S3:E2 | Shakespeare’s England—The Elizabethan and Jacobean Eras

Le Salon Literary Discussions

One of the ways to better understand Shakespeare’s plays is to look at the historical context he was writing in. In this episode, I’ll share how he wrote and performed for two different monarchs: Elizabeth I and James I (of England). Keep in mind that this was still a time when depending how a play was interpreted, performances could easily have been seen as treasonous. So, Shakespeare actually had to have a honed political antenna.

We’ll look closer at how real-life events—including witchcraft, gunpowder, treason, and plot—made their way into Shakespeare’s plays.

[4:18] “It is said that Elizabeth knew Shakespeare’s work quite well, enough to make requests of what was performed… and even ask for certain characters to have more stage time.”

[13:42] “So, in a way, Shakespeare’s play was also a piece of propaganda. Or was it simply a playwright who had to continue to make money and entertain a monarch with their own agenda?”

[18:09] “What is kind of eerie about the Gunpowder Plot, and I give full credit to James Shapiro for highlighting this for me (and now you), is that King James and parliament knew about the plot through an anonymous letter. Very similar to how King Lear begins.”

More resources for you:

• See what books are on the virtual literary salon schedule.
• Follow me on Instagram @lesalonreads.
• Visit my website.