John Donne - Elizabethan era context

Question 1

Which two dynasties did Donne live through?

Answer 1

Tudor and Stuart

Question 2

What happened in 1542?

Answer 2

The Tudors extended their power beyond England, achieving the full union of England in 1542 (they made Wales a part of England)

Question 3

When did the Tudor line fail, what came after and what happened?

Answer 3

Tudor line failed after the death of Elizabeth in 1603.
James I inherited the throne and began the Stuart dynasty which publicised ideas of the ‘Divine right of Kings’ and ???? launched a feudal reign which hindered the development of capitalism ????

Question 4

When was the Protestant reformation? and what did it establish?

Answer 4

1517 - 1648

• European Christian reform movement that established Protestantism as a constituent branch of contemporary Christianity.

Question 5

When did the renaissance begin and when did it reach its peak?

Answer 5

13th century, reached its peak in the 16th century in Europe

Question 6

How did people begin to think during the Renaissance?

Answer 6

Their thoughts ventured from the restriction of feudal belief in god and religion, becoming more realistic and human.

This was a great emancipation which led to some of the iconic works by authors like Shakespeare and Francis Bacon

Question 7

How was Shakespeare influenced by the Renaissance? (3)

Answer 7

• He focused on creating human characters with psychological complexity. (Eg. Hamlet)
• The upheaval in social hierarchy allowed Shakespeare to explore the complexity and humanity of every character, regardless of their social position. Even monarchs were portrayed as having human emotions and were capable of making terrible mistakes. (Eg. King Lear and Macbeth)
• Shakespeare utilized his knowledge of Greek and Roman classics when writing his plays - texts which had been suppressed by the Catholic Church before the Renaissance

Question 8

What was Elizabeth fascinated by and what did she have with them?

Answer 8

fascinated by astrology and had a close relationship with astrologer John Dee.

Question 9

What did Elizabeth want for Catholics and Protestants

Answer 9

She wanted to find a settlement between Catholics and Protestants because at that time parliament had many powerful Catholics from Mary’s reign and she needed their support (she was Protestant) so wanted to try and compromise.

Question 10

What was the act of supremacy

Answer 10

Required all public officials to swear an oath of loyalty to Elizabeth

Question 11

What did Elizabeth say when a courtier confronted her about marrying

Answer 11

‘I will have but one mistress and no master’

Question 12

In general, Elizabeth was an…

Answer 12

excellent ruler

Question 13

Name of the Queen’s own acting company

Answer 13

‘The Queen’s players’

Question 14

When was Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 14

1558-1603

Question 15

What was going on in James’ life when he was 13

Answer 15

At 13 James 1 was infatuated with his second cousin Esme Stuart. He would kiss her in public, their close relationship troubling Protestant Earls because Esme was suspected of being Catholic (James was Protestant). So James was abducted by a group of Scottish earls then forced to banish Esme who died.

Question 16

What was James fascinated by? and what did he attend because of this?

Answer 16

Witchcraft

1590 North Berwick trials

Question 17

Popular epigram of the time?

Answer 17

‘Elizabeth is King and James is now Queen’

Question 18

Who raised James 1 and why?

Answer 18

Scottish protestants because his mother, Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate in his favour and flee to England

Question 19

What act after when increased protestant-catholic intentions during Jame’s reign?

Answer 19

James was lenient towards Catholic but after the Gun Powder Plot (by Catholics) he was persuaded to pass the Popish recusant act in 1506 which required citizens to swear an oath of allegiance denying the Pope’s authority over the King.

Question 20

James was generally a ….

Answer 20

poor ruler (trouble with finances, frequently dissolved parliament)

Question 21

What did James 1 believe in which affected his rule?

Answer 21

The Divine Right of Kings - meant he rarely consulted parliament, the country was not usually governed in the interest of the people and he also worsened the country’s debt due to frivolous spending

Question 22

James’ sexuality

Answer 22

under debate
his most famous lover was George Villiers (a courtier) who used his position as the King’s favourite to increase his political power.

Question 23

What was mandatory for Catholics in England?

Answer 23

attending church every sunday

Question 24

What did Catholics have to do before obtaining a uni degree?

Answer 24

Swear an oath of allegiance to the current monarch over the pope

Question 25

Talk about catholics and mass and catholic priests…

Answer 25

Catholic priests still recognised the pope as the ultimate authority (not the monarch) so anyone caught partaking in a religious ceremony by them (notably mass) would be fined. Saying mass punishable by death.

Question 26

How did Elizabeth (a protestant) feel about Catholics?

Answer 26

if Catholics were loyal and discreet in their worship then she tolerated them. However by the end of her reign the Catholic threat grew and her government became increasingly harsh on them.

Question 27

What important thing to do with Catholics happened in 1585? Why was this notable?

Answer 27

John Whitgift ordered for all Jetsuits and Catholics to be driven from the kingdom. This was notable as Donne was originally believed to have been educated by Jetsuits.

Question 28

What was ‘The Bloody Question’ and who was it devised by?

Answer 28

William Cecil

Question asked to catholics and jetsuits - would they give support to the pope or the queen if the Pope invaded England

Question 29

What was catholicism and protestantism like by the time James 1 came to power?

Answer 29

Protestantism had become powerful and Catholicism a minority

Question 30

What did the bishops tell Elizabeth to do about Catholics?

Answer 30

Bishops instructed Elizabeth to remove all forms of Catholic practices as witnessed by the Clergy