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1548
King Henri II banned
In the year 1548 King Henri II banned the making of and performing of religious drama. It was said by King Henri that these plays were not considered appropriate. -
1558
Elizabeth I
In the year of 1558 Elizabeth, the first in England banned the display of religious plays as well. Not only did she ban the religious plays she banned plays that also included political subjects. -
1564
Elizabethan Theater
At the start of 1564, the acceptance of the Elizabethan Theater depended vastly on the works of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare was a phenomenal playwright who the industry depended on greatly. -
1564
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was one of the most influential playwrights of all time during the years 1564 until 1616. Although, his legacy continues long after with the knowledge of his plays. -
"Hamlet"
Between the years of 1600-1601, one of the most successful plays that William Shakespeare created was the play "Hamlet". This play still today a big part of the remembrance of Elizabethan plays today. It has had an impact on history for many years now. -
Lope de Vega
Lope de Vega wrote his play "Fuente Ovejuna" in 1617. The play was a drama and based on the social conflict that arose in the village of Fuenteovejuna. This was one of the 800 plays that Lope De Vega had written within his career. (Brockett pg.137) -
English Civil War
Due to the English Civil was that took place in 1642 the theaters closed making the theaters unavailable to the public. The theaters were closed due to it being said that public plays were "lascivious merth and levity and therefore incompatible with these times of humiliation and civil war" (“Why Were Plays Banned in London in 1662?”) -
Restoration of English Theatre
The time frame between 1660-1700 is often referred to as the restoration period. It is called the "restoration period because of its comedy of manners, which focused on abnormal behaviors and witty verbal exchanges of the rich and idle upper class" (Brockett) -
Louis XIV permits public performance
In the year 1669, Louis XIV permitted public performance. "King Louis XIV issued a ban against the public performance of Moliere's Tartuffe because of its depiction of a member of the clergy as an impostor and a hypocrite." (“What Was the King’s Reason for Banning Tartuffe? Who Influenced His Decision, and What Was His Chief Concern? What Did He Fear Was Being Ridiculed?...”) -
" The Servant of Two Masters"
The play "The Servant of Two Masters" was one of the first most popular Commedia written. This play came out in 1753. This play introduced many different types of characters throughout the play that the audience enjoyed watching.