Celebrado 1

Vincent Celebrado
Mrs. Ruiz
English 9A Period 1
29 November 2015
Globe Theater Architecture and Design
The Globe Theater was one of the most successful theaters during the 1600s. It became
so popular that the Puritans destroyed it in 1642 because it was drawing more attention than the
church. (Cohen) The reason why it was so successful and popular was because of its architecture,
its association with Shakespeare and the impact it had on its audience. The certain construction
of the Globe also had an effect.
First of all, The Globe Theater was built in 1598. (Globe Theater) When it was destroyed
in 1644 by the puritans, a working replica was created in 1997. (Globe Theater) The name
Globe was chosen for the newly built theater because it showed the companys intent on
offering astonishment and wonder to the audience. (Sidwell) Their intentions were absolutely
correct because the Globe received the greatest attention. Out of all the factors, the theaters
association with Shakespeare was the highest one. His importance to the theater was clearly
showed because he owned a one-eighth share in the venture. (Brockett 171)
The Globe also had interesting features which improved the quality of the play as well as
the reaction of the audience. The floor on the main stage had a trapdoor which would allow
surprise entrances. (Sidwell) This architecture design had an impact on the audience's reaction as
well as giving Shakespeare creative ways to perform out his plays. Furthermore, no major props
or sets were used. (Cohen) Instead, small props such as a torch showed the audience that it was

Celebrado 2

evening. The size of the props gave the audience a simple way to to tell them the setting and also
was adequate for quick changes.
The challenges of building the Globe showed the difference when compared to other
theaters. The Globe was constructed in way where it appeared circular. (Brockett 171) This
meant it would have a heavy frame. A certain type of construction was used to the built the frame
which was called post-and-lintel construction. (Allison 31) It offered stability without adding
weight or bulk. So for the theater to be built the builders also needed a strong foundation.
However, the soil which was being built on was marshland. (Allison 31) Which means that the
soil was damp and wet requiring an extra step in building the foundation. To solve the problem,
the builders laid down wooden timber columns vertically to where they would be pushed until
they hit solid ground or rock. (Allison 31) Then, the brick base could be set on top.
In conclusion, the Architecture and the association with Shakespeare were key factors in
making the Globe Theater one of the most popular theaters during its time. If these factors were
applied into modern theaters then they would still have an effect.