Queen Elizabeth came to be known as one of the greatest rulers of the English empire. Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a more efficient government was created. The church was unified, the English empire was expanded, and language, literature, and theater flourished to a greatness that would be impossible for almost any other period of English history, or any other European empire, for that matter, to match. Although there was a great rise in literature,it was theater that catapulted to greatness during Elizabeth's reign. Out of Elizabeth's era came Elizabethan theater. Elizabethan theater has such a variety of topics, that would make it virtually impossible to talk about in ten pages. The focal point of this paper will be on Queen Elizabeth's contributions to theater as well as her favor to Children of Paul's, or Paul's Boys (a "Boy Company") and the Queen's Men and Lord Chamberlain's Men (two Adult Companies).Prior to Elizabeth's reign, those members of the Tutor family enjoyed entertainment consisting mainly of court tournaments. Within these court tournaments bear baiting was the most popular event. Although "Elizabeth found this hugely diverting", theater was her entertainment of choice, for Elizabeth found "such cruel spectacles...an unattractive feature of the age" (Somerset 367). However, regardless of her opinion, countrymen saw nothing wrong with bear baiting, and continued the event. Even though Elizabeth was a great lover of theater, that does not mean that theater, was not put down routinely. The Puritans found Elizabeth's interest in theater to be "utterly reprehensible", actors to be a "contemptible breed", and the theaters that they performed in nothing more "than brothels" (Somerset 368). But throughout Elizabeth's forty-five year reign, she protected and uplifted the adult and boy companies, when enemies from the clergy and sometimes the council sought to "put them down" (Clunes 27)."To the Queen's i...
