The Elizabethan Age and Shakespeare The Time and

The Elizabethan Age and Shakespeare

The Time and What It Stood For n Queen Elizabeth I’s reign (1558 -1603). n England: centralized, well-organized, and effective government. n This age – also known as the English Renaissance -- is considered the GOLDEN AGE in English history n ----- literature, poetry, and theatre all broke away from the past and expanded in new creative directions.

The Elizabethan Mindset n The arts became incredibly important at this time. n Travel and exploration were important and most new inventions were related to travel of some sort.

n THEATER & Tour Troupes – groups of n First seen as vagabonds and the law tried to make them stop performing. n Became immensely popular. The miracle plays and masques died out. n Tour troupes received better and better funding as Queen Elizabeth I showed her enthusiasm for them. professional “players” who traveled to perform. n Funded by wealthy patrons.

William Shakespeare n ‘Baptized’ 26 April 1564 in his hometown: Stratford-upon-Avon. n England’s n At National Poet 18 he married Anne Hathaway, who bore him three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith.

William Shakespeare n While in his twenties, Shakespeare lived in London and was a successful actor and writer n His early plays were comedies and histories. His later plays were mostly tragedies.