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Change of Patrons: Elizabethan Age

After Shakespeare's death, Jacobean drama declined in several ways: the theater lost its patronage from common people and depended solely on the royal court; there was a lack of genius like Shakespeare and poor characterization; dramatic techniques, plot construction, and balance between romance and realism deteriorated; and the Puritan opposition to drama intensified which furthered its decline.

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Change of Patrons: Elizabethan Age

After Shakespeare's death, Jacobean drama declined in several ways: the theater lost its patronage from common people and depended solely on the royal court; there was a lack of genius like Shakespeare and poor characterization; dramatic techniques, plot construction, and balance between romance and realism deteriorated; and the Puritan opposition to drama intensified which furthered its decline.

Uploaded by

MEENUPAUNIKAR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction

Jacobean drama (i.e. the drama of the age of James-I <1603-1625>) was a dark form of
the drama of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
The Elizabethan age was the golden age of English drama. But with the turn of the
century, the drama in English also took a turn. It does not mean that there were no
dramatists left. There were certainly a large number of them, but none of them could
come near Shakespeare.
“It was inevitable that the drama should decline after Shakespeare for the
simple reason that there was no other great enough to fill his space.”
(Long)

Decline of Jacobean Drama


After the turn of 16th century and the passing away of Elizabeth, the theatre continued to
command popularity, although the Puritan opposition was stiffening. But the taste was
changing: the audiences for a stronger fare.
The playwrights attempted to fulfil the desire of the audience, but it lacked organic unity
which a supreme art must possess. In the Jacobean period, there was a steep decline
in drama. Following are the main reasons behind the decline of drama in this age:

Change of Patrons
In the Elizabethan period, the drama was patronized by the feudal lords, but from the time
of the accession of James-I, dramatists depended on the king, the queen and the royal
domination. The dramatists wholly depended on the royal favour. In this way, the theatre
was cut off from common life and no longer remained a national institution as it was in
the time of Shakespeare.

The dramatists cared less for men in the street and women in the kitchen. They delighted
the court. While Beaumont and Fletcher were writing, the theatre was gradually losing its
hold on the middle and lower classes. It marked the decline of drama.

Lack of Genius
After Shakespeare, there was no other dramatist who could fill his space which naturally
marked the decline of Drama

Poor Characterisation
Lack of creative power in the art of characterization was also one of the major causes.
The dramatists repeated such characters as the cheats, bullies, gamblers etc. In the place
of Shakespeare’s immortal characters like heroes, heroines, villains & clowns (jokers).

Lack of Dramatic Technique


The decline could also be seen in dramatic technique. The dramatists could not maintain
the ‘mighty line’ of Marlowe & their blank verse became weak & rapid.
Art of Plot Construction
In the art of plot-construction, with the exception of Ben Jonson’s “Volpone” and “The
Alchemist” and “The White Devil” of Webster, we find the signs of decline. Too often,
plot-construction shows careless in detail and want of coherence. There are effective
episodes but no structural growth.
Imbalance in Drama
The Shakespearian balance between romance and realism is poorly replaced either by
narrow social activities or by romantic excess.

Opposition by Puritans
The Puritan opposition to the drama is also responsible for the decline of drama during
this age. Ever since the drama became popular in England, the Puritans waged a war
against it. They regarded drama and all forms of entertainment as the devil’s work, to be
avoided by men and women.

Thus after the death of Shakespeare, the drama became to show signs of decline in
morals, plot construction, characterization, and technique. The spirit had passed in 1616;
the corpse remained to be burnt and it was burnt 1642.

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