Shakespeare’s Time and Stage and Shakespeare Criticism
Are you studying English Literature and want to understand the era, theater and criticism of Shakespeare (Shakespeare) deeply? So this article is special for you. Here you will find detailed information of Shakespeare's Time and Stage and Shakespeare Criticism, including Globe Theatre, Elizabethan age, and the features of Shakespeare's plays and modern outlooks of their criticism.
Please read this post till the end and share it with your friends, so that more and more people can understand Shakespeare's amazing literary world.
📋 Shakespeare's era
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 AD in the Elizabethan age of England. This time is called the "Golden age of English literature". In this era, there was tremendous development in English drama, poetry and stage. During the reign of Elizabeth I (Queen Elizabeth I) and then James I (King James i), Shakespeare composed his best plays of Shakespeare.
During the time of Shakespeare, the society was going through a period of religious, political and cultural changes. The Protestant Reforms had challenged the power of the church, and thoughts such as humanism were making a place in literature and art. The glimpse of these social changes can be clearly seen in Shakespeare plays.
📗 Shakespeare's Stage
Shakespeare's theater Globe Theater was located in London, the center of most of his theatrical presentations. The theater at that time had some special features:
Open Air Theater: The roof was open, from which natural light was used.
No curtains: There were only changes on stage to change the view.
Men used to play a female role (Men as Female Characters): Women were not allowed to act on stage.
Minimal Stage Props: There was not much decoration on stage; acting and dialogue were the main means.
Groundlings: People with cheap tickets stood at the lower back and watched the drama.
Shakespeare's plays such as "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "Othello," and "King Lear" are still staged worldwide and are invaluable heritage in the theater world.
📗 Shakespeare Criticism (Criticism of Shakespeare)
Criticism on Shakespeare's works started from the 17th century and continues till date. Scholars have considered the depth of his compositions, characterization and language style from many perspectives.
📗 The main aspect of Shakespeare criticism:
✅ 1. Classical Criticism
Neo-classical critics criticized Shakespeare's plays as Greek Unities.
Example: Samuel Johnson admitted that the main purpose of Shakespeare is to portray "Human Nature", not to follow Classical Unities.
✅ 2. Romantic Criticism
Critics like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Hazlitt appreciated Shakespeare for imagination and depth of characters.
✅ 3. Victorian and Modern Criticism
Shakespeare was underestimated in the Victorian era.
In the 20th century, new approaches such as psychoanalytic criticism, feminist criticism and post-colonial criticism emerged.
Harold Bloom called Shakespeare "The Invention of the Human", that is, the discovery of human nature was considered by Shakespeare.
📗 Shakespeare's popularity and significance
Shakespeare's plays are not only literary works but they present a deep attitude on human nature, society and politics. His language, imagination and dramatization are still at the center of the literary world.
Even today, research, criticism and staging on Shakespeare continue. Their plays are presented in digital platforms, films, web series and theater festivals, making her relevance and popularity.
🎀 Conclusion
Topics like "Shakespeare's Time and Stage" and "Shakespeare Criticism" reflect the greatness of Shakespeare. The social and cultural environment of his time, the style of theater and criticism on his works, makes him immortal in world literature. If you are interested in English literature or theater, then the study of Shakespeare is mandatory for you.