Topic One (1.1): Introduction to William Shakespeare and Jacobean England – Key Contexts

Introduction Icon.png Introduction

As you know from AS, the English playwright, William Shakespeare (1564-1616), is the world’s most famous literary figure. He lived and worked during the reigns of both Elizabeth I and James I, a time period sometimes known as the English Renaissance or the early modern period. His works include 38 plays and 154 sonnets, and these are still widely studied by students around the globe over 400 years after his death. His plays are frequently performed and adapted, both on stage and in film.

James I became King of England and Ireland in 1603, after the death of Elizabeth I, and the Tudor dynasty therefore gave way to the Stuart dynasty. James was already King James VI of Scotland, so his reign united England, Ireland and Scotland and led to the beginnings of what became known as ‘Great Britain’ or the ‘United Kingdom’. As a lover of the arts and theatre, James did much to advance Shakespeare’s career and his influence can be seen on Shakespeare’s plays of this era. Although the Britain in which King Lear is set is ancient and mythical, the play reflects issues which affected James I’s reign, such as the dangers of a divided kingdom, notions of kingship, the family and feudalism.

Reflect Icon.png Review

  • You should have already read, and made notes on, the resources below as part of your AS course, but you may find it helpful to revisit these now before beginning more detailed work on King Lear.
  • If you have only joined Wolsey Hall for AL, and did not study AS with us, please ensure you use these resources to make notes now:

Shakespeare’s Life (Recap of AS Material)

  • Use the following to make brief notes on Shakespeare’s life:

EXPLORE – Overview of Shakespeare’s Life (Cliffnotes) Links to an external site.

Download READ – William Shakespeare – Factsheet (Globe Education)

EXPLORE – The Life and Legacy of England’s Bard: Timeline with Pictures (BBC) Links to an external site.

  • Listen to the following discussion about Shakespeare’s life and add any helpful additional detail to your notes:

LISTEN – Shakespeare’s Life: Discussion on Radio 4’s In Our Time (BBC) Links to an external site.

  • Now read about London in Shakespeare’s time using the following factsheet (this was also covered at AS):

Download READ – London in Shakespeare’s Time – Factsheet (Globe Education)

Shakespeare’s Works (Recap of AS Material)

  • The following factsheet gives an overview of writing plays in Shakespeare’s time. Read it and make brief notes:

Download READ – Writing Plays in Shakespeare’s Time: Factsheet (Globe Education)

  • Now listen to the following discussion about Shakespeare’s work and add any helpful extra details to your notes. This is all helpful background literary context.

LISTEN – Shakespeare’s Work: Discussion on Radio 4’s In Our Time (BBC) Links to an external site.

Skills Icon.png Tasks

James I and Jacobean England

N.B. Although there is some overlap with the materials you covered at AS on the Elizabethan era, the following documents relate to Jacobean England and King Lear specifically, so you must work through all of these.

  • Watch the following short film about King James I:

WATCH – King James I (1566-1625) (YouTube) Links to an external site.

  • In your essays, as you did at AS, you will need to make brief references to relevant social and cultural contexts. The following PowerPoints give an overview of Jacobean society and some of the important beliefs and ideas that Shakespeare’s audience would have held.
  • Read through them and make notes:

Download READ – Key Context 1: James I and Jacobean England (PowerPoint)

Download READ – Key Context 2: Elizabethan and Jacobean Belief Systems (PowerPoint)

  • The following article gives an overview of Renaissance culture. Read it carefully and add to your notes.

EXPLORE – Overview of Renaissance Culture (The British Library) Links to an external site.