1. Notes on the History of Elizabethan England and Shakespeare Himself

2. King Henry VIII (Ruled England 1509-1547) Known for breaking with Church + Many Wives (6)

3. King Henry and His Wives
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
1532-May 19, 1536
Catharine Parr
July
King Henry and His Wives
Catherine Howard
July 28,
Jane Seymour
May 29,
Anne Cleves
Jan. 6, 1540-July 12, 1540

4. Catherine of Aragon (1509-1532)
Marries Henry to keep alliance with Spain
Bears 7 children; only Mary lives through infancy
Henry starts new church, annuls marriage, banishes Catherine

5. Anne Boleyn (1532-May 19, 1536)
Gives birth to daughter, Elizabeth, 1533
Henry accuses her of unfaithfulness
Beheaded May 19, 1536

6. Jane Seymour (May 29, 1536-1537) Gives birth to son, Edward, 1537
Dies from complications in childbirth

7. Anne of Cleves (Jan. 6, 1540-July 12, 1540)
Henry marries her for political reasons -- alliance with Cleves (part of modern Germany)
Officially divorces her July 12, 1540

8. Catherine Howard (July 28, 1540-1542)
Anne Boleyn’s 2nd cousin
Anne of Cleves’ maid in waiting
She has affairs
Beheaded 1542

9. Catharine Parr (1543-1547) Henry’s last wife
Acts as Henry’s nurse when he becomes sick

10. England After Henry
When Henry dies, Edward comes to the throne (he was 9!)
•Edward dies when he’s 16, and “Bloody Mary” takes the throne

11. Queen Elizabeth I (Ruled England 1558-1603)
Mary (a Catholic) dies and Elizabeth (a Protestant) comes to the throne in 1558
Under Elizabeth, the arts flourished and educational institutions were established.
England also became a military force -Defeat of the Spanish Armada 1588
Never married, so known as the “Virgin Queen”
Followed by King James ( )

12. Defeating the Spanish Armada

13. Life in Elizabethan England
Public Life
Gossip: Those who are “in the know” are popular.
Crowds and public squares were volatile --> anything could set them off!
No free discussion of rulers =
High treason! Spies everywhere
Punishments:
Upper class = beheading
Lower class = drawing and quartering

14. Life in Elizabethan England
Family Life
Children and parents =
very formal
Never disobey
Children raised by nurses
Women had no legal rights
All their money and possessions went to the husband
Literacy Rate was Low
(W-10% M-30%)
Single wealthy women were fought over
Married at the age of 11 or 12
Father had the right to choose husbands for daughters -- negotiated for power
Marriage = crucial to a woman
No legal rights without it
LOVE
Romantic Love was ALWAYS discouraged -- a good match was more important
HONOR = very important! Defend family

15. Heart of England = LONDON
Tower Of London
Fort for protecting the city from invasions
Royal Palace
Prison

16. London: Sanitation The Plague = incurable
Horrible!
Streets were filthy
No sewers or drains
Gutters were in the middle of the street
Garbage & chamber pots emptied in the streets --piled up until a rain
Men walked in the middle of street to protect the ladies
The Plague = incurable
Overcrowding led to slums, filth
Plague carried by fleas on rats -- not known then
Thought to be God’s wrath on wicked people
Two outbreaks killed 1/4 of the population in Shakespeare’s time
Life expectancy = 48 years
Time to travel to “New World” = 1-2 months

17. Theater’s Place in the World: One Side
The Court
Elizabeth and James totally supported theater
Shakespeare’s company, “The King’s Men,” were named for King James

18. Theater’s Place in the World: The Other Side
City Officials
Time of Puritanism = Very conservative
Thought theater was evil, satanic, and destroyed public morals

19. Theater’s Place in the World
Therefore:
Theater was not allowed in London proper, within the official city limits
Instead, all theaters were in Southwark, just across the Thames, and outside city lines

20. Shakespeare’s Theater: The Globe
Variety of tickets, from the pit (groundlings) to the gallery
Loud, obnoxious, intelligent crowds
Performances lasted “at least two hours,” and started around 2 PM (the middle of the working day)
Trumpet blew to signal the start
Public - open to all, though could not be advertised
Showed type of play by color of the flag
White = Comedy
Red = History
Black = Tragedy

21. A Tour of the Globe

22. William Shakespeare: The Bard Himself

23. England-A Spiritually Divided Country
When Henry starts his own church, that splits the country into Catholic and Protestant
Shakespeare’s family has Catholic roots, but he supports the Queen

24. Shakespeare: Early Life
Vital Stats:
Born April 23, 1564
Dies April 23, 1616
Early Life: Stratford on Avon, England
Marries Anne Hathaway (said she saved his life)
They have three kids:
Susanna, Hamnet and Judith
He moves to London in 1590s

25. Stratford On Avon: Shakespeare’s Hometown
Shakespeare’s Grammar School

26. London: The Big City

27. Shakespeare in London Became a leading actor and playwright by 1592
In 1594, Romeo and Juliet was first performed -- all male actors!
By 1595, he’s the hottest playwright in London
Writes 37 plays (2 per year)
Performed plays in theaters, palaces, inns, and homes of nobility
returned to Stratford

28. How Shakespeare Changed Theatre
Before --
•Performed by roaming troupes for a meal or bed.
•Actors considered vagrants
• Performed lewd plays to religious ones.
After --
Professional
Adds sets, lighting, multiple stages, and the box office.
Theater is new, akin to the start of TV