience, gathered in public squares or churchyards, remained interactive. With the Renaissance, theatre moved into dedicated spaces like the Globe Theatre in England, where social class played a role. Wealthy people enjoyed private boxes, while the lower class stood in open yards. Behavior was lively, with food, drink, and even heckling common. The 17th and 18th centuries saw theatre become more refined, reflecting the tastes of the aristocracy and emerging bourgeoisie. Indoor venues emphasized decorum, and performances became quieter and more formal. By the 19th century, industrialization expanded the audience, with larger crowds including the working class. Today, theatre caters to diverse audiences, balancing high art with accessibility. Behavior has grown formal, with silence and applause expected, reflecting theatre’s journey from communal spectacle to a more structured cultural institution. 2. How had the attitude to the gender of the performers been changing throughout the theatrical history that we studied? The attitude toward the gender of performers has shifted significantly throughout theatrical history, often reflecting societal norms. In ancient Greek theatre, all performers were men, even in female roles, due to strict societal conventions. For example, in Euripides’ Medea, the powerful titular character was portrayed by a male actor wearing a mask, showcasing the dramatic capabilities of the all-male cast. Similarly, Roman theatre saw male dominance, although women occasionally appeared in minor or risqué roles. The Middle Ages continued the tradition of male-only casts in morality and mystery plays, partly due to religious restrictions. The Renaissance brought gradual changes. In England, Shakespeare’s plays, like those of ancient Greece, featured boys playing female roles, as women were excluded from the stage. This practice continued even as female characters like Medea influenced dramatic storytelling across Europe. The 17th century marked a turning point. Women began performing in European theatres, including Italy’s commedia dell'arte and English Restoration theatre after 1660. Their presence revolutionized the portrayal of female characters, adding depth and authenticity. By the 19th and 20th centuries, women gained prominence as performers, playwrights, and directors. Today, theatre celebrates inclusivity, with actors often crossing gender lines, reflecting modern views on gender as a spectrum rather than a binary. 3. What were the major influences on Shakespeare by the earlier theatrical traditions and/or authors? Name and explain at least four. Shakespeare's works were deeply influenced by earlier theatrical traditions and authors, blending elements from various sources into his innovative style. First, Seneca shaped Shakespeare’s use of dramatic structure and themes. From Seneca, he adopted elements of revenge tragedy, as seen in Hamlet, with its introspective protagonist and moral dilemmas. Second, medieval morality plays influenced Shakespeare's exploration of moral and ethical conflicts. These plays, which personified virtues and vices, inspired his complex characterizations, such as the internal struggles of Macbeth and the allegorical elements. Third, the English history play tradition, exemplified by earlier playwrights like Christopher Marlowe, heavily impacted Shakespeare’s historical dramas. Marlowe’s plays provided a template for exploring political power and human ambition, themes Shakespeare expanded in plays like Henry V. Lastly, Renaissance works, including the commedia dell’arte tradition, influenced his portrayals of cunning and manipulation. The lively, stock characters of commedia also informed his dynamic comedic figures. By synthesizing these diverse influences, Shakespeare created a body of work that transcended his predecessors, defining a new era in theatre. 4. What was the difference between Medieval theatre and commedia dell’arte? Name and explain at least four. Medieval theatre and commedia dell’arte were distinct in their origins, themes, performance styles, and audience engagement. 1.​ Origins and Themes: Medieval theatre emerged from the Church, focusing on religious stories and moral lessons. Mystery, morality, and miracle plays conveyed biblical narratives or taught virtues, such as Everyman. In contrast, commedia dell’arte developed in Renaissance Italy as a secular, professional form of theatre, emphasizing humor, romance, and social satire over spiritual themes.’  2.​ Performance Style: Medieval theatre relied on formal scripts and communal staging, often performed by amateur actors in fixed settings like churches or public squares. Commedia dell’arte was highly improvisational, with professional troupes creating dialogue spontaneously based on loose scenarios. 3.​ Characters: Medieval theatre featured allegorical or biblical figures representing abstract concepts (e.g., Virtue, Vice) or religious figures. Commedia dell’arte employed stock characters like Arlecchino (clever servant) and Pantalone (greedy merchant), which were more human and socially grounded. 4.