Elizabethan England and Shakespeare

What’s happening in England during this time period?

• Tudors come to power at the end of the War of the Roses (English Civil War) and England is united under one monarchy.

• England’s religion is Catholic.• After this, England has four different rulers in

under 100 years – each ruler has their own agenda.

The Different Rulers and Their Agendas

• King Henry VIII (1509-1547) can’t decide on a wife, has six. – Henry’s marital unhappiness causes England to break with Catholic

church– Church of England (Protestant Church)established so Henry can get a

divorce– This causes split in country between Catholics and members of the

Church of England• King Edward IV (1547-1553) brings peace with France

– Died at the age of fifteen• Queen Mary I (1553-1558) re-establishes Catholicism

– Persecutes Protestants– Burned 300 dissenters at the stake, earning her the name “Bloody Mary”

• Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) daughter of Henry VIII– Begins England’s Golden Age and the Renaissance

• Art, Music, Poetry and Drama flourish– Restores Protestant Church

In short…this is what happened…

1.King Henry VIII (1509-1547) breaks with the Catholic Church and establishes the Church of England (Protestant Church)

2.Queen Mary (1553-1558) re-establishes Catholicism

3.Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) restores the Protestant Church

Who is Queen Elizabeth?

• Ruled from 1558-1603

• Became queen at age 25

• Daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

• One of the most successful and loved rulers of England

Who is Queen Elizabeth?• Ruled during the

Renaissance Period– Especially loved music,

dance, and the theater

• Nickname: the “Virgin Queen”

• Never married– Had many marriage proposals

– Never had any children

– Used her flirtatious nature to get what she wanted from male rulers of other nations

Queen Elizabeth and Religion

• Was Anglican (Church of England) like her father

• Completely opposed to Catholicism because she blamed the pope for her being called a “bastard”

• TOLERATED Catholics because she knew that if she allowed some religious freedom she would have her subjects’ loyalty

Structure of Tudor Society

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How did people live?Social Class and the Church

• Life was governed by two important factors- religion and social structure.

• England was a largely rural society – as much as 90% of the population lived in

the countryside. – The Gentry owned the majority of land,

and were by birthright the ‘natural leaders ‘of the community.

• This group counted for just 1% of the population

• Queen Elizabeth’s new laws– laws regarding religion were established

• Everyone is required to attend church service every Sunday and on holidays

• People were fined for not attending church

• Illegal to be a Catholic priest

How did people live?Dwellings

• Made of wood with straw roofs. If you were rich, your house was made of brick.

• Type of house and amount of furniture depended on social class.

How did people live?Food

• The richer you were, the more variety of food you had.

• Food was salted or smoked to preserve it, and often spices were added to hide the taste of rotten food.

• Ale and cider were common drinks, even for the children, as the water was dirty.

How did people live?Clothing

• The type of clothing you wore depended upon your social class.

• Poor people wore simple, loose-fitting clothes made from woolen cloth.

– Most men wore trousers made from wool and a tunic which came down to just above their knee.

– Women wore a dress of wool that went down to the ground. They often wore an apron over this and a cloth bonnet on their heads.

• Clothing was regulated by Sumptuary Laws– Dictated what color and type of clothing, furs,

fabrics, and trims were allowed to persons of various ranks or incomes

– Created to control extravagant clothing and to make sure people dressed within their social class

How did people live?Education and Work

• Education– Few people went to school, those that did were the sons

of the wealthy (not the daughters)– The boys would go to grammar school everyday but Sunday – They would learn Latin, religious studies, Greek, arithmetic

and music. – Majority of the population was illiterate and not educated

• Work– Most children and adults worked each day tending their

crops and animals• Most men and boys worked in the fields, and would

hunt and keep animals to provide their meat. – Some men had special jobs such as blacksmiths

making tools. • Women and girls looked after the home, cooking,

washing, making clothes and candles, milking the cows and growing herbs for medicines and cooking.

How did people live?Cities

• London

– largest city in Western Europe

– Most important trading city in England

– City was dangerous and filthy

• Great risk of fire because most buildings made

of wood

• A large population and the lack of a structured

sewage system, meant that all waste was simply

dumped into the River Thames

• There was a lot of disease

• The government didn’t help the poor,

so crime was high

Elizabethan Theater• During Elizabeth’s reign

theater changed• New dramas were called

“Elizabethan Dramas”• Designed to entertain the

masses• Plays had religious

undertones, but were not designed to teach religion or morality

• Contained historical allusions that the audience would understand

The Audience• Commoners (poor) were

called “groundlings” because they paid very little money (a penny) to stand on the ground to watch plays

• One ticket would pay for a day at the theater—usually three plays in one day

• There were no female actors in Tudor times. Boys played women's parts.

The Globe Theatre• Nicknamed “The

Wooden O” because it was not rectangular but oval in shape– Could hold 2000-3000

people

• Most expensive seats were closest to the stage

• Very important guests were often seated ON the stage

What did Shakespeare contribute to society?

• He wrote tragedies, comedies, and histories that are still read, studied, and performed today

• He wrote 154 sonnets about love and life

• He added words and phrases to the English language

Shakespeare’s Writing

• Tragedy: A dramatic play that ends in catastrophe, often death for the main character.

• Tragic hero: The main character(usually someone noble) in a tragedy who has a tragic flaw, which is a weakness that leads to their downfall.

• Comic Relief: Following a serious scene with a lighter, humorous one.