AP+2014+The+Globe+Theater

Audience

Jessica Blackburn

The Globe Theater allowed for people from various walks of life to get the same entertainment. Those who were poor were able to see a play for a penny if they were willing to stand. This is one of the vast differences between the audience of The Globe. The audience members were divided by class and wealth. “Shakespeare's audience would have been composed of tanners, butchers, iron-workers, millers, seamen from the ships docked in the Thames, glovers, servants, shopkeepers, wig-makers, bakers, and countless other tradesmen and their families” (Mabillard). The variation between the audience members in the Globe Theater displays how popular Shakespeare’s plays were and how they have become so popular in present day. The vast amount of audience members also shows how relatable the plays can be and how they have stood the test of time for audience members of today as well. The fact that these plays were open to so many was also a significant factor in their popularity and success. “During the time writers of tragedy conformed to Aristotle’s definition… Comedy in this time, much like in our own, descended from the Roman "New Comedy" of Plautus and Terence, which kept away from politics and focused on love, domestic troubles and family affairs” (A Brief History 5). The revolutionary style of writing and plays that Shakespeare brought to his audience support the reason that they have remained so popular because they contain common emotions and even the people of today are able to relate to these plays and the characters that they contain. The Globe’s audience was so vast and that explains why we still study these productions originating from The Globe Theater and introduce them to the youth of today as new audience members.

Works Cited

Mabillard, Amanda. Shakespeare's Audience: The Groundlings. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. (10 February 2014.)

A Brief History of the Audience. Shakespeare Theatre. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.


 * Term: **Globe Theater - //Historical//

**Name:** Andrea Boettcher **Visual: **

**Explanation:** The Globe Theater is one of the most famous play houses ever known, and is historically significant. The theatre was constructed in 1599 (and then destroyed a couple of times in the 1600s) for the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and to perform a variety of Shakespeare's most famous works (Mabillard). What was so unique about this theatre was its layout. Not only was there three levels of exclusive seating for the upperclass, there was also the ability for poorer people to stand and watch the show for only a penny in the “pit” (“The Globe Theatre”). This laid the grounds for many more playhouses to come, as well as opened up plays to the mass populous. Not only that but historically, people associate Shakespeare with the Globe Theatre, although many other actors owned the theatre, too (Mabillard). The theatre is historically significant because of its ties to Shakespeare – the infamous play write, as well as the access it gave to all kinds of people from different stations.

**Works Cited:**

“The Globe Theatre.” //Play Shakespeare.// Playshakespeare.com, 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Mabillard, Amanda. “Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.” //Shakespeare Online.// The Globe, 20 Aug. 2000. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.


 * Term: Globe Theater - Cultural **


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Name: Lizzie Crooks **


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Visual: **

The Globe Theater was a center for cultural expression, hosting plays which could be seen by every class. The theater was open to anyone who could afford admission, and while separated into classes, did group a wide range of people into a building in which the community could have a shared experience. As William Shakespeare, a popular play write at the time ("Shakespeare's Globe"), frequented the theater, it expanded the public's exposure to Shakespeare's works, and since every class was admitted, furthered Shakespeare's popularity across the classes. Although the Globe did bring the community together, it did still maintain the classist attitude, as those of the lower class were in much poorer conditions ("The Globe Theater"). The cultural effect that the Globe Theatre (as well as its most popular plays) ultimately had was to bring together the classes and remind them of the society in which they lived. It brought to light common social and political issues, and the community brought them home.
 * Explanation:**

"Shakespeare’s Globe." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. “The Globe Theatre.” Play Shakespeare. Playshakespeare.com, 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Aim Aidan Cipra

The Globe Theater was intended for the King and was built to entertain. On a website about Shakespeare, “The Globe was the principal playhouse of the Lord Chamberlain's Men (who would become the King's Men in 1603)” (“The Globe Theatre”). The theater was very audience based. Mostly to entertain the King or other important people, those that were involved with the theater made sure shows were put on. Like any normal theater, the purpose of the Globe Theater was to entertain people. The process for the theater however, was not completely smooth, “ their lease on the land on which it stood expired. Their landlord, Giles Allen, desired to tear the Theatre down” (“Shakespeare’s Globe”). Since they had to take the original theater down, the need to entertain the King was too important to ignore and they constructed the actual Globe Theater. Shakespeare being one of the shareholders of the theater, made sure that there were shows to be shown for the king.

__Works Cited__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Shakespeare's Globe." Shakespeare Resource Center -. J. M. Pressley and the Shakespeare Resource Center, 1997. Web. 09 Feb. 2014. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The Globe Theatre." The Globe Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.