William Shakespeare and the elizabethan era
...he renaissance, 1509-1660. This Renaissance came during the reign of Henry VIII and paved the way for the great writers of the time. The Elizabethan Age was not one of widespread wealth. During this period there was a rise in population and prices soared. This led to extreme cases of poverty and inflation. Even with remarkable works of English literature coming from the period, living conditions certainly did not contribute towards a productive working environment for the writers of the time. This widespread poverty leads to a financial opportunity in theatre. Two major religions emerged during this period, Catholicism and Protestantism. In the year 1588 Phillip II attacked England in response to Queen Elizabeth I support for Dutch resistance. The Spanish armada was defeated and added glory to an already exciting period in English history. William Shakespeare is the one of the most well known writers to emerge from the Elizabethan Age. Shakespeare’s works remain to this day extremely prevalent in today’s society. Shakespeare’s works influence the film industry and play a large role in education. Romeo and Juliet; Hamlet and Othello, some of Shakespeare’s most famous works, contain themes that are still prevalent in today’s society. This echoes the brilliance of his work and illustrates how Shakespeare has managed to become a household name. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 23, 1564. Stratford-upon-Avon, small English midlands town, set the stage to see the rise of one of history’s greatest writers. Shakespeare would grow up to become not only an actor and a playwright, but a significant poet as well. Shakespeare’s father was John Shakespeare and his mother, Mary Shakespeare. Mary would bear eight children of which William Shakespeare was the third. With humble beginnings and so many children one would find it hard to believe that Shakespeare could receive a significant education. Shakespeare attended Stratford’s Grammar School where he receiv...