Elizabethan Theatre and Hamlet
The Elizabethan era is named after the Queen of England - Queen Elizabeth I who reigned in the years of 1558 to 1603. During this time theatre became central in the social lives of society, whereas they used to be public executions and cockfighting. Elizabethan theaters was extemporary, loud, and dirty, however, it attracted audiences as large as 3000 people from all social classes. Though, mostly the upper classes because they could afford watching plays during those times. Usually performances in the Elizabethan theatre last two to three hours and they are given in the afternoon because that is the time when there is enough light for a performance to take place (“Elizabethan Theatre”). An important Elizabethan …show more content…
For instance, the clothing of the Royalty in the Elizabethan era was sumptuous. The materials used for their clothing were luxurious and covered with varieties of colors and each color had its own meaning. The same style of clothing was used in Elizabethan Theatre. People during that period understood that different colors of clothing also represented different social classes of people. Colors such as white, gold, purple, and red were recognized as the colors for royalty and power since the time of Roman Emperors. “Color is used in the costume design to tell the audience more about each character” (“Hamlet -Stark, Modern, Unforgiving”). In Hamlet, the ways colors are used in costumes reflect on Elizabethan Theatre. The drawing below exemplifies the way red and gold stood for significance, royalty, and …show more content…
It represents Ophelia with a pale blue dress with colors such as gold and rose on it. Since Ophelia is a Nobility with a father that has a high title in society, she is permitted to wear golden colors. However, she does not wear a Farthingale which makes the difference to the Loyalty (“Ophelia”). Though, many Upper Class women wore Farthingale, it was not as common as it was for the Royalty. The ‘Ideal’ Elizabethan Woman in the Nobility needs to have a pure and natural beauty with light hair and red cheeks and lips. In the paining above, this was done by by paining the face light, or even kind of white. Women during the Elizabethan era wore white make up to get the pure beauty they want to have and the same was done for actors in Elizabethan Theatre. An Nobility Elizabethan woman also dyed her hair yellow with a mixture of celandine, oil, saffron, and seeds which is portrayed in the painting above. Wigs were also used in the Elizabethan era, however, mostly by the Royalty (“Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion”). Though the color blue was a popular color for servants in the Elizabethan Theatre, it should not be confused with the color indigo, also ‘royal’ blue which was produced from expensive plants imported from India which could only be afforded by characters such as
The Elizabethan era is named after the Queen of England - Queen Elizabeth I who reigned in the years of 1558 to 1603. During this time theatre became central in the social lives of society, whereas they used to be public executions and cockfighting. Elizabethan theaters was extemporary, loud, and dirty, however, it attracted audiences as large as 3000 people from all social classes. Though, mostly the upper classes because they could afford watching plays during those times. Usually performances in the Elizabethan theatre last two to three hours and they are given in the afternoon because that is the time when there is enough light for a performance to take place (“Elizabethan Theatre”). An important Elizabethan …show more content…
For instance, the clothing of the Royalty in the Elizabethan era was sumptuous. The materials used for their clothing were luxurious and covered with varieties of colors and each color had its own meaning. The same style of clothing was used in Elizabethan Theatre. People during that period understood that different colors of clothing also represented different social classes of people. Colors such as white, gold, purple, and red were recognized as the colors for royalty and power since the time of Roman Emperors. “Color is used in the costume design to tell the audience more about each character” (“Hamlet -Stark, Modern, Unforgiving”). In Hamlet, the ways colors are used in costumes reflect on Elizabethan Theatre. The drawing below exemplifies the way red and gold stood for significance, royalty, and …show more content…
It represents Ophelia with a pale blue dress with colors such as gold and rose on it. Since Ophelia is a Nobility with a father that has a high title in society, she is permitted to wear golden colors. However, she does not wear a Farthingale which makes the difference to the Loyalty (“Ophelia”). Though, many Upper Class women wore Farthingale, it was not as common as it was for the Royalty. The ‘Ideal’ Elizabethan Woman in the Nobility needs to have a pure and natural beauty with light hair and red cheeks and lips. In the paining above, this was done by by paining the face light, or even kind of white. Women during the Elizabethan era wore white make up to get the pure beauty they want to have and the same was done for actors in Elizabethan Theatre. An Nobility Elizabethan woman also dyed her hair yellow with a mixture of celandine, oil, saffron, and seeds which is portrayed in the painting above. Wigs were also used in the Elizabethan era, however, mostly by the Royalty (“Elizabethan Upper Class Fashion”). Though the color blue was a popular color for servants in the Elizabethan Theatre, it should not be confused with the color indigo, also ‘royal’ blue which was produced from expensive plants imported from India which could only be afforded by characters such as