Marriage in Elizabethan Times

during the reign of Queen Elizabeth l, commonly known as the Elizabethan era. The Elizabethan epoch is seen by many as the pivotal point in English literature; historians regard it as being the golden age in England’s history. A plethora of books, movies, and plays, including many of Shakespeare’s works, were based on ideas and interests of the time. Consequently, many of his works are reminiscent of values and ideals found throughout this time period. Learning about the cultural norms during…

is to this day still seen as the greatest English poet of all time. His play Othello was written between 1601 and 1604, it was first performed by the King’s Men in 1604. Othello is a play about a general, named Othello, who is being manipulated into thinking that his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. The way that women are represented in this play, differs from the way women were viewed during Shakespeare’s time. During the Elizabethan era, which was the era in which William Shakespeare grew up,…

The Elizabethan era consists of several different social customs which significantly impacted people’s lives. These customs generally concern the ethics of respect for women as this has been constantly demonstrated in a negative aspect throughout this era. Hamlet by William Shakespeare includes the practices of a society which undeniably oppresses women. The contrast between this issue during Elizabethan era and today’s society is prominent, however there are factors that are discerned as…

Looking through the lens of studies of such scholars as Carson, Tiramani, and many more, this essay will analyse what theatres looked like and how they functioned during the Elizabethan era. This analysis will help to understand the form of early varieties of A Midsummer Night’s Dream adaptations, which because of its time period lacks detail. Furthermore, with such adaptations as Hall’s ‘hippie’ film, as well as Brook’s ‘fresh’ production, staged in a blank, white box, this paper will look…

the witty characters of Beatrice and Benedick and their “merry-war.” It is evident that without Beatrice and Benedick there would be hardly any humour in the play which could test the autonomy of the play’s genre being a comedy. However at the same time, we see representations of society through both of these characters,…

William Shakespeare’s Othello is a play that tackles the racial issues of the Elizabethan period without explicitly mentioning them. Shakespeare aims to go against the stereotypical views of black men and paint them in a good light, one that his audience is not used to. The play takes place in a setting relatively tolerant of Africans, Venice, but through the events of the play the Elizabethan audience is able to see the damage that their racist thinking creates. Shakespeare shows the effect of…

Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” was revolutionary at the time when it was written, and the story still relates with audiences today. Written in the late 1500’s, “Hamlet” deals with heavy topics, such as mortality, religion, and broken family dynamics. All of these themes were becoming increasingly popular during the Elizabethan Era, and they were a large influence in Shakespeare’s writing. The Elizabethan Era marked a time of change and development. Art and literature began to flourish. Theater became a…

will be analysing how lord Capulet, the father of Juliet is presented in the film as well as in the play. Certain key features will be analysed from how and Elizabethan father’s duty was in the time in which the play was written and also see the comparison towards the play and film. In act one scene 2, lord Capulet is discussing the marriage between Juliet and one of the main character in this play called Paris, the discussion is a one way conversation in which lord Capulet as a farther is to…

A 45-year reign complete with prosperity as well as tragedy defines the Elizabethan Era. As the daughter of King Henry VII, Elizabeth I was always in line for the throne. Over time, Elizabeth’s chances of succeeding the throne became slim due to the birth of her half-brother Edward. She officially became third in line for the throne, behind her half-sister Mary. It was not until the death of both her siblings that Elizabeth was able to claim the throne. Although Elizabeth’s sister made many…

During the Elizabethan era, both men and women were supposed to follow certain gender conventions that were not always fair. The men were to always be vigorous and proud, as well as valiant and confident. They had absolute power over their wives as they could control anything they did. Women during the Elizabethan era were treated inferior to men in all aspects of life. The women held down the household while men were the family breadwinners. In the book Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare,…