Edexcel GCSE English Literature: Shakespeare's Historical and Social Context

Edexcel GCSE English Literature: Shakespeare's Historical and Social Context

This tutorial focuses on understanding the social, cultural, and historical context of Shakespeare's works, specifically exploring Elizabethan beliefs and how they impact the play's themes and characters.

Why is Context Important?

Understanding the context of a Shakespearean play helps you to:

• Interpret the play's themes and ideas: The play's themes and ideas reflect the beliefs and values of Elizabethan society.
• Appreciate the characters' motivations and actions: Elizabethan social norms and expectations influenced how characters behaved and interacted with each other.
• Gain a deeper understanding of the play's language: Shakespeare's language is often steeped in references to Elizabethan culture and history.

Key Areas of Elizabethan Context

1. The Elizabethan Worldview:

• The Great Chain of Being: A hierarchical order that placed God at the top, followed by angels, humans, animals, and plants. This order was believed to be divinely ordained and any disruption to this order would have dire consequences.
• Divine Right of Kings: The belief that the monarch's power came directly from God. This idea justified the absolute authority of Queen Elizabeth I.
• Fate and Fortune: Elizabethans believed that human lives were subject to the whims of fate. The concept of fortune was often personified as a fickle and unpredictable force.

2. Elizabethan Society:

• Patriarchal Society: Men held the dominant positions in society, while women were expected to be subservient to their husbands and fathers.
• Social Hierarchy: A rigid class system divided society into distinct groups, each with specific roles and expectations.
• The Importance of Family: Family ties were strong, and loyalty to one's family was paramount.

3. Elizabethan Culture:

• The Renaissance: A period of great intellectual and artistic flourishing, characterized by a renewed interest in classical learning.
• The Reformation: The religious changes brought about by the Reformation had a profound impact on Elizabethan society, influencing both religious beliefs and social practices.
• Theatrical Culture: Theater was a popular form of entertainment in Elizabethan England, and Shakespeare's plays were written for a diverse audience.

Connecting Context to the Play

To apply your knowledge of Elizabethan context to a specific play, ask yourself these questions:

• How do the characters' actions and motivations reflect Elizabethan beliefs and values?
• What themes are explored in the play, and how do these relate to Elizabethan society?
• What are the key conflicts in the play, and how do they relate to the Elizabethan worldview?
• How does the play's language reveal the cultural and historical context of the time?

Example: Hamlet

• Theme of Revenge: The concept of revenge is explored in Hamlet through the lens of the Elizabethan worldview. Hamlet's inaction is partially attributed to the fear of disrupting the Great Chain of Being by taking revenge on his uncle.
• The Character of Ophelia: Ophelia's role as a woman in a patriarchal society is highlighted in the play. She is subjected to the control of her father and brother, and her eventual demise is a tragic consequence of the expectations placed on her as a woman.
• The Play's Language: Shakespeare uses language specific to the time period, such as the references to the "divinity that shapes our ends" (Hamlet's famous soliloquy) and the use of metaphors and imagery that draw upon Elizabethan culture.

Exam Information

• Component 1 assesses your understanding of the context through both extract responses and thematic essay responses.
• Extract responses: You will need to analyze a given extract from a Shakespearean play, demonstrating your understanding of its context and how it relates to the play as a whole.
• Thematic essay responses: You will need to write an essay on a chosen theme, exploring its relevance to the play and its connection to Elizabethan context.

Remember: It's crucial to go beyond simply identifying relevant historical and social facts. Instead, focus on how these facts shape the play's characters, themes, and language.