Week 6 Question – YOUR PRODUCTION

RESEARCH: Research your own Shakespeare play: Hamlet, Richard III, Macbeth, Measure for Measure. What is the play about? When was it first performed? Find a contemporary production of the play you can get an idea of and research it in terms of concept, style, design, casting. Give some attention to your own character and their role in the play.

The play my cast will be performing is Hamlet which was written between 1599 and 1602 and first performed in 1609. The way in which we chose to adapt the play of Hamlet was not only because we already used an adapted version by Kelly Hunter but because we chose to perform it much like the whole thing was a nightmare and also making the show very live music orientated using the music of Nirvana and Joy Division. We also decided to adapt the way in which the theme of mental health plays the most important theme in the play and how this seems to affect Hamlet with the contribution of the music which consists of lyrics essentially describing the mood of the play.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare is set in Denmark and is simply about the revenge Prince Hamlet is called to inflict upon his uncle Claudius who is now the King of Denmark and has horribly murdered Hamlet's father who used to be the King of Denmark. The tragedy of the play begins straight away as Hamlet's mother is so quick to marry straight after her husband's death. Hamlet, confused and angry, wants his mother to realize what cruel man Claudius is and wants to know why his mother didn't mourn so much other her husband's death like he did but instead married Claudius straight after the funeral. Hamlet's depression affects not only him but the people around him; Gertrude(his mother), Ophelia(his girlfriend), Polonius(Ophelia's father) and Laertes(Ophelia's brother).

The character I play in the show is Hamlet's mother, Gertrude who even though doesn't have many lines in the play, plays the most significant part as she is the one who in my opinion essentially creates and erupts the whole tragedy.
My character profile of Gertrude:
 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ON1xLudfEUeWHRakrAaQFaOYevrcQsdIJL4koPr7sKQ/edit

A version of Hamlet that I have seen is David Tennant's 2009 film, Hamlet, directed by Gregory Doran. The theme and setting of this version still stays faithful to Shakespeare's text while also adding a modern edge to the film making it even more interesting to watch. I also believe that Tennant's approach to the character of Hamlet is very bold and interesting to watch because it's different and unique to others who have taken the role of Hamlet so it is clear that Tennant made some bold choices with the character of Hamlet. The rest of the cast members; Mariah Gale, Penny Downey, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Ford Davies and Edward Bennett) also make extremely brave choices with their characters. I would say especially Mariah Gale as Ophelia who really goes out and explores Scene 15 where Ophelia goes mad over her father's death.

This version of Hamlet is also very cinematic with it's defined actions, implementing set and costume usage to give us a feel on the time and mood in convincing fashion. Doran's piece finds a balance between Shakespeare's presence in the play and the use of film-like stage and atmosphere that makes Hamlet feel current, unforgettable and reflective.

Week 5 Question -SHAKESPEARE TODAY

QUESTION:

Analyse contemporary Shakespeare productions with reference to live performances you may have seen or clips or footage available online. You should comment on what you notice about them and how they differ from what you know about the original performance conditions of Shakespeare’s work?
Consider how these productions are employing all the techniques, technology and resources of modern theatre.

Recently I have seen two contemporary Shakespeare productions which were Twelfth Night directed by Simon Godwin and Taming of the Shrew directed by Jacqueline Defferary.

One of the first things I noticed was that there were female actors in both of these plays which is something that would be shocking to a Shakespearean audience. This is because women weren't allowed to act in theatres therefore men would play the female parts. If contemporary audiences were to see a theatre where all the parts were played by men and it didn't fit the context then I feel there would definitely be a negative response from the audience and confusion among them to why all the parts where played by men.

I also noticed,especially in Twelfth Night that the music played throughout was music that we hear today. It was interesting as well how they used the music in Twelfth Night like for instance one character in Twelfth Night sang Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' speech and also how in one of the scenes instead of singing the lyric 'We need some more boys in here' instead they sang 'We need some more girls in here' which created humor for the audience. Furthermore, in Taming of the Shrew, all the characters sang 'Price Tag' by Jessie J close to the end of the play. This is clearly different to how they used music in Shakespearean theatres as they didn't obviously didn't include obvious songs but instead mostly played instruments whilst the action of the play was going on.

