Life in Shakespearean England: A History Class

What was school like for Shakespeare? What did Shakespeare eat? What was Shakespeare's house like? In this history class, learners will explore different parts of life in Shakespearean England and discover what life was like for the playwright and his contemporaries.

 Each week, learners will discuss a different element of life in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. We will discuss what it would have been like to live in that time and think about the differences between then and now. Every week, class will look at a relevant element of Shakespeare's life of plays - for example, by looking at the clothes Shakespeare wore in his portraits or looking at food mentioned in his plays. This will give learners a chance to apply their knowledge directly to Shakespeare's life, as well as understand the broad trends.

Classes will be discussion based, using images of Shakespearean artefacts and recreations from museums to prompt discussion. Conversation will take place in English and learners will be encouraged to add their thoughts and ask questions about what they see. 

Week Commencing June 2nd: Childhood in Shakespearean England
This week, learners will explore what it was like growing up in the time of Shakespeare. We will learn about what school was like and what an apprenticeship was. We will also talk about 'Breeching' as a right of passage for boys and look at what girls did all day.

Week Commencing June 9th: Houses
In this class, learners will explore the different houses of Shakespeare's time. We will look at manor houses and think about what parts of those houses indicated wealth. We will also look at Shakespeare's Birthplace and Anne Hathaway's cottage from Stratford and look at a small village in the South of England.

Week Commencing June 16th: London and the Thames
This week, learners will explore London in the late Elizabethan age. We will look at landmarks and the types of shops that people would have found in London and think about the importance of the Thames in establishing London as a major city.

Week commencing June 23: Clothing
In this class, learners will explore the different types of clothing worn by different classes. We will look at Sumptuary Laws (which stated which classes could wear which colours and fabrics) and apply our knowledge by looking at images of Shakespeare.

Week June 30th: Food
This week, learners will explore the different foods eaten by people in Shakespearean England. We will look at typical meals and some examples of of 'Subtleties' (sugar sculptures). We will also look at some different food mentioned in Shakespeare plays.

Week of July 7th : Court and Royalty
This week, learners will explore the transition from Queen Elizabeth I to King James I. We will also look at the royal courts and explore the traditions of gift giving to monarchs. 

Week of July 21st: Events in Shakespeare's Life
This week, we will look at different national events that happened during Shakespeare's life. We willlearn about the Spanish Armada and how the invasion was stopped, as well as looking at the gunpowder plot in the time of James I.

Week of July 30: Superstition and legends
In this class, learners will look at some of the stories that people believed in during Shakespeares time. This will include looking at mythical creatures such as fairies and the belief in astrology and ghosts. We will look at how these superstitions influenced characters in Shakespeares plays.

Week of August 4th: Witches
This week, learners will explore the concept of witches and what people in Shakespearean England believed about witches. We will look at what people thought made someone a witch, common accusations of witchcraft and what happened when someone was accused of witchcraft. We will look at the witches in Macbeth and how these were influenced by common beliefs.

Week of August 11th: Women
In this lesson, learners will explore the role of women in Shakespearean England. We will look at roles that women performed in society and think about ways that women had control over their own lives.

Week of August 18: Entertainment
In this class, learners will look at different types of entertainment in Elizabethan England. We will explore popular sports, games and pastimes and think about when these were mentioned in Shakespeare's plays.

Week of September 1st: Crime and Punishment
This week, learners will explore different crimes in Shakespearean England. We will look at what happened when someone was accused of a crime and common punishments, including the stocks. We will also look at how crimes that were considered more serious faced different sanctions, including the use of capital punishment.

Week of September 8th: Travel and Exploration
In this lesson, we will learn about the growth of travel and trade in the Elizabethan era, including voyages to 'the new world' and think about the impact this had. We will also look at how sea travel influenced Shakespeare's works.

Week of September 15th : The Theatre
Learners will explore the role of the theatre in Shakespearean England, particularly looking at how theatres grew more popular. We will look at actors and how performances were staged, as well as explore what Shakespeares Globe Theatre would have been like.


No prior knowledge is needed for this class, however, as discussions take place in English, learners should have a conversational grasp of the English language. There will be limited amounts of text in classes, however, this will be read out to ensure that less confident readers can still participate. The class will not look at Shakespeare's plays specifically, so learners do not need to be able to read Shakespearean language.