William Shakespeare, King Henry VIII, and

Queen Elizabeth I

Miss Donnelly

Background information for Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare- an overview little is known about him except from public

records born in April 1564, died in April 1616 one of greatest writers in English language wrote plays and poems also acted

William Shakespeare- the beginning lived in Renaissance England Grew up in the market town of Stratford-

upon-Avon Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 (at age

eighteen) Births of daughter Susanna (1583) and twins:

Judith and Hamnet (1585)

William Shakespeare’s success By 1592 Shakespeare had achieved some

prominence in London as both an actor and a playwright

in 1593 Shakespeare became a published poet. Records for December of 1594 show him to be a

leading member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men Was a principal actor, dramatist, and part owner of

acting company Queen Elizabeth I attended some productions

William Shakespeare- The Globe years In 1599, Shakespeare's company built a theater

for themselves across the river from London, naming it the Globe.

The plays that are considered by many to be Shakespeare's major tragedies (Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth) were written while the company was resident in this theater

Many of Shakespeare's plays were performed at court (both for Queen Elizabeth I and, after her death in 1603, for King James I)

The Globe Theatre

The first “proper” theater Only men acted seating capacity of up to 3,000

spectators. There was no lighting, all

performances at the Globe were conducted, weather permitting, during the day

Seating charts reflected hierarchy of Elizabethan England

in the early days—one penny ($1.66) to get in and another penny if you wanted to sit in the balconies

The Globe

Burned down when a cannon shot during a performance of Henry VIII ignited the thatched roof of the gallery

Was rebuilt later on before Shakespeare’s death

William Shakespeare- The Final Years Sometime between 1610 and 1613 Shakespeare

seems to have returned to live in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he owned a large house and considerable property, and where his wife and his two daughters and their husbands lived. (His son Hamnet had died in 1596.)

William Shakespeare died in Stratford on April 23, 1616 (according to the epitaph carved under his bust in Holy Trinity Church) and was buried on April 25.

Henry VIII

Henry was the king of England Henry’s first wife was Katherine Katherine failed to produce a male heir- did produce a daughter– Mary Tudor Henry imprisoned his first wife

denied that they were still married

Henry, Anne, and Elizabeth Catholics didn’t allow divorce, so King Henry

created his own church in which he can get a divorce Anglican Church (Church of England) Married Anne Boleyn in new church

Married Anne Boleyn miscarried twice, but produced a daughter Elizabeth Tudor born on September 7, 1533

Katherine (1st wife) died same month as the Boleyn's last miscarriage

Katherine and Anne

Catholic critics considered him a widower and free to marry again in Catholic Church Catholic Church did not recognize 2nd

marriage because Catholics did not believe in divorce

Henry was able to annul marriage to Anne He accused her of adultery and incest Was executed on 5/19/1536

Henry VIII

Henry was single again and ready to marry Henry married Jane Seymour 12 days later

Prince Edward was born in Oct. 1537 Seymour died due to complications

Henry then married Anne of Cleves (4th wife) Then Catherine Howard (5th wife) Katharine Parr (6th wife)

The Forgotten Wives of Henry VIII Anne of Cleves (4th)

Henry VIII found her homely, but married her to form an alliance with William Duke of Cleves (brother

When threat of an attack by Holy Roman Empire dissipated, the marriage was a political embarrassment

Annulled by Anglican Church in 1540

The Forgotten Wives of Henry VIII Catherine Howard (5th)

Maid of honor for Anne of Cleves He learned that she had several affairs before

marriage and probably committed adultery Had Parliament pass a bill making it treason for

any unchaste woman to marry a king Was beheaded in 1542

The Forgotten Wives of Henry VIII Katharine Howard (Catherine- formal

spelling) 6th

Daughter of official in royal household After Henry died in 1547 married Baron Thomas

Seymour Maintain close relationship with his children Died shortly after giving birth to a daughter

Succession of the throne

King Henry VIII died Prince Edward took throne

with help of uncle

Edward died w/o a male heir Throne was given to eldest

daughter Mary

Mary imprisoned Elizabeth Thought she was trying to overthrow

her Mary ruled and then died

during birth of her child

Succession of the throne

Child died as well Elizabeth (like Henry) was a Protestant Mary (sister-recently deceased) was a

Catholic Mary had to choose to either execute

Elizabeth or leave her the throne when she died

Elizabeth’s reign

Elizabeth I receives of her sister’s death and that she will inherit the throne in 1558.

Elizabeth’s reign

Council members

pressured her to marry

and have an heir to

secure the throne She began to tire of it and refused to marry She ruled the rest of her life as “The Virgin

Queen” Elizabeth I died 3/24/1603 from a bad cold

Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther

Criticism of the Church Indulgences