Elizabethan Age

Characteristics of the Elizabethan Age

The Elizabethan Age is marked by numerous religious, social, political and economic shifts, some of which we will explore in the sections below.

The religious background of the Elizabethan Age

Queen Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and separated the Church of England from Papal authority in 1534 to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon. This led to religious unrest in England. After King Henry VIII's reign, i.e., during Edward VI's and Mary I's succession, the religious unrest only increased. Queen Elizabeth I's religious tolerance led to a time of peace between religious factions. This is the reason people celebrate her reign.

The social background of the Elizabethan Age

The social aspects of life during the Elizabethan Age had their merits and demerits. While there were no famines, and harvest was bountiful during this period, people also lived in extreme poverty due to a wide wealth gap among the different social groups.

Families that could afford to, sent their sons to school, while daughters were either sent to work and earn money for the household or be trained to manage a household, do domestic chores and take care of children in the hopes of them marrying well.

The population of England increased. This increase led to inflation, as labour was available for cheap. Those who were able-bodied were expected to work and earn a living. Due to an increase in population, major cities, especially London, were overcrowded. This led to rat infestation, filthy environments and the rapid spread of diseases. There were multiple outbreaks of plague during the Elizabethan Age, during which outdoor gatherings were banned, including theatre performances.

The political background of the Elizabethan Age

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Parliament was not yet strong enough to pit itself against Royal authority. This changed after the succession of James I of the crown. An elaborate spy network and a strong military foiled numerous assassination attempts on the Queen. Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth I's army and naval fleet also prevented the invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in 1588, thus establishing England's and consequently Queen Elizabeth I's supremacy in Europe. The period was also marked by political expansion and exploration. The trade of goods thrived, leading to a period of commercial progress.

Literature of the Elizabethan Age

Some of the most significant contributions to the English literary canon emerged from the Elizabethan Age. This section explores some of the popular playwrights and poets of the Elizabethan Age.

Writers and Poets of the Elizabethan Age

The most important playwrights and poets of the Elizabethan Age include William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe and Edmund Spenser.

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was known as the 'Bard of Stratford' as he hailed from a place called Stratford-Upon-Avon in England. He is credited with having written 39 plays, 154 sonnets and other literary works. A prolific writer, much of the vocabulary we use today in our everyday lives was coined by William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare often performed a supporting character in the theatrical iterations of the plays he wrote. He was a part-owner of a theatre company that came to be known as the King's Men as it received great favour and patronage from King James I. Even during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare received patronage from the monarch and often performed for her.

Because of the universal themes that characterise his works, such as jealousy, ambition, power struggle, love etc., William Shakespeare's plays continue to be widely read and analysed today. Some of his most famous plays include Hamlet (c. 1599-1601), Othello (1603), Macbeth (1606), As You Like It (1599) and Romeo and Juliet (c. 1595).

Ben Jonson

Ben Jonson had a significant influence on English theatre and poetry. His work popularised the genre of comedy of humours, such as Every Man in His Humour (1598).

Jonson is identified by some as the first poet Laureate as he received patronage from aristocrats as well as a yearly pension. Ben Jonson's work was influenced by his social, cultural and political engagements. Jonson was well acquainted with Shakespeare and the latter's theatre company often produced Jonson's plays. While during his lifetime, Jonson was often critical of Shakespeare's works, he also credited Shakespeare as a genius in the preface to the First Folio.

Some works authored by Ben Jonson include The Alchemist (1610), Volpone, or The Fox (c. 1606) and Mortimer His Fall (1641).

Christopher Marlowe

Christopher Marlowe was a contemporary of Jonson and Shakespeare and a prolific poet and playwright. He is best known for his translation of Goethe's tale of Dr. Faust, which Marlowe titled The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus (c. 1592).

Marlowe employed the blank verse to compose his works, popularising the form in the Elizabethan Age. His works include Tamburlaine the Great (c. 1587), The Jew of Malta (c. 1589) and Dido, Queen of Carthage (c. 1585). Marlowe's untimely death at the age of 29 is a matter of debate among scholars, some of whom think that Marlowe was killed by a spy in the Privy Council.

Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser is most famous for his epic poem The Fearie Queene (c. 1590), which includes pastoral themes and whose titular character is inspired by Queen Elizabeth I. The poem celebrates the Tudor dynasty and was widely read at the time of publication, and continues to be an important part of the English literary canon emerging from the period.

Edmund Spenser is also the pioneer of the Spenserian stanza and the Spenserian sonnet, both of which are named after him.

The Elizabethan Age today

The effects of the Elizabethan Age can be felt in contemporary works of literature. This is because of the many literary forms, devices and genres that were developed during the time and remained popular through the centuries. Literary works emerging from the Elizabethan Age are widely read and studied till the present day, particularly those of William Shakespeare.