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The world stood still in 1616. Well, the theater world at least. Shakespeare, the man who'd given voice to kings and clowns, lovers and fairies, had taken his final bow. But did English theater die with him? Absolutely not! In fact, it was just getting started.
Think of it like this: Shakespeare was the main act, a tough act to follow, sure. But the after-party? That was where things got really interesting. Let's ditch the dusty history books and dive into the vibrant, sometimes downright scandalous world of English theater after Shakespeare.
Enter Ben Jonson: Shakespeare's Frenemy and a Master of Comedy
Remember that friend who teases you mercilessly but secretly admires you? That was Ben Jonson and Shakespeare. Jonson, a playwright, poet, and all-around wit, had a different style than his famous contemporary. His plays, like the hilarious "Volpone," were sharp, satirical, and full of larger-than-life characters driven by their desires – think greed, lust, and the relentless pursuit of social climbing.
Jonson's comedies, known as "Comedies of Humours," were based on the belief that a person's personality was determined by the balance of four bodily fluids – blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Sound strange? It made for some seriously funny theater! Imagine a character who's always angry because they have an excess of yellow bile, or someone who's constantly melancholic due to too much black bile. Jonson used this theory to create characters that were both relatable and ridiculous, much like the people you might encounter in your own life.
Revenge is a Dish Best Served…On Stage: The Rise of Jacobean Tragedy
If you thought Shakespeare's tragedies were intense, buckle up! The Jacobean era (named for King James I) ushered in a wave of plays that were even darker, bloodier, and more psychologically twisted. We're talking poisoned skulls, incestuous relationships, and enough onstage violence to make even the most desensitized viewer squirm.
Think of plays like "The Duchess of Malfi," where a woman is driven mad by her own brothers, or "The Revenger's Tragedy," featuring a duke who gets a little too up close and personal with a poisoned skull (yes, you read that right). These plays weren't for the faint of heart, but they reflected the anxieties and uncertainties of their time, a world grappling with political upheaval, religious change, and a growing sense of unease.
Masques: Where Theater Met Extravaganza
Imagine a performance so lavish, so opulent, it would make a modern-day awards show look like a school play. That was the court masque, a form of entertainment beloved by the aristocracy. Picture elaborate sets, dazzling costumes, music, dance, and of course, the nobles themselves strutting their stuff on stage.
Ben Jonson, never one to shy away from a challenge, became the master of the masque, collaborating with the brilliant architect and stage designer Inigo Jones. Together, they created spectacular performances that transported audiences to mythical worlds, complete with floating clouds, shimmering fountains, and enough visual splendor to make your head spin.
The Show Must Go On (But Maybe Not Right Now): The Puritan Interlude
Just when English theater was hitting its stride, a new group emerged, determined to rain on everyone's parade: the Puritans. These folks weren't big fans of fun, and they saw theater as a den of sin and vice (talk about a buzzkill!). In 1642, they shut down the theaters, marking a period of forced silence for English drama.
But don't worry, this wasn't the end. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, English theater would eventually return, forever changed by the innovations and excesses of the post-Shakespearean era.
So, the next time you think about English theater, don't let the curtain fall with Shakespeare. Explore the world beyond the Bard, where comedy was biting, tragedy was extreme, and entertainment was taken to a whole new level of extravagance.
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