The Golden Age Flashcards
What was the order of the great change of being?
God
Monarch
Nobility
Gentry
Peasantry
Animals
Plants
Who built Hardwick Hall?
Bess of Hardwick, or Elizabeth Shrewsbury
What were the purpose of large country homes in Elizabethan times?
To show off a person’s wealth and place in society
What were key features of an Elizabethan country home?
They were inspired heavily by Italian renaissance:
Large glass windows - showed wealth
Symmetrical, geometric designs
Great chamber for entertaining guests
A Loggia outside inspired by Italian renaissance
Who were plays performed by?
Groups of people called Troupes
E.g. Lord Chamberlain’s men
How did the troupes work?
They were named after the person who provided their funding (normally a noble) called a PATRON
This was a good way to impress Elizabeth as she was very fond of the theatre
What was a rich person’s experience of the theatre?
They sat under covered areas called the GALLERIES and could watch the performance above the poorer people
It was a good way of showing how cultured they were
What was a poor person’s experience of the theatre?
They stood in the PIT, open to the weather, where people would push and shove and heckle the actors. Very boisterous behaviour
Why was the theatre so popular?
Affordable
New and exciting
A social event
It was entertaining
It was relevant to the time - many plays carried political messages
What were the reasons for opposition to the theatre?
Some saw it as sinful
Puritans thought it distracted people from prayer
Concerns that it could spread disease
There could sometimes be crime
What did the Golden age accomplish?
Breakthroughs in science and technology - navigation and the printing press
Exploration - new lands discovered
Theatre became very popular
Education was seen as increasingly more important
Many great stately homes were built
Literature - many great plays were written which are still performed today
Reasons against the ‘Golden age’
Blood Sports remained popular - dog fighting
Torture and brutal execution were still used
Huge economic divide between rich and poor
Life expectancy was very low
How did Elizabeth ‘use’ the Golden age?
Plays and festivals promoted the idea. The term GLORIANA was used to describe this way of spreading the message
It was a useful way of securing popularity and the throne
