Theatre History Test 1 Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025 Rated A+
What was the Spanish Inquisition? - Answers An attempt by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to
convert Spain to catholic state
`What was the theatre like during the Spanish Golden Age? - Answers It was a mix of the ideas from the
Italian Renaissance and the rule of the Roman Catholic Church. Shift from Gods perspective to mans
perspective but also emphasizing the ideals of the Church
What type of plays were performed in the Spanish golden age? - Answers both religious and secular
plays but the plays for the most part educated the people on religious beliefs
What were the Auto Sacrementales? - Answers Plays that had characteristics of morality and allegorical
plays. There were four at every large feast and they were written for that particular event. The church
censored all of the story lines. Religious dramas
What was the Confradias? - Answers The people who had control over the festival. Similar to trade
guilds. Charitable groups
What was each play in the auto sacramentalis called? - Answers Altos (Avtos)
What was the purpose of auto sacramentales? - Answers To bolster devout faith and replace doubt
What was the popular theatre in the Spanish golden age? - Answers Commedia
What was the structure of Commedia plays? - Answers Three acts
What type of plays were Commedia? - Answers Secular plays that were driven by plot, not by character
What type of writing style were Commedia plays written in? - Answers Verse
What was the main theme of Commedia plays? - Answers Love vs Honor
How did Commedia plays usually end? - Answers deus ex machina and a happy ending
Why were Commedia plays performed? - Answers for commercial enterprise, to make money. they were
also used to support the king and his ideals. The churches still censored everything
What is a Loa? - Answers A prologue. A compliment to the main Commedia or Auto Sacarementales that
was performed. It was usually a monologue or a very short dialogue scene.
What are Entremeses? - Answers Interludes between the 3 acts of Commedia. Short little skits that
could stand on their own and nothing to do with the larger piece.
What was Spanish Academic Theatre? - Answers Scholars would bring in translations of Roman and
Greek plays to perform at court but they were mostly for study.
, Explain an Auto sacrementalis festival - Answers It was a big parade like festival. Highly decorative carts
would parade through town and then the carts would dock up at a stage and the plays would be
performed. These wagons were also called carros. Each auto sacrementalis had their own set of carros
Where were auto scarementales originally performed? - Answers in windows
What are Corrales? - Answers Courtyards for plays to be performed. The courtyard was bounded by 3-4
buildings with a raised stage at one far end. Behind the stage was a building for entrances, dressing
rooms etc. Then there was seating in the middle of the courtyard and in the buildings on the sides. The
side buildings were usually for aristocrats.
How was seating arranged at Corrales? - Answers by social class and gender
Where did women have to sit at Corrales? - Answers cazuela. a separate woman's section that was
guarded by a man
How many seats did Corrales hold? - Answers 2,000
What are the Autores? - Answers actor managers It was a contract with the hospital or charity that
owned the theatre building. Licensed by the city. They were in charge of hiring the performers
Who was Lope de Vega? - Answers Very successful Spanish playwright. He wrote 500 plays, 483 were
commedias. He was the first spainyard to make a living as a playwright
What was Lope De Vega's most famous play? - Answers Fuente Ovejuna
Who wrote The New Art of Writing Plays for Our Time? - Answers Lope De Vega. It was a play manual
Who was Calderon De La Barca? - Answers He was a Spanish playwright who wrote Life is a Dream
Who wrote the Loa to the Divine Narcissist? - Answers Sor Juana
What is Life is a Dream about? - Answers
What is Calvinism? - Answers A protestant movement that develops a predestination into christianity
that we are fated at the time that we are born to go to heaven or hell
What is Molieres real name? - Answers John Baptise Poquelin
What style of writing did Moliere write in? - Answers prose
What is Classicism? - Answers return to the Greek and Roman classics for rules and guidelines. Moving
away from the church as the central authority
What is Absolutism? - Answers Complete identity of the king with the country. One absolute monarch
that cannot be questioned any more than god would be questioned. The closer you are to the King the
