The Influence Of English Inns Existed In 16^th And 17^th Century On Profane Drama Of Early Modern Times

From historical perspective, this paper studies the English inns, during their golden age in A.D.1500-1700, how to play a important role in the development of profane drama. Moreover, thanks to English inns, profane drama achieved glorious success at that time. In those years, Protestant Reformation is accomplished in England, as well as commodity economy expanded. Considering that technology of producing beer made a progress and domestic improvement of public transport, not only the number of inns was increasing rapidly, but various inns spread all over the England. They not just function as taverns and alehouse, but turn into the primary communicational place and the entertainment center, dramas and music was often performed in the inns.At the same time, due to the decline of Christian drama, profane drama appeared in the 16th century. With the help and protection of Queen Elizabeth I and the aristocracy, professional actors and troupes emerged. Owing to the dramas close to social life, and the lines quite easy to understand for common people, profane drama is popular with Englishmen. As the ideal place for staging plays, inns are the cradle of actors and playwrights. A large number of people become theatre fans enjoying plays in inns. I try to use core historical materials to prove the contribution that inns made for English theatre, by key factors for profane drama:place for performance, actors, playwrights, audiences. The article falls into 4 chapters.The first chapter sums up the prosperity of inns and the generation of drama. Pointing out the reason of prosperity, I described the scene of inns spread all over England. Beside that, the situation of English society in 16th century is introduced, Queen Elizabeth I and the aristocracy sponsored profane drama, which is primary condition for drama. With the economy growth of middle-class and underclass, most of them are educated, as a result profane drama owned big market and some excellent playwrights. So the drama got a good chance.The second chapter discusses the importance of inns for drama from the aspect of performing place. First of all, I analyze why inns become the ideal place for drama, then prove inns is fit for plays by taking some typical examples, such as Red Bull inn in London. Afterwards, I point out the influence which inn-owners on the theatre, such as James Burbage, Philip Henslowe. They are not only agents of troupe, but also administrators. They struggle for troupe and manage the agency by the business way, in the end the market got bigger day by day, so that actors could concentrate in improving their acting. Next section focuses on the emergence of theatre. Depend on inn-owners' sponsor, the earliest theatres appeared in London. However, due to authority and puritans' opposition, theatres obliged to close. At last, profane drama has no choice but inns.The third chapter summarizes the relationship between actors and playwrights. At first, presenting the emergence of professional actors in England, these actors learned various performing skills from musicians and barnstormers in inns. It strengthened their quality, in addition that some barnstormers turned into buffoons. Next section pointing the experience earned from inns influenced playwrights who often stay in there strongly, such as Marlowe, Greene. Various men in inns as playwrights'archetypes become the characters in dramas. Just in inns, they obtained inspiration, learned humorous expressions from the public. Then I discuss in the process of troupes rehearse plays and trouping around England, inn-owners provide great support all the time. For this reason, the inn is extremely important to actors and playwrights.The fourth chapter pays attention to audiences of profane drama. After Christian drama died out, customers in inns are eager to watch plays approach to their life, full of humors, and they love complicated stories. Accordingly, profane drama is fit for their appetite, plenty of common people and aristocrats going into inns become theatre fans. These faithful fans spend lots of money in the theatre, moreover they help troupes overcome the difficulties, a number of audience devote into troupes doing actors. Thanks to their assistant, troupes expanded gradually, and inns act as the storage of entertainers.