Shakespearean Theater and Tragedy Concepts

What was the typical composition of an Elizabethan theater company?

• 5-7 shareholders, 1-2 boys, many hired players, and a large orchestra.

• 8-12 shareholders, 3-4 boys, a few hired players, some musicians, and a couple of stagehands.

• 15-20 shareholders, no boys, only lead actors, and a full band.

• 2-3 shareholders, 5-6 boys, many stagehands, and no musicians.

Besides acting, what other skills were typically required of actors in Elizabethan theater?

• Directing, costume design, and stage management.

• Singing, dancing, and sword fighting.

• Playwriting, set construction, and lighting design.

• Financial management, audience engagement, and marketing.

What advice did Hamlet give to actors regarding their performance?

• To yell loudly and use exaggerated gestures to convey emotion.

• To focus on elaborate costumes and stage props rather than dialogue.

• To speak gently, avoid excessive gesticulation, and deliver lines with elegance.

• To improvise lines and engage directly with the audience.

How is a Shakespearean tragedy generally defined?

• A play that features a historical king and has a happy ending.

• A play that ends unhappily and is not about a recent king.

• A play with a complex plot, many characters, and a focus on comedy.

• A play that includes musical numbers and elaborate dance routines.

What characteristic distinguishes Shakespearean tragedies from purely depressing plays?

• Focus on historical events

• Inclusion of funny bits

• Lack of moral dilemmas

• Simple character motivations

What was a significant innovation Shakespeare brought to tragic heroes?

• Making them entirely evil

• Focusing solely on external conflicts

• Portraying complex internal conflicts within a single character

• Always ensuring a happy ending

What action by King Lear initiates the central conflict of the play?

• He declares war on a neighboring kingdom.

• He banishes his loyal courtier, Kent.

• He asks his daughters to publicly declare their love for him to divide his kingdom.

• He attempts to marry off his youngest daughter to a foreign prince.

How is King Lear primarily depicted throughout the play, despite his initial poor decisions?

• As an irredeemable villain.

• As a wise and benevolent ruler.

• As a sad and increasingly crazy old man who evokes sympathy.

• As a cunning strategist who manipulates his daughters.