Elizabethan Era or Shakespearean Era BOTH ARE TRUE Overview of 16th Century Britain

Enter Queen Elizabeth I Queen Elizabeth I was one of the only women to rule Britain, and she did it very well Brief biography of QEI

William Shakespeare Shakespeare was considered one of the greatest playwrights, actors, and poets of his time; he was almost like a rock star. He wrote and performed many plays specifically for the Queen, which was a great honor. Shakebio

General Living Conditions Rich vs. The Poor

Emerging Middle Class

Education Only the wealthy could afford education for their children. The poor put their children to work as soon as they could. Usually this would be around five years old

Crowded building over the street

Housing Tight No privacy (family would share a room Dirt roads (mud and horse excrement) Thunder mugs (chamber pots) Tudor Toilets

Streets A lot of garbage Rats (Bubonic Plague) Dirt roads (mud and horse excrement) Emptying thunder mugs

Religion = State There was a state religion – everyone had to believe in it

Magic Witches and magical happenings were believed by many It was seen as the work of demons

Disease Not understood- thought to be “demons” Medicine dealt with the humors, which must be balanced Sanitation was abysmal - dead animals in gutters, animal and human excrement, etc.

But there was relief THE THEATRE For the typical Londoner, life was hard. Going to see a play was modern day’s equivalent of the movies, television, and Broadway wrapped in one.

“No girls allowed!”

The Globe The donut-shaped globe had an open-air center Groundlings and other patrons Had to entertain educated and uneducated alike Sound effects Special effects Fighting Minor characters

A Play being performed at The Globe 2012! Watch this! A Play being performed at The Globe 2012!

The Theatre Maniac “Recycled” story ideas for his plays, taking the basic plots of older works and rewriting them into new plays. Wrote three tkind of plays: Tragedies, Comedies, Histories) All of his plays were written in iambic pentameter Cheesy, but fun

2000 + Words and Phrases Schoolboy shooting star puppy-dog football bandit partner downstairs upstairs leapfrog alligator mimic