1.2.4

Historical Context

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The Elizabethan Era

The beliefs, social customs, social order, and events occurring at the time of Shakespeare writing are very important to understanding Othello well.

L.P. Hartley

L.P. Hartley

  • L.P. Hartley asserts that ‘the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there’.
  • The beliefs, social customs, social order, and events occurring at the time of Shakespeare writing are very important to understanding Othello well.
Monarchs

Monarchs

  • During Shakespeare’s life, there were two monarchs:
    • Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603).
    • King James I (1603-1625).
  • The Elizabethan era is known as a ‘Golden Age’, or ‘Renaissance Era’.
  • It saw increased global expansion for the British Empire through naval exploration, and growth in English literature, theatre and music.
Instability

Instability

  • However, this was not an era of complete stability:
    • There was political conflict due to religious divisions and widespread poverty.
    • Most men could not vote, and women had very few rights at all.
Religious conflict

Religious conflict

  • There was fierce religious division between the Catholic and Protestant Christian religions across Europe and in England.
  • During the time of (Protestant) Queen Elizabeth’s reign this was somewhat more peaceful, but she was still a target of many Catholic plots against her, as was James I.

Society During the Elizabethan Era

In this period social classes were very structured and divided and gender divisions were deep.

New gentry

New gentry

  • The nobility and knights were at the top of society, but there was a huge growth in the gentry class as Britain expanded its colonies abroad into the ‘New World’.
  • These were often explorers, writers or ministers such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, or indeed Shakespeare himself.
Inequality

Inequality

  • There was also a rise in modern commerce and the merchant class including cloth and weaving.
  • However there was still a huge amount of poverty and inequality for the labouring class, which included shoemakers, carpenters, and those working with their hands.
Gender divisions: boys

Gender divisions: boys

  • Boys attended school, learning reading and writing; if their families could afford it, they would then go to grammar school at around seven years old where they would study Latin and Roman writing.
Gender divisions: girls

Gender divisions: girls

  • Girls were expected to stay at home and learn domestic skills.
  • If they were lucky and wealthy, they may also learn to read and write.
Jump to other topics
1

Context

1.1

Introduction

1.1.1Specifications
1.2

Background

1.2.1Shakespeare1.2.2Love1.2.3Tragedy1.2.4Historical Context
1.3

Othello

1.3.1Setting1.3.2Social Issues
2

Act One: Summaries & Themes

2.1

Act and Scene Summaries

2.1.1Structure2.1.2The Exam
2.2

Scene One

2.2.1Key Events2.2.2Key Themes2.2.3Key Ideas
2.3

Scene Two

2.3.1Key Events2.3.2Key Themes2.3.3Key Ideas
2.4

Scene Three

2.4.1Key Events2.4.2Key Events 22.4.3Key Themes2.4.4Key Ideas
3

Act Two: Summaries & Themes

3.1

Scene One & Two

3.1.1Scene One: Events3.1.2Key Events 23.1.3Key Ideas: Love & Tragedy3.1.4Scene Two: Events
3.2

Scene Three

3.2.1Key Events3.2.2Key Ideas
4

Act Three: Summaries & Themes

4.1

Key Events

4.1.1Scene One & Two4.1.2Scene Three4.1.3Scene Three: Key Ideas4.1.4Scene Four
5

Act Four

5.1

Scene One

5.1.1Key Events5.1.2Key Ideas
5.2

Scene Two

5.2.1Key Events5.2.2Key Ideas
5.3

Scene Three

5.3.1Key Events5.3.2Key Ideas
6

Act Five

6.1

Scene One

6.1.1Key Events6.1.2Key Ideas
6.2

Scene Two

6.2.1Key Events6.2.2Key Ideas
7

Character Profiles

7.1

Major Characters

7.1.1Othello7.1.2Iago7.1.3Desdemona7.1.4Emilia7.1.5Cassio
7.2

Minor Characters

7.2.1Roderigo & Brabantio7.2.2Other Characters
8

Key Themes

8.1

Love & Tragedy

8.1.1Love8.1.2Love 28.1.3Tragedy8.1.4Tragedy 2
8.2

Other Key Themes

8.2.1Public versus Private8.2.2Appearance & Reality
9

Writing Techniques

9.1

Writing Techniques

9.1.1Structure9.1.2Genre9.1.3Form & Language9.1.4Language & Imagery
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Criticism & Performance

10.1.1Shakespeare's Legacy10.1.2Traditional10.1.3Modern & Contemporary
10.2

Approaches

10.2.1Feminist Approach10.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach10.2.3Marxist Approach
11

Approaching AQA English Literature

11.1

Specification A

11.1.1Specification A11.1.2Love Through the Ages
11.2

Specification B

11.2.1Specification B11.2.2Aspects of Tragedy
12

Issues of Assessment

12.1

The Exams

12.1.1AOs12.1.2Mark Scheme

Practice questions on Historical Context

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  1. 1
    Who claimed __‘the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there’.__ Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Causes of instability in Elizabethan England:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    The political situation in Elizabethan England: True / false
  4. 4
    At what age did boys go to grammar school in Elizabethan England?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What caused the growth of the gentry class in Elizabethan England?Multiple choice
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Tragedy

Setting