Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was born to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. A woman with red hair and pale skin who was just as charming if not more than her father before her. She is best known for her victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. In fact, our beloved Elizabeth was third in line to the throne behind her younger brother Edward and older sister Mary. However, both siblings died prematurely, leading to her rise to power. In an effort to prove her worth to the crown, she was often very reserved about her mother, known as the "Big Whore". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay As a young monarch, she was the most sought-after woman of her time and she used her femininity to her advantage. As she grew, she took extra precautions to remain the focal point of her pursuers. She came to power with a positive vision of the arts, which provided a thriving environment for the humanities. England's economic advantage during his reign provided it with the optimal capacity for expansive development of the visual, decorative, and performing arts. England was a dirty place with sewage staining the city streets and a foul stench permeating the air. The average lifespan of a citizen, if surviving beyond 12 years, was generally just over 60 years. Elizabethan England is known as one of the most violent periods that also gave life to one of the most infamous eras in theater. The faces of this theatrical era were men like Sir Philip Sydney who contributed through his poetry, William Shakespeare, the infamous playwright, as well as Christopher Marlow who is said to be the true author of the playwrights attributed to Shakespeare who remains shrouded in mystery. . It was the time when new ideas and ways of thinking were emphasized and became the focal points of theater. Printing presses became one of the most influential inventions of the era due to their ability to "mass produce" different manuscripts and playwrights. People were fascinated by theater and this is no surprise since some of the most popular Elizabethan classics such as "The Jew of Malta", "The Malcontent", "The White Devil" and other household names such as “Romeo and Juliet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” are still performed to this day. Companies worked in a hierarchical manner. The players who had a foot in it were known as “sharers” and they collectively shared the profits among themselves. The "mercenaries" received a weekly salary, and the boys actively playing the roles of women were known as "apprentices" and paid a minuscule sum compared to their fellow actors. Actors would choose to specialize in specific defined roles that became a well-known part of their personal repertoire. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Two of the best known theater companies were the Admiral's Men and the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The companies were known to present around 30 to 40 new shows per year. Because of this demand, playwrights had to increase the number of new plays written each year. The majority of these works have never been published. Once completed, the plays would become the property of the coordinating company and would not be published under the playwright's name..