Blog 6: Southwark Attractions

Most people think of plays when they think of London because most of us have grown up reading a play or two by Shakespeare. All we know is that there are quite a few playhouses that we would love to visit if give the chance to go to London. These playhouses as well as other attractions took place outside the city walls back in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. According to Mullaney’s article, these attractions were outside the city so that the strict confines of the city did not hold it. This is because some of these attractions were not favorable to some. Renaissance Southwark also had brothels, bear-baiting, bullrings, cock-fighting, taverns, and pleasure gardens. There were so many different types of things to do there that many even moved out to the area. And why not? You could be near your favorite pastime or even own a few of the dogs that participated in the bear baiting.

With so many options of things to do, I do not know how anyone would be able to pick just one favorite. They probably did not, as according to a History site about Southwark, Queen Elizabeth I herself was fond of not only the plays (something mentioned in the Globe Exhibition was that she was a regular attendee) but all the animal fights as well (bear-baiting, cock-fighting, and the bullring). Sometimes, people could even watch the animals that would be in the fights getting trained for the arena.

One could probably do multiple things in a day as well. Maybe in the morning one could see a bear baiting for instance. Bear-baiting was a big favorite as the Tudors seemed to like it very much. Very big mastiffs were set upon a bear that was chained to a stake in the arena and had its teeth filed down. Until the bear was tired, multiple dogs would attack it at once. Later in the day, one could see a play. According to our guide David, people could know what kind of play was being put on that day based off the flags that were put up. Black signified a tragedy, White a comedy, and Red for a historical play. That way people did not have to go over and see a play they did not want to.

There was still a lot of controversy over the activities that were provided in Southwark. Certain monarchs would ban specific things because they did not find them appropriate. In 1503, Henry VII closed the brothels and in 1519, Henry VIII tried to get rid of brothels and gaming houses entirely. He even banned bear-baiting and bull-baiting. Edward VI, Henry VIII’s son reopened the brothels, though. When Elizabeth I came to power, though, she was very much against the brothels (which created sexual sins). Mary was against them as well during her rule. Yet because Elizabeth liked to watch the animals fight, she went and watched frequently.