Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Age
Shakespeare
Elizabethan Era
The Elizabethan Era is the period of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–
1603); it is often considered to be a golden age in the history of English
literature. This was also the time during which the Elizabethan theatre grew
and William Shakespeare became famous.
Why is this period called the Elizabethan Age?
➢Elizabethan Age is named after the greatest Queen of England,
Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), and is often described as the “golden
age“
in English history
➢Queen Elizabeth I was a huge fan of English literature, art and
music, so she used her wealth to create an entirely English Culture of
Art
helping the best artists of England l.
➢This "golden age" represented the apogee (=Hohepunkt) of the
English Renaissance:
→ Flowering poetry, music and literature.
→ This era is most famous for theatre through such great playwrights
as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe using London
theaters such as the Globe Theatre.
→ Watching plays became in England very popular.
➢The Elizabethan Age contrasts with the periods before and after:
→ A short period of internal peace between the English Reformation,
with battles between Protestants and Catholics, and the battles
between parliament and the monarchy that would engulf the
seventeenth century.
→ Protestant/Catholic divide was settled, for a time, by the
Elizabethan Religious Settlement.
Is Shakespeare still relevant and should students still read it? General information
→ William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor. who is widely
regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent
dramatist ( often called England's national poet and nicknamed the Bard of Avon)
→ he wrote about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other
verses → his plays have been translated into every major living language and are
performed more often than those of any other playwright
→ the Elizabethan Age (1558-1603), in which Shakespeare was active, was one of the
most interesting of modern times; it was marked by new beginnings and changes.
Shakespeare short biography
1564 Shakespeare is born as the first son of a prominent
businessman.
1582 Marriage to Anne Hathaway (a 26-year old farmer’s
daughter). Their first child is born six months later.
1585 Twins are born; shortly afterwards Shakespeare leaves
his family to disappear for seven years: the ‘Lost Years’.
1592 Well established in the London theatre world as an
actor, playwright and poet
1593 First publication (a narrative poem)
1594 Founding member of an acting company
1595-96 Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream are published
1597 Shakespeare buys New Place, the second-largest
building in Stratford.
1599 The Globe Theatre is built in London; Shakespeare is
part owner.
1605 Shakespeare’s acting company, The King’s Men,, performs eleven times
before the king; seven of the performances are plays by Shakespeare.
1606 Macbeth is published.
1609 Sonnets are published.
1610 Shakespeare leaves London and settles in Stratford, a rich man.
1616 He dies, having written 38 plays.
1623 The first complete collection of Shakespeare’s works is published.
What role did the monarch play in Shakespeare‘s life?
➢Shakespeare’s works were greatly influenced by Queen Elizabeth and she changed
society so that people like Shakespeare and so that he could be successful.
➢Elizabeth was interested in theatre which made it popular, because she was royalty so
people liked what she liked. Queen Elizabeth was the person most looked up to during this
time period.
➢Queen Elizabeth responded to the Puritans who criticized the arts and literature by
forming her own group of performers. Her goal was to bring the law of theaters back into
business for her people. William Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers in England at
the time and he wrote plays for the general population of England.
→ Queen Elizabeth supported Shakespeare's writing and works because she cared for all
members of society and not just kings or wealthy people, so overall, Queen Elizabeth's
reign had a positive effect on the production of Shakespeare's plays.
➢She inspired his play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by, making people interested in that
type of play. The text and the history of it is unusual but that is what makes it interesting to
all types of people. Another thing that people didn’t like is all the actors were played my
males, many people thought that was not appropriate.
→ She made this play big and a big hit in 1590, Shakespeare mentioned her as a part of
making the play big.
2. What were the basic structures of politics and society?
Society:
➢ Cosmos as a god-ordered system -> Earth is the center of attention.
➢ God as creator above all ranks: 1. Angels, 2. Humans, 3. Animals , 4. Plants, 5. Dead matter (e.g. gold)
➢ Each level of hierarchy is once again subdivided into itself.
→ Humans – The king stands above the nobles and the nobles above the peasants (Elizabethans believed
that God had appointed the
monarch).
→ When a human rises up against hid divinely assigned position, he thereby endangers the entire system.
Politics:
➢ Queen Elizabeth I was ruler and sovereign of England.
→ She had the power and status to grant jobs to those below her.
➢ Court as the centre of political power.
➢ With the benefit of the system patronage she had a great power and could appoint people to the most
important jobs
➢ Most important group: Privy Council.
→The Privy Council consisted of wealthy, powerful nobles who worked together with the highly intelligent
men of the times, it was ruled by Queen Elizabeth and had less than twenty members, which were chosen by
the Queen. They were responsible for: economics, policy, religion and security and military matters.
➢ In Tudor times the parliament had far less authority than it does nowadays, but during her reign
Parliament did become more influential.
→ The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan
period during
the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. It coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England whose
first monarch was Henry VII.
➢ Elisabeth’s greatest critics: Puritans.
