Elizabethan England & Shakespeare

Elizabethan England & Shakespeare British Civilization Winter semester 2004/05 Instructor: Dr. M. Pätzold The Fairies: Anne-Kathrin Kreft, Rena Ludwig, Helen Münch

Elizabethan Age • 1558 to 1603 (Elizabeth I's reign) • Time of exploration and discovery • Diffusion of knowledge (inventions...) • Renaissance • Male superiority • Return to Protestantism • Improvement of the educational system • English language gains importance • Literary movements and developments • Drama, theatres and Shakespeare

Queen Elizabeth I • Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn • Succeeded her half-sister Mary (daughter of Catherine of Aragon) • Received a humanist education • Spoke French and Italian fluently; could read Latin and Greek • Her status was justified through • comparisons with other female leaders • the theory of "the king's two bodies" • body natural female gender • body politic  role as a monarch; timeless & absolute

Queen Elizabeth I • Believed in royal absolutism • Rising against her and her laws was not only criminal but also a blasphemous act • Had an immense influence over the country; politically and socially • Reckless, unpredictable: • execution of Mary, Queen of Scots • imprisonment of Sir Walter Raleigh • Persecution of Catholics

Cult & Popularity • Exceptional cult of love • Celebrated by people of all classes • "The Virgin Queen": • conservative • negotiations with prospective husbands • power over the "male world" • Died unmarried and childless: • she did not want to lose her power, independence and myth • Succeeded by James Stuart in 1603

Politics • Elizabeth's power was not absolute! Queen Elizabeth summons and dissolves,determines topics of discussion,vetoes bills appoints independent! oath of loyalty Privy Council Parliament levies taxes,grants subsidies consists of House ofLords House of Commons peerage gentry elect boroughs

hierarchy without gaps No movement!! The Great Chain of Being • Elizabethans praised order and harmony archbishop  bishop water  earth

hot, dry fire choleric short-tempered, thin, red-haired, ambitious air sanguine optimistic, red-cheeked, corpulent, irresponsible hot, moist cold, moist water phlegmatic sluggish, pallid, corpulent, lazy earth melancholic introspective, sallow, thin cold, dry Elements and Humours Hotspur (Henry IV) elements humours traits Falstaff (Henry IV) world made up of the four elements food Richard II (Hamlet)

Religion - Prehistory • Early 16th century: Catholicism the only religion • 1517: Reformation in Europe (Martin Luther) • Henry VIII  Defender of Faith • Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cranmer become his new advisors  marriage is declared voidHenry is excommunicated • England is a Protestant country now • Edward ascends the throne  clear Protestant Church is installed • Mary becomes Queen  Roman Catholicism is re-established (“Bloody Mary”)  Elizabeth in danger

Protestant England • Elizabeth is crowned Queen, but: not accepted by Roman Catholics (invalid marriage of her parents) • Elizabeth is Protestant but does not re-establish a rigorous Protestantism • Unification of both Catholic and Protestant elements  Church Of England • Not accepted by Roman Catholics and Puritans • 1559: Act of Supremacy and Act of Uniformity • 1570: Excommunication of Elizabeth • Plans to assassinate her are discovered  execution of Mary, Queen of Scotland

Education - Petty School • Derived from the French word “petite école” (“small school”) • For boys from five years on • Conducted by a local housewife • Preparation for grammar school • Manners, basic skills and principles are taught • Lessons in behaviour, learning of some prayers and the catechism

Grammar School & University • At the age of seven: public schooling or home tutor (for boys) • Girls: Education at home, mainly learn domestic skills  preparation for being good housewives • Subjects contain the trivium and quadrivium • Latin = the international language • Preparation for university • Intended for male students • Girls are not allowed to attend university

Language • Latin was more important than English • Almost no English literature • Romans were admired because of their eloquence • Their works are translated into English • Increase in number of books and reading people  spread of the English language • W. Shakespeare writes all of his works in English  The English language replaces Latin and gains a high reputation

Development of Drama • "Miracle Plays" and "Interludes" now followed by the first full-length plays • Since English became a popular language ( travelling, translation of the Bible):first writings in English • Invention of printing  writers sold their manuscripts to the printer for very low prizes • Financial rewards from wealthy patrons • No freedom of the press

Theatres • playhouses built outside the city walls ( Puritans) • plays attended by anumerous audience • soliloquies, prologuesand epilogues • no females allowedto act • atmosphere: • no “special effects“ • very few props • audience close to the stage/actors

Film Sequence:"Shakespeare in Love" Some points to observe: • Distance stage-audience • Behaviour of the audience • Prologue • Signs of religion • Female characters on-stage

Elizabethan England & Shakespeare