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Researching The Life and Times of William Henry Shakespeare
Before we embark on a journey to ancient Rome, let’s take a closer look at the life of William Shakespeare
to discover what influenced him to become one of literature’s most prolific writers.
Our main goal for this exercise is to answer the following question:
How did the events and ideas of the Elizabethan Age influence the writings of William Shakespeare?
Directions:
Go to each website, explore the content and answer the questions in 2-3 complete sentences ON THIS
DOCUMENT! All documents must be submitted to turnitin.com by the end of class.
You will be graded on:
Research – 15 points
Students take research from specified websites and
PARAPHRASE the information in their own words.
All answers are completed in 2-3 complete
sentences
Mechanics – 10 points
People names, towns, text titles and characters are
spelled and formatted correctly (where
appropriate).
Simple spelling and grammar errors are limited by
proofreading before submission.
Website for Queen Elizabeth’s biography:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensofengland/thetudors/elizabethi.aspx
Queen Elizabeth I
1. What are three reasons why Elizabeth’s reign is considered a “Golden Age” of the monarchy?
2. What were the opposing views on Queen Elizabeth’s political choices during her reign? What were
people so worried about?
3. How did Elizabeth feel about the arts? Why were those feelings crucial to Shakespeare’s popularity
and success?
William Henry Shakespeare
Read the paragraph and answer the question that follows:
Shakespeare’s contemporaries, well versed in ancient Greek and Roman history, would very likely
have detected parallels between Julius Caesar’s portrayal of the shift from republican to imperial
Rome and the Elizabethan era’s trend toward consolidated monarchical power. In 1599, when the
play was first performed, Queen Elizabeth I had sat on the throne for nearly forty years, enlarging
her power at the expense of the aristocracy and the House of Commons. As she was then sixty-six
years old, her reign seemed likely to end soon, yet she lacked any heirs (as did Julius Caesar). Many
feared that her death would plunge England into the kind of chaos that had plagued England during
the fifteenth-century Wars of the Roses. In an age when censorship would have limited direct
commentary on these worries, Shakespeare could nevertheless use the story of Caesar to comment
on the political situation of his day.
2.
How does the anxiety about Queen Elizabeth influence Shakespeare’s writing topics?
Directions: Go to Ms. Lemire’s website and click on the “Shakespeare Globe Theater” PowerPoint in
order to answer the questions below.
The Globe Theater
1. What do you notice about the structure of the Globe Theater? What’s unique about it?
1. What are some interesting characteristics you notice about the inside and outside of
the theater?
1. Why would there be seats and a spot on the ground for standing room? What
does this indicate about social class in Elizabethan England?
2. Where do you think Queen Elizabeth would have sat?
The Printing Press
2.
Look closely at the pictures of the printing press and the typeface plate
1. What limitations arise from this type of printing method?
2. How might this method affect the dispersal of the printed word to the Queen’s
subjects?
1. How might it affect the creation of works of fiction? (drama and prose)
Extra Questions if You Finish Early!
Shakespeare’s biography: http://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-life
1. What social class did Shakespeare belong to and how much schooling did he get? Why is this
significant when we consider his accomplishments?
Shakespeare’s Theater: http://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-theater
1. What are some interesting facts about the production and staging of a Shakespeare play? What
were the roles of women when it came to acting?
Publishing Shakespeare: http://www.folger.edu/publishing-shakespeare
1. What were the different types of collections Shakespeare’s works were printed in? Why is this
significant when it comes to the proliferation of his materials?