​ Audience Interaction: Medieval theatre sought to instruct and enlighten its audience, often addressing spiritual concerns. Commedia dell’arte aimed to entertain, engaging spectators with dynamic physical comedy, witty improvisation, and relatable social commentary. These differences highlight the evolution from a religiously centered tradition to a vibrant, secular theatrical form. 5. How were Aristotle’s ideas about theatre preserved, changed, ignored, or developed during the later epochs? Aristotle’s ideas about theatre, outlined in Poetics, were preserved, transformed, and developed across later epochs, reflecting evolving artistic and cultural priorities. 1.​ Preservation: Aristotle’s emphasis on plot structure, particularly his concept of a beginning, middle, and end, remained foundational in dramatic theory. The idea of catharsis—evoking pity and fear to purify emotions—was central to tragedies in the Renaissance and beyond, influencing playwrights like Shakespeare and Racine. 2.​ Development: The Renaissance revived Aristotle's theories, particularly through Italian scholars who translated and adapted Poetics. This led to the codification of the unities (time, place, and action) in neoclassical drama, an interpretation based on Aristotle’s principles but more rigidly applied, as seen in French classical plays like Corneille’s Le Cid. 3.​ Change: Medieval theatre often ignored Aristotle’s focus on secular drama and realism, instead using allegorical and religious narratives. The strict separation of tragedy and comedy Aristotle advocated was blurred in later periods, especially by Shakespeare, who blended genres in plays like The Winter’s Tale. 4.​ Ignorance: During the 19th century, romanticism rejected Aristotle’s restraint and decorum, favoring emotion and imagination over structured rules. However, his ideas  experienced a resurgence in modern drama and film, particularly his focus on character and conflict. Aristotle’s influence thus evolved with each epoch, demonstrating the adaptability of his ideas. 6. How did the audience influence theatrical practices (for example: themes, special effects, costumes, playwriting, acting)? Audiences have played a crucial role in shaping theatrical practices, influencing everything from themes to technical innovations. 1.​ Themes: The interests and values of the audience often determined the themes of plays. In ancient Greece, the communal focus on morality and civic duty led to tragedies exploring fate and human flaws. During the Middle Ages, religious audiences inspired morality and mystery plays. By the Renaissance, a growing appetite for humanist ideas and entertainment led to complex, secular themes in works by Shakespeare and Molière. 2.​ Special Effects: Audience expectations for spectacle drove innovations in stagecraft. The medieval stage used trapdoors and mechanical devices to depict miracles, while Renaissance theatre, like the Globe, employed thunder sheets and cannons for dramatic effect. Baroque opera later pushed theatrical technology to new heights with elaborate scenery and machinery. 3.​ Costumes: Costumes evolved to meet audience expectations for visual splendor. In Elizabethan England, rich fabrics and intricate designs reflected social status and appealed to the eye. Commedia dell’arte’s colorful costumes distinguished stock characters, aiding audience recognition. 4.​ Playwriting and Acting: Audiences shaped playwriting styles, with interactive, improvisational forms like commedia dell’arte catering to popular humor, while more structured plays reflected elite tastes. Acting also adapted, moving from exaggerated medieval gestures to the nuanced realism demanded by later, sophisticated audiences. Audiences, through their preferences and reactions, have continuously driven theatre’s evolution. 7. How did the physical setting of theatre and theatrical machinery change throughout time? What stayed the same, what were the innovations? The physical setting of theatre and theatrical machinery evolved significantly over time, reflecting technological advancements and changing audience expectations, though some core principles endured. What Stayed the Same: The use of a designated performance space with a clear distinction between actors and spectators remained consistent. The proscenium arch, introduced during the Italian Renaissance, echoed the framing techniques of ancient Greek and Roman theatres, reinforcing the separation of the stage from the audience. Ancient Innovations: Greek amphitheaters were outdoor, semicircular spaces with excellent acoustics, featuring machinery like the deus ex machina (a crane for lowering gods onto the stage). Romans built enclosed structures like the Colosseum, adding trapdoors and elaborate set pieces for spectacles. Medieval Adaptations: Theatre moved to public squares or churchyards, using temporary stages or pageant wagons with multiple levels. Machinery emphasized divine interventions, such as flying angels or hellmouth effects. Renaissance and Baroque Innovations: Indoor theaters became prevalent, with innovations like perspective scenery, revolving stages, and pulley systems for scene changes. Modern Advances: The 19th and 20th centuries introduced electric lighting, hydraulic lifts, and computerized controls, revolutionizing stage design. However, the fundamental need for immersive storytelling spaces has remained constant throughout theatre’s history. 