more powerful you are
What was the Spanish Inquisition? - Answers An attempt by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to
convert Spain to catholic state
`What was the theatre like during the Spanish Golden Age? - Answers It was a mix of the ideas from the
Italian Renaissance and the rule of the Roman Catholic Church. Shift from Gods perspective to mans
perspective but also emphasizing the ideals of the Church
What type of plays were performed in the Spanish golden age? - Answers both religious and secular
plays but the plays for the most part educated the people on religious beliefs
What were the Auto Sacrementales? - Answers Plays that had characteristics of morality and allegorical
plays. There were four at every large feast and they were written for that particular event. The church
censored all of the story lines. Religious dramas
What was the Confradias? - Answers The people who had control over the festival. Similar to trade
guilds. Charitable groups
What was each play in the auto sacramentalis called? - Answers Altos (Avtos)
What was the purpose of auto sacramentales? - Answers To bolster devout faith and replace doubt
What was the popular theatre in the Spanish golden age? - Answers Commedia
What was the structure of Commedia plays? - Answers Three acts
What type of plays were Commedia? - Answers Secular plays that were driven by plot, not by character
What type of writing style were Commedia plays written in? - Answers Verse
What was the main theme of Commedia plays? - Answers Love vs Honor
How did Commedia plays usually end? - Answers deus ex machina and a happy ending
Why were Commedia plays performed? - Answers for commercial enterprise, to make money. they were
also used to support the king and his ideals. The churches still censored everything
What is a Loa? - Answers A prologue. A compliment to the main Commedia or Auto Sacarementales that
was performed. It was usually a monologue or a very short dialogue scene.
What are Entremeses? - Answers Interludes between the 3 acts of Commedia. Short little skits that
could stand on their own and nothing to do with the larger piece.
What was Spanish Academic Theatre? - Answers Scholars would bring in translations of Roman and
Greek plays to perform at court but they were mostly for study.
, Explain an Auto sacrementalis festival - Answers It was a big parade like festival. Highly decorative carts
would parade through town and then the carts would dock up at a stage and the plays would be
performed. These wagons were also called carros. Each auto sacrementalis had their own set of carros
Where were auto scarementales originally performed? - Answers in windows
What are Corrales? - Answers Courtyards for plays to be performed. The courtyard was bounded by 3-4
buildings with a raised stage at one far end. Behind the stage was a building for entrances, dressing
rooms etc. Then there was seating in the middle of the courtyard and in the buildings on the sides. The
side buildings were usually for aristocrats.
How was seating arranged at Corrales? - Answers by social class and gender
Where did women have to sit at Corrales? - Answers cazuela. a separate woman's section that was
guarded by a man
How many seats did Corrales hold? - Answers 2,000
What are the Autores? - Answers actor managers It was a contract with the hospital or charity that
owned the theatre building. Licensed by the city. They were in charge of hiring the performers
Who was Lope de Vega? - Answers Very successful Spanish playwright. He wrote 500 plays, 483 were
commedias. He was the first spainyard to make a living as a playwright
What was Lope De Vega's most famous play? - Answers Fuente Ovejuna
Who wrote The New Art of Writing Plays for Our Time? - Answers Lope De Vega. It was a play manual
Who was Calderon De La Barca? - Answers He was a Spanish playwright who wrote Life is a Dream
Who wrote the Loa to the Divine Narcissist? - Answers Sor Juana
What is Life is a Dream about? - Answers
What is Calvinism? - Answers A protestant movement that develops a predestination into christianity
that we are fated at the time that we are born to go to heaven or hell
What is Molieres real name? - Answers John Baptise Poquelin
What style of writing did Moliere write in? - Answers prose
What is Classicism? - Answers return to the Greek and Roman classics for rules and guidelines. Moving
away from the church as the central authority
What is Absolutism? - Answers Complete identity of the king with the country. One absolute monarch
that cannot be questioned any more than god would be questioned. The closer you are to the King the
more powerful you are
