2. Elizabethan Times:
Four centuries after William Shakespeare wrote his complete Works, they continue to entertain and intrigue audiences around the world. In the words of his friend and rival playwright Ben Jonson, “He was not of an age, but for all time”.
Taken individually, several of them are among the world's finest written works; taken collectively, they establish Shakespeare as the foremost literary talent of his own Elizabethan Age and, even more impressively, as a genius whose creative achievement since then has never been surpassed.
Shakespeare’s career unfolded during the Elizabethan Era, the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who is often referred to as the Virgin Queen since she never got married nor had any children. She came to the throne under turbulent circumstances in 1558 and ruled until her death in 1603. The Elizabethan Era is often considered to be a golden age in English history, with the flourishing of Elizabethan theatre, the rise of England as a leading naval and commercial power, and the importance of William Shakespeare who, among others, broke away from England’s past style of plays and theatre. England consolidated its position with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and Elizabeth firmly established the church of England. The Elizabethan age is viewed so highly because of the contrasts with the periods before and after. It was a long period of general of not total internal peace and generally increasing prosperity. During this period, London was the heart of England, reflecting all the vibrant qualities of the Elizabethan Age. It was the leading centre of culture and commerce, and it was in this environment that Shakespeare lived and wrote. Its economy bloomed and in the 16th century the city’s population rose up to nearly two hundred thousand people in the city proper and outlying region. |