The opening scenes of Shakespeare’s plays

... In order for us to look closely at the opening scenes of Shakespeare's plays, it is first necessary to look at the period in which they were written. The theatres and audiences that Shakespeare wrote his plays for also have to be taken into account. Even to modern audiences, with access to new age technology, Shakespeare's plays are still extraordinarily effective and have stood the test of time remarkably well, but to 16th century audiences they were the best form of entertainment around. The theatre of the 16th century had developed from the courtyards of inns. Prior to the time of William Shakespeare, theatres, in the modern sense of the word simply did not exist in England, travelling players would go from town to town performing in castles, mansions and stately homes, but more often than not they would perform in inn courtyards. The Globe, Shakespeare's theatre was modelled

want to read more? →