Jacobean Theatre
Macbeth was written in the very beginning of the Jacobean Period. Our group did some research on the Jacobean era as it pertains to theatre, and came up with some very interesting connections to Macbeth.
- The “Jacobean” refers to James I’s reign as King of England (1603-1625)
- It followed the Elizabethan era, which occurred when Elizabeth I was Queen (1558-1603)
-The two eras, along with Carolinian theatre (from the reign of Charles I) are often all (incorrectly) referred to as being Elizabethan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabethan_theatre
- A common theme in plays of this time (in both Jacobean theatre and the earlier Elizabethan theatre) was the “revenge tragedy” genre. Common characteristics of this genre included a hero on evil quest, death, mutilation, insanity, sub-plays (play within a play), and finally, the violent death of the hero. (Mabillard)
http://www.shakespeare-online.com
- Wikipedia offers other common characteristics of the Jacobean play, many of which related directly to events in Macbeth. These include,
~ a secret murder (of a ruler)
~ a visit from a ghost
~ plotting, a disguise and a period of violence
~ a catastrophic ending
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Revenge_play&oldid=100359851
- King James I was very interested in demons and the supernatural. He even wrote a book entitled Demonologie that dealt with the study of supernatural beings, witches and demons. Macbeth, like many other plays of the Jacobean era, shows clear “attempts at didacticism and at pleasing the king” in its many endeavours into the realm of the unknown or the supernatural. The most obvious of this is, of course, the reoccurring presence of the Weird Sisters, witches who seem to be able to predict the future and control certain events.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A4455434
- The Jacobean play contained a “more intense dramatic style” than the traditional Elizabethan play. The period of time in which this theatrical style developed also saw the advent of completely enclosed theatres, meaning that plays could (and often needed to be) candlelit at every performance. This created a consistently available, eerie atmosphere that encouraged the “underlying feel of dread” in many Jacobean plays. The themes of murder, betrayal, violence and (again) the supernatural that run through Macbeth were created and encouraged by this atmosphere.
http://www.jadisshadows.co.uk/jacobean.htm
Sources
“About Jacobean Theatre” Jadis-Shadows. Jadis Theatre Jacobean Theatre Company.
Jan. 2007
“Edited Guide Entry.” bbc.co.uk.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A4455434
"English Renaissance theatre." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=English_Renaissance_theatre&oldid=104132941.
Mabillard, Amanda. "FAQ". 2000. Shakespeare Online.
"Revenge play." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Foundation, Inc.
3 comments:
During the time of Jacobean theatre, James I was very influential in terms of Shakespeare's MacBeth. Especially regarding witchcraft, which was the topic that us Thanes covered. Shakespeare had to tailor the characteristics of the typical "witch" at the time to suit what the King believed them to have.
-Lily
My group analyzed Raphael Holinshed's Chronicle of Scotland, in which there were elements shared with Jacobean Theatre. For example, Holinshed documented the secret murder of a ruler, plotting, disguise, and violence. However, the difference is that Jacobean Theatre is fiction and Holinshed's work was nonfiction. Shakespeare probably augmented and exaggerated Holinshed's story to make it more theatrical.
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