The use of lighting and technology was definitely evident in Twelfth Night at the National as lighting was used to emphasise a scene change,a dramatic moment etc. this was different in Shakespearean theatre because lighting wasn't used because the actors would rely on natural light for their performances.

In Twelfth Night the set was extraordinary and so detailed which I believe helped create the atmosphere the actors wanted to create for us as an audience. One example of this was when there was a Jacuzzi in one of the scenes which the actors used as part of their performance. I feel at times however the set was too much and even though it added to the action taking place it also slightly took away from it as at times I would focus more on the set than the actors.

Having a detailed set in Shakespeare's time,was seen as nonsense to Shakespearean audiences. Elizabethan and Jacobean playwrights wrote in a way that encouraged the audience to imagine the sets.

Week 4 Question- THEATRES, ACTORS AND ACTING IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME

QUESTION: 

What were the theatres or ‘playhouses’ of Shakespeare’s time like and how were plays staged in them? 




The Globe Theatre was the only theatre associated with William Shakespeare and it was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, Lord Chamberlain's Men. Before theatres and playhouses,actors had small companies where they had to do everything themselves and from this actors could make a good profit.  Then, Theatres and playhouses were built which were made of wood and plaster and could fit approximately 3000 people in them.During Shakespeare's time, there were two different types of playhouses,outdoor playhouses like ampitheatres or 'public' playhouses and indoor playhouses like 'halls' or 'private' playhouses. These types of playhouses were very different theatres and attracted different types of audiences.Playhouses were built by buisnessmen who had money to spare unlike acting companies that didn't. Buisnessmen saw the rising popularity of the touring acting companies that played in the yards of inns and other open spaces around the city which is what lead them to build playhouses. Most playhouses were built with a brick base with timber-framed walls. The gaps between the timbers were filled with sticks, hair and plaster. The roofs were made from thatch or tile.



QUESTION: 

Who were the actors of Shakespeare’s plays and how did the experience of being an actor differ from the experience today?

The main actors of Shakespare's plays were Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, Henry Condell and John Heminges. Richard Burbage played many of the lead roles in Shakespeare's plays like Othello, Richard III , Hamlet and King Lear.

During Shakespeare's time, acting was a job only open to boys and men. However women were acting but elsewhere in Europe but weren't allowed to act in public theatres until the year 1660. In Elizabethan plays, boys would play female parts whilst men would play older women. In this time, acting was also very hard so the actors would manage the theatre, make the costumes and learn hundreds of lines whereas now actors only need to learn their lines and perform them.

The life of an actor changed dramatically during Shakespeare's lifetime. Actors used to tour in companies, travelling the country to perform in towns and cities and in private homes. However, when Shakespeare died, actors drew in huge audiences because London had several permanent theatres where the actors would perform. Also back then, acting had a bad reputation because actors were seen as unruly and a threat to a peaceful society. 

The way actors would learn their parts/lines is very different to now as they were only given their part to learn which also had another actor's last words before their own to cue them in so they didn't get a whole copy of the play like actors get now.

In Shakespare's time, an actors earnings would depend on where the company was playing. The company made more money in London than in the whole country which means actors would earn higher wages.

Actors did not have much time to rehearse as they might spend a morning rehearsing and then perform in the afternoon. They would often be juggling several plays and several parts at one time. Actors usually performed in the afternoon because they often relied on natural light in their performance.

Week 3 Question- SHAKESPEARE’S LONDON AND ELIZABETHAN AUDIENCES

Question:

What was London like in Elizabethan times and who were the people attending the theatre?

Shakespeare's London

Shakespeare spent most of his career/working life in London as for example he worked in London theatres. He worked and lived in London from about 1509 to 1613 in places like St Helens,Paris Gardens and Silver Street. At this time London was very big and was growing fast;between 1500 to 1600 it is said that the city grew from around 50,000 residents to 200,000 residents. Therefore London was overcrowded and was described as "dark and narrow" by a visitor.

Even though Shakespeare was born in Stratford, he moved to London to write some of his great plays in the mid 1580's,leaving his children and his wife behind in Stratford.

