Shakespeare A to Z | Mermaid Tavern
Taverns were, and still are, an important part of English life. Originally serving as inns for travelers, taverns became popular as restaurants during Shakespeare’s time. Elizabethan taverns offered private rooms that patrons could rent for eating and drinking, gambling, making business deals, or even making love. Some of these private rooms had names, such as the Angel, the Dolphin, and the Rose. People who rented them knew that they would be undisturbed by all but the drawer (the Elizabethan word for “waiter”).
Several groups regularly rented tavern rooms. One of these was...
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