The Elizabethan Era - Essay Example

The Elizabethan Era Brief introduction about Queen Elizabeth I (r.1558-1603) Queen Elizabeth I’s birth was on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich. Her parents were Henry VII and Ann Boleyn. Uncertainties filled her early life including the succession to the throne with the birth of her half-brother Edward in 1537. She succeeded to the slimly after the death of her half-sister in November in 1558 (Wilson, 2012). Considering her educational background, it is noted that she was well educated and had the capability to speak six languages fluently.

Besides, she was quite intelligent, determined, and shrewd; characteristics considered she must have inherited from both her parents.Queen Elizabeth I reigned for 45 years, a period highly regarded as the most glorious in the history of England. This is because of the successes associated with this period such as the establishment of a secure Church of England and the laying down of the church’s doctrines in the 39 Articles of 1563. Subsequently, her reign was significant as it was marked by relative political stability, creativity that led to flourishing of art flourished, and exploration.

How Art and Theater Was Flourished In Her EraDuring the second half of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, it is noted that England prospered in the line of English literature works such as art, poetry, and drama, which in turn inspired learning that later, led to economic and cultural achievements. This was enhanced through the invention of the printing press, which was established in England in 1476 resulting to a wide availability of literature (Pincombe, 2001). This is despite the activities of crafty entrepreneurs who engaged in the production of various plays.

Subsequently, her reign saw the development of playwrights such as Christopher Marlowe, poets like Edmund Spenser and the beginning of the most famous and popular theatre and works of William Shakespeare (Langley, 2000). The opening of various theatres such as the Red Lion in 1567, Curtain Theatre in 1577, and the most famous Globe Theatre later in 1599 followed. All these were enhanced through her personal love for drama; music and poetry, which helped her, create a climate for fashionable wealthy members of the court who continually supported the arts (Woog, 2003).

ReferencesLangley, A. (2000). Shakespeare and the Elizabethan age. Philadelphia, Pa: Running Press Books Publishers.Pincombe, M. (2001). Elizabethan humanism: Literature and learning in the later sixteenth century. Harlow: Longman.Wilson, A. N. (2012). The Elizabethans. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.Woog, A. (2003). A history of the Elizabethan theater. San Diego [Calif.: Lucent Books.http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensofengland/thetudors/elizabethi.aspx