The Globe Theatre was a highly popular venue for theatrical productions in London. Shakespeare's plays, such as "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet," were among those performed at the theatre. However, the theatre's location in the Bankside area, across the River Thames from the City of London, caused conflict with the Puritan authorities of the city.
The Puritans, a religious group known for their strict moral views, considered playhouses to be dens of vice and corruption. They believed that theatres attracted disreputable characters and contributed to the spread of immoral behavior. As a result, the Puritans frequently clashed with theatre owners and actors, leading to tensions between the City authorities and the theatre community.
In 1599, the Theatre Controversy reached its peak when the Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Waldegrave, attempted to shut down the Globe Theatre and other playhouses in Bankside. The Puritans claimed that the theatres violated religious and moral laws, and they cited the proximity of the theatres to churches and residential areas as a problem.
In response, theatre owners and actors, including Shakespeare, launched a campaign to protect their livelihoods. They argued that theatres provided entertainment to the public and did not pose any moral threat. Shakespeare himself is believed to have written a letter to the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Hunsdon, expressing concern over the potential closure of the Globe Theatre and the impact it would have on his profession and the livelihoods of many associated with the theatre.
The theatre community ultimately succeeded in defending the Globe Theatre and other playhouses in Bankside. The Theatre Controversy highlighted the tensions between the Puritan authorities and the theatrical community but also demonstrated the importance of theatre as a form of entertainment and art in Elizabethan England.