The Globe Theater is probably the most important structure in Shakespeare's
dramatic career. Built in 1599 by the Chamberlain's Company, it stood on the Southern
shore of the Thames River in London. At this time Shakespeare was a member of the
Chamberlain's Company, and therefore he became a shareholder in the theater. The
profits actors made off of their shares was their main means of support, as it was for
The Globe was the most important structure to Shakespeare's drama because most
of his plays were written to be performed on the stage of the Globe. A common street
individual could attend a play in the Globe, but their seats were on the ground in front of
the stage, which was considered a poor place from which to view a play. The wealthier
audience members sat in box seats around the ring wall of the theater. The peasants
earned the name "groundlings" because of the fact that they had to watch from the
The architecture of the Globe theater was purposely designed to bring out the best
in any play performed in it. The blueprints took into account the way shadows would fall
throughout the year, in regard to both the stage and the audience.
Tragically, the original Globe burned down in 1613 due to a cannon shot used as a
prop during a performance of Henry VIII. It was soon rebuilt, though, and remained open
on its original foundations until the Puritans closed it in 1642 and the Globe II was torn
down two years later to make room for housing. The foundation remained buried until the
mid-twentieth century, when one man made it his goal to bring the Globe back. Its
foundations were not discovered until 1989, though, yet once found, they were once again
to hold the weight of a great English theater.
Presently, there are many recreations and theaters which bear the name Globe all
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