8. Elizabethan theatre and the Spanish "Golden Age" theatre were happening at approximately the same time, but they were quite different. Explain at least three dissimilarities. Elizabethan theatre and Spanish Golden Age theatre, while contemporaneous, diverged significantly in structure, themes, and performance practices. 1.​ Stage and Physical Setting: Elizabethan theatre utilized open-air venues like the Globe Theatre, featuring a thrust stage surrounded by the audience on three sides. This created an intimate, interactive atmosphere. Spanish Golden Age theatre, such as the corrales, were  courtyard theatres with more fixed seating arrangements and a clear division between audience sections, reflecting a more hierarchical social structure. 2.​ Themes and Content: Elizabethan plays, like those of Shakespeare, often blended genres, incorporating elements of comedy, tragedy, and history. Themes frequently explored human nature, political intrigue, and existential questions. In contrast, Spanish Golden Age dramas, such as Calderón’s Life is a Dream, were deeply influenced by Catholicism, emphasizing divine will, honor, and moral absolutes. Comedies (comedias) were often rooted in romantic or social themes with clear moral resolutions. 3.​ Performance Style: Elizabethan actors performed with minimal scenery, relying heavily on language and audience imagination. Costumes were rich but anachronistic. Spanish theatre utilized more elaborate staging and musical interludes, with performances often accompanied by singing and dancing, reflecting a festive and theatrical tradition. These differences highlight the unique cultural priorities of England and Spain during this vibrant period in theatrical history. 9. Compare the English Restoration theatre and the French Classicist theatre. What was similar and what was different? English Restoration theatre and French Classicist theatre, both flourishing in the 17th century, shared some commonalities but also exhibited distinct differences in style, themes, and audience engagement. Similarities: Both were influenced by classical ideals, with an emphasis on structure and polished language. They catered to aristocratic audiences, reflecting the tastes and values of the elite. Lavish indoor theatres with proscenium arches became standard in both traditions, enhancing the visual spectacle. Additionally, women began performing on stage in both England and France during this era, a significant shift from earlier practices. Differences: English Restoration theatre was characterized by its bawdy humor and satire, exemplified by playwrights like William Wycherley and William Congreve. It often mocked societal norms, focusing on themes of love, lust, and hypocrisy. In contrast, French Classicist theatre, led by figures like Molière, Racine, and Corneille, adhered more strictly to the Aristotelian unities of time, place, and action. French plays were typically more restrained, emphasizing moral and emotional depth over comedic irreverence. Additionally, Restoration audiences were more boisterous and interactive, while French audiences in the courtly setting of the Comédie-Française were expected to uphold decorum. These differences reflect the contrasting cultural contexts and theatrical priorities of England and France during this period. 10. What changes (ideological, aesthetical, or technical) occurred to the theatre in the 18th century? Explain any three. The 18th century brought significant changes to theatre, driven by ideological, aesthetic, and technical developments that reflected the Enlightenment and evolving societal tastes. 1.​ Ideological Changes: Enlightenment ideas emphasized reason, individual rights, and social critique, influencing theatrical themes. Playwrights like Beaumarchais (The Marriage of Figaro) explored class conflict and questioned traditional hierarchies, reflecting growing political and social awareness. Comedy often carried subtle critiques of authority, setting the stage for the revolutionary ideals of the late 18th century. 2.​ Aesthetic Shifts: The 18th century saw a move toward sentimental drama, replacing the rigid classical norms of the 17th century. Plays like Richard Steele’s The Conscious Lovers prioritized emotional engagement and moral lessons, appealing to the rising middle class. Realism began to influence set design and acting, with a focus on portraying characters and environments more authentically. 3.​ Technical Innovations: Advances in stagecraft included better lighting systems, such as oil lamps with reflectors, improving visibility and ambiance. Scenery became more detailed, employing painted backdrops and movable wings to create realistic spatial depth. These innovations enhanced the audience's immersive experience, paving the way for the dramatic realism of the 19th century. These changes marked a transition in theatre toward greater realism and relevance to contemporary life.