1. An Historical context for Hamlet
This powerpoint is best used when you have already begun the play and are in late act 1 or early act 2 so students can relate the information to what they have already seen in the play.
British Literature

2. Table of contents Introduction to History and the Tudor saga Culture
Theater
Customs specific to Shakespeare
This powerpoint is divided into sections. For Academic it might be a good idea to break this across a few days. Click on the section title and the powerpoint will jump to the appropriate section.

3. Introduction to the Elizabethan Renaissance
Early 16th century into the early 17th century
Time of “rebirth” and new ideas
writing poetry and drama
composing music
painting
experimenting in monarch’s name
Exploration became vital in this era.
This was the first time people in England had excess wealth to spend.
This was one of the factors that created the theater
The English Renaissance takes place during the early 16th century and continues into the early 17th century under the Tudor rule of England (Beginning with Henry VIII, more on him later)
This is a time of “rebirth” and new ideas. People began writing poetry and drama, composing music, painting, and experimenting in the name of the monarch. The Tudors were great admirers of the arts.
Exploration became vital in this era.
This was the first time people in England (other than the members of the court) had excess wealth to spend. This was one of the factors that created the theater (more on this)
The whole reason the theater became the force it was in this period is due to this excess wealth. For the first time the average person had the ability to pay for unnecessary entertainment in the theaters. This also leads to the Puritan out cry in opposition to it. The theater distracts from man praising and worshipping God as he should be doing in his free time.

4. The Beginning of the Renaissance: The Arrogant King Henry VIII
The Renaissance really begins with Henry VIII.
Inherits peaceful kingdom
Second son, very educated (much like Hamlet)
First marriage: Katherine of Aragon is arranged, loveless
Only a daughter, heirless
Anne Boelyn  Elizabeth I
Denied divorce
Creates the church of England
Centralizes all power under his rule
Has many wives
Finally has a son, dies young
The Beginning of the Renaissance: The Arrogant King Henry VIII
This will need a bit more explanation that what is here.
Henry VIII was never meant to be king, he had an older brother who died shortly after ascending the throne. Henry VIII actually marries his widow (Katherine of Aragon from Spain to continue the alliance his father made in the marriage.) He was well educated instead of being groomed as a king. This is way the Renaissance begins with him. Henry values education and art and many nobleman (and merchants) wishing to gain his favor also began to value and create in his name.
Centralizes power in that Henry no longer has to follow the Pope’s rule on spiritual matters; thus making himself a supreme ruler in all aspects of English life.
He only divorces the first Katherine. The rest he either kills (Anne for witchcraft and treason) or they die (as the mother of Edward does).

5. Bloody Mary Edward dies Mary inherits throne Catholic
Converts country quite violently
Tyrannical rule
Childless
Imprisons Elizabeth
Edward was Protestant but is on the throne for such a short duration he makes no lasting changes to the kingdom. The irony in Edward’s death is that Henry VIII was so careful with him to insure he did not catch any diseases or was placed in any unnecessary danger, that he most likely caught a mild disease that his immune system should have been able to handle had it been exposed to such sicknesses as a child.
Called Bloody Mary because as she forcibly converted England back to Catholicism, she murdered those who opposed. It is rumored that she decorated the garden and outer castle walls with the heads of Protestants.
She actually dies of cancer to the stomach. She is convinced until near her death day that the tumor in her belly is actually a child and that the baby will inherit her throne.
She imprisons Elizabeth in the tower early in her rule because she is convinced that Elizabeth will try to kill her or over throw her. There is no real evidence that Elizabeth ever had that intension.

6. Return of Protestantism: Queen Elizabeth
Not accepted due to birth, gender
First real female ruler
Refuses to marry; leaves no heir
Returns the country to Protestantism
Tolerant
Loved the theater and the arts
Defeated the Spanish armada, then is accepted and grows to be liked
Survives several assassination attempts
Dies in 1603
Throne goes to her nephew, James Stewart
Ends the Tudor Dynasty
She is the reason for the success of this era
Enjoyed the plays of Shakespeare and there are records of her attending some of them

7. King James 1: The New Era King James takes the throne Scottish
Hamlet spans this transition
Private
Still supports the theater, in particular Shakespeare’s company
Commissions the Bible in English
Interested in the occult and unknown
Not as much pomp and circumstance (or drama)
Shakespeare dies when he is king
Not nearly as well liked as Elizabeth
Because he was private, he did not believe in all the pomp and circumstance that Elizabeth did. Fashion becomes more subdued as does the literature. Fewer poems/songs, more tragedies than comedies performed
James ran the country into a large debt. Since he did not go out among the people and stay in small towns (having the monarch in your home was a huge honor, so people would feed and entertain the royal family and the entire household for sometimes weeks. This meant the monarch was not spending money out of the royal coffers)
Shakespeare’s troop becomes the King’s Men and achieves fame and fortune.

