Digital Learning Commons: Shakespeare: The Elizabethan Age

William Shakespeare lived in England while under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. During this time (1558-1603), England saw a rebirth in national pride, an artistic explosion and appreciation in poetry, literature, and theatre, international expansion, and victories over Spain, a powerful and despised rival.

General Elizabethan Age Resources

Elizabethan Theatres
Information about the various notable theatres of the Elizabethan Era.
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“Elizabethan Theatres.” Playshakespeare.com, 31 Dec. 2013, www.playshakespeare.com/study/elizabethan-theatres.
Elizabethan England (British Library)
Exploration and trade, crime and punishment, clothing and social structure: explore key aspects of Elizabethan life, culture and society.

Notable People

Elizabeth I (The Royal Family)
Brief biographical write-up of Elizabeth I, Queen of England.
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Ciara Berry. “Elizabeth I (R.1558-1603).” The Royal Family, 3 Aug. 2018, www.royal.uk/elizabeth-i.
Elizabeth I (Westminster Abbey)
Concise overview of Elizabeth I, including information on her funeral and artifacts.
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“Elizabeth I.” Westminster Abbey, 2013, www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/elizabeth-i.
Sir Francis Bacon
Sir Francis Bacon was an English lawyer, statesman, essayist, historian, intellectual reformer, philosopher, and champion of modern science.
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Simpson, David. “Francis Bacon.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, iep.utm.edu/francis-bacon/.
Sir Walter Raleigh
With the whole world to explore, this wild spirit found himself caged at the Tower of London.
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“Sir Walter Raleigh.” Historic Royal Palaces, www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/sir-walter-raleigh/.
Mary Queen of Scots
Born at Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian on 8 December 1542, Mary became Queen of Scots when she was six days old.
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Emma Goodey. “Mary, Queen of Scots.” The Royal Family, 3 Feb. 2016, www.royal.uk/mary-queen-scots-r1542-1567.
Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe’s short but active life, the rumours of ‘Diabolicall Atheisme’ swirling around him and his violent death have prompted comparisons with his most infamous dramatic creations. In reality, however, we don’t know what Marlowe’s life has to do with his works, although the comparisons are irresistible.
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Dickson, Andrew. “Christopher Marlowe: The Man, the Myth and the Mighty Line.” British Library, 31 Mar. 2017, www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/christopher-marlowe-the-man-the-myth-and-the-mighty-line.

Notable Places

Tower of London
Read about the history of the Tower of London as well as stories about the famous English landmark.
Windsor Castle
A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, remains a working palace today. The Queen uses the Castle both as a private home, where she usually spends the weekend, and as an official Royal residence at which she undertakes certain formal duties.
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Kirsty Oram. “Royal Residences: Windsor Castle.” The Royal Family, 10 Oct. 2018, www.royal.uk/royal-residences-windsor-castle.
Westminster Abbey
An architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, Westminster Abbey also presents a unique pageant of British history – the shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings and queens, and countless memorials to the famous and the great.
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“History of Westminster Abbey.” Westminster Abbey, 2013, www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/history-of-westminster-abbey.

Notable Events

Act for the Preservation of the Queen's Safety
On 24 November 1586 a delegation from the Lords and Commons went to meet Queen Elizabeth I at Richmond Palace, their mission: to convince her to order the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
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Seaward, Paul. “On This Day, 24 November 1586: Parliament’s Intervention against Mary, Queen of Scots.” The History of Parliament, The History of Parliament Trust, www.historyofparliamentonline.org/periods/tudors/day-24-november-1586-parliament%E2%80%99s-intervention-against-mary-queen-scots.
Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity
Like her father, King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I was a Protestant. When she became Queen, one of the first things it was necessary for her to do was restore the Church of England.