6.1.1

Elizabeth I & Succession

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The Reign of Elizabeth I and the Issue of Succession

As Shakespeare wrote Hamlet sometime in the years 1599 and 1600, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I was coming to an end (she would die in 1603).

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Elizbeth I: unmarried/childless

  • Elizabeth was unmarried and childless, so there was no clear successor as King or Queen.
  • This uncertainty over succession added to the atmosphere of political tension prevalent in England when Shakespeare was writing Hamlet.
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Henry VIII's reign

  • The issue of succession had caused political and social turmoil in England throughout the 16th century.
  • Henry VIII had broken with the Roman Catholic Church to marry Ann Boleyn so that she could lawfully produce a male heir to the throne.
  • Although Henry was unsuccessful in his quest for a male heir, England had become a Protestant country and now faced hostility from powerful Catholic nations such as Spain.
Illustrative background for Persecution under Mary IIllustrative background for Persecution under Mary I ?? "content

Persecution under Mary I

  • The five-year reign of Queen Mary I (1553-8) was a time of religious persecution, with Mary (nicknamed ‘Bloody Mary’ by her Protestant enemies) burning 280 religious dissenters opposed to her plan to return England to Catholicism.
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Succession after Elizabeth

  • The accession of Queen Elizabeth I to the throne after Mary’s death eventually stabilised the country but, as her reign began to draw to an end, many feared future upheaval caused by a disputed succession.

Jump to other topics

1Introduction

2Plot Summary

3Character Profiles

4Key Themes

5Writing Techniques

6Context

7Critical Debates

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