Shakespeare's Theatre and the Dramatic Tradition

Book excerpt: This volume presents a brief discussion about the characteristics of William Shakespeare's stages, the history of Elizabethan theaters, the physical conditions of the stage, the composition of the companies of actors, the influence of the physical nature of the stage upon the quality of the drama, and many other related topics. The plays of Shakespeare during his lifetime were performed on stages in private theaters, provincial theaters, and playhouses. His plays were acted out in the yards of bawdy inns and in the great halls of the London inns of court. Although the Globe is certainly the most well known of all the Renaissance stages associated with Shakespeare and is rightfully the primary focus of discussion, this work includes a brief introduction to some of the other Elizabethan theaters of the time in order to provide a more complete picture of the world in which Shakespeare lived and worked.