8. Shakespeare’s World:
The culture

9. London: Cultural Epicenter
Major trade center
Population hits 100,000
Rise of a new middle class of tradesmen, or merchants
Zero Sanitation
Disease is high, plague closed down theaters
High infant and female death rate
Rise of the theater (on the other side of the themes, technically not London)

10. Women were treated as property and could own nothing (unless they were widowed)
Only options for women: Brothel, Nunnery, marriage
Husbands could beat wives. No real divorce options for women.
Laws were in place that determined what a person could wear, where they could live, what they could eat; all based on social standing and class
Marriages are arranged. The upper class, courtier marriages, had to be approved by the monarch. Esp. under Elizabeth
Life and Laws
Relate the idea about women to Ophelia
Clothing to the warning that Polonius gives to Laertes in 1.3

11. Unintended Results of Rejection of Catholicism
Henry VIII’s break from the church allowed several other advancements that were originally outlawed. These include:
Medicine (new ideas and experiments)
Astronomy and science
Mathematics
Exploration (the newest and coveted thing in Elizabeth’s court was tobacco)
A consolidation of power and a very powerful monarch
The printing press and quartos
New exchanges of ideas with other non- catholic countries
First time translations of Greek and Roman texts into English– Mythology was like pop culture
Still much experimentation with English
The Puritans
Quarto information on the theater slide. Make sure to highlight the translation of the texts—this is on the exam. May want to relate to the American Puritans.

12. The Elizabethan Theater
The theater was for the uneducated masses.
Considered a “low” profession
No women on stage. Young boys only.
Buying in to a company would insure financial stability
Puritans hated the theater and tried to close them
Open to the elements
Few set pieces, costumes came from rich patrons
The Groundlings
No “fourth wall” audience interacted with actors.
Shakespeare would have played some of the parts.
Most could not read. The color of the flag that flew above the theater indicated what type of play was being performed.

13. More Theater
Before a play could appear on the Elizabethan stage, it first had to be approved by the Master of the Revels
Parts were often written for certain actors. Most likely the part of Hamlet was written for lead actor Richard Burbage, for example.
Only the property master has complete script.
Actors have their lines only and lines before entrances and exits
Rhymed Couplets
Quartos
. A good play could gain a playwright instant fame, an inappropriate play could land the playwright in prison. An inappropriate play could be one that provided biting commentary about the court or nobility, or a play that could upset social stability.
The rhymed couplet is specifically places to help cue on the actors in the next scene
If a play was popular, often the actor might try to sell it to be printed (no copywrite laws). Since no one had the whole play, actors sometimes told the book seller the lines from memory. These printed copies are the quartos and many are quite bad. The Folger edition indicates in the text if it drew from the quarto version or if the quarto differed from the folio with brackets and parenthesis.

14. Shakespeare’s Globe
Shakespeare’s theater was not the first, but one of the most famous.
It was built on in the seedy area outside of London proper.
An almost exact replica was created in London in the mid 1980’s. Only additions were safety features and speakers. It is built right next to the original Globe site.
Shakespeare's plays are intentionally ambiguous in places
Globe virtual tour
. Many actors have said that playing Hamlet is their favorite role because it is open to interpretation.
The globe tour should link you to the internet (only active when showing slide show). There are options on the side to tour different parts. I believe you must have quicktime, so make sure you open it early in case you are asked to download.

15. Cultural Context and Customs
Hamlet
Cultural Context and Customs

16. A Few Notes on Customs…. The King and His Position
Marriage and Women
Marriages are arranged
Members of the royal family are “subject to their birth”
Virginity is valued above all else in a woman
A divorced or unmarriable woman is a disgrace to her family and has two options: nunnery or brothel.
Not permitted to be in the company of men unaccompanied
The King and His Position
One must have permission from the king to leave his palace.
Mourning period for a king is 6 months to a year
Speaking against a king is considered “treason” and can be punished by death.
King may hire a traveling acting group to entertain at a party (like with a Scop and Beowulf)
Kings are often sent away to school (from about age 13)
and women have no say in their mate. Fathers choose based on financial matters.
their marriages are political.
. Only virgins are considered “marriable.” One of the few grounds a husband has for divorce is if it turns out his betrothed was not a virgin.

17. More Customs… Children were excepted to avenge a parent’s murder.
Suicide is a mortal sin
Last rites
Belief in Astrology and the supernatural
Women are considered fragile and weak
Duals or playing are common entertainment in a Renaissance castle
Honor is of the utmost importance