Explain why 17th century Puritans were opposed to the theatre.

The conservative sect of Protestantism disliked theatres because they were seen as immoral places harbouring anti-Puritan ideas and groups. This immorality was manifested in criminal groups often found in theatres, who would steal from visitors or coerce them into criminal activity such as prostitution. These groups were heavily associated with the issue of drunkenness at theatres, which also opposed conservative Puritan ideals of sobriety. Therefore, Puritans were strongly against theatres due to their promotion of immoral acts both on stage and within the crowds. The plays themselves often included references to liberal morals such as pre-marital sex, thus Puritans strongly resented all aspects of the theatre. Furthermore, these immoral plays were commonly performed on Sundays. This conflicted with conservative view of Sunday being a day of church and prayer, with no social activities to be practiced. Thus, the theatre experience was wholly repugnant to the strict Puritan group. The Puritans' strict adherence to Protestant principles conflicted with the experience of theatre which promoted liberal values and the prioritisation of social activities, both legal and criminal, over the devotion to prayer.