AboutRandy Sus Expertise I`m a retired high school English teacher from central Wisconsin. I taught Shakespeare for years and am very familiar with his writing style, his themes, his sonnets, and most of his plays. I taught Julius Caesar, King Lear, Richard the Third, and A Midsummer Night`s Dream for years. I`ve memorized many of the lines from these plays and I know many sonnets by heart. I`d be glad to respond to questions regarding Shakespeare`s life, works, and times if anyone desired such information.
Experience I have a master's degree in education and I take most pride in having ENJOYED teaching for over 30 years. Not everyone can honestly say that.
I coached undefeated high school soccer teams for fun too. I like public relations work and have served on P.R. committees for most of my professional life. I continue to do so in retirement.
Expert: Randy Sus Date: 7/1/2008 Subject: Shakespeare's plays.
Question Hi,
Why weren't woman allowed to act in plays when Shakespeare was around?
Thanks
Answer Hi, Courtney,
Thanks for calling upon "Allexperts" for an answer to your Shakespeare question.
Although the era during which Shakespeare lived most of his life is called the Elizabethan Era because Queen Elizabeth I ruled England, MOST females were NOT formally educated and were considered second- class citizens. Many could not read or write and thereby could not learn the lines that actors would have to know.
Only the daughters of the very wealthy were tutored to learn what the boys were learning in schools. Some of these ladies WERE among the first to attempt to act in plays in the late 1600's.
Because the groundling audiences were sometimes VERY disrupting and combative, acting was considered a somewhat dangerous profession that might frighten women away. Most women didn't WANT to take on that danger.
Some of the women who broke into the job of acting first did so when they could control who would be in the audience, so that no rowdies could threaten them if they didn't do a perfect job.
Once audience got used to seeing great performances by women, it became "normal" for both sexes to take on appropriate roles.