London was known to be the biggest and richest city in England. It was where the wealthy lived, the royalty and noblemen. Royalty also supported the theatre in london so for instance Shakespeare's company played at the court of King James 15 times per year.

During this time,most Londoners lived in apartment buildings that were squashed together and houses were stacked on top of each other in aim to conserve as much space as possible because London streets were narrow. Housing in Elizabethan times depended on your social class so wealthy Londers built themselves country residences around the edges of London. Also people with a high class would tend to live in the upper floors of their house and they would own a shop in the lower floor.

London Bridge was the only bridge that connected the northern and southern sides of Elizabethan London and it was said that Shakespeare most likely walked across London Bridge several times a week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Kfyr-Wy9o

A few buildings from Elizabethan London are still around nowadays like the Staple Inn,Southwark Cathedral,The Rose Theatre and Shakespeare's .
In Shakespeare's London,theatre wasn't just for plays as Bear Baiting was also popular entertainment in the theatre.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rguuDDdx78A
 In Shakespeare's time, London was quite a small area and wasn't as developed as it is now in London buildings such as the West End didn't exist and Covent Garden back then was just a garden. However in London at that time it was very busy just like it is now. It was a very diverse population with lots of immigrants,different social classes living closely together. It is said that Shakespeare moving to London really inspired him in terms of his plays because his plays carried the energy that London had at that time and was the centre of political power.


Elizabethan Audiences

• Royalty - Queen Elizabeth I loved watching plays but theses were generally performed in indoor playhouses for her pleasure. She would not have attended the plays performed at the amphitheatres
• The Nobles - Nobles would have paid for the better seats in the Lord's rooms paying 5d for the privilege
• The Commoners called the Groundlings or Stinkards would have stood in the theatre pit and paid 1d entrance fee. They put 1 penny in a box at the theatre entrance - hence the term 'Box Office'
• The Box Office - the prices were determined by the comfort of the seats

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-theatre-audiences.htm

The class system in Elizabethan England comes a lot into Elizabethan audiences as the experience an Elizabethan audience member got from the theatre depended on their class. For instance the rich and middle class people like the noblemen could take a seat to watch a piece of theatre because they were the only ones who could actually afford paying for a seat. This means they had a perfect view of the stage and also were provided with cushions for comfort whilst watching the play. On the other hand,the common people like the peasants and labourers would be forced to watch the play by standing in the pit for the entire play because there was clearly no hope that they could afford to pay for a seat!


https://www.usi.edu/media/2416960/bowles.pdf

 In Elizabethan England,people assumed that in theatres it was very much how it is today,quiet and people being attentive but it wasn't, Elizabethan audiences were loud,noisy and chaotic. They were more directly involved in the shows for example it would be allowed to directly respond back to an actor who performed a soliloquy to the . The audience would clap for the hero in the play and boo for the villain and they might even have a dance along with the characters onstage in a comedy. If the audience didn't like a play they may throw furniture and damage the theatre!

http://www.seattleshakespeare.org/who-were-these-people/

Week 2 Question- SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE AND BIOGRAPHY

"Research Shakespeare’s life, ensuring you include information about his origins, family, relationships, the world he lived in and questions surrounding his work."

Shakespeare's life is an interesting topic to research considering he was the greatest and most well-known playwright, actor, writer and dramatist in the Elizabethan times. 

There are quite a lot of things we don't know about Shakespeare's life since he lived more than 400 years ago and many of his records of that time are lost or probably never existed. For instance, it is predicted that the day of his birth was April 23rd,1564 because it must have been a few days before his baptism which was on April 26th, 1564. Even Shakespeare's death is not known for sure as he died apparently on his 52nd birthday because it was assumed from a record of his burial two days later, 25 April 1616, at Holy Trinity Church. We don't even know the reason for his death yet there are different theories such as that Shakespeare died after contracting a fever after a drinking binge with fellow playwrights Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton.A more convincing theory is that Shakespeare was sick for over a month before he died. The evidence comes from the fact that on 25 March 1616 (just 4 weeks before his death) Shakespeare dictated his will – in keeping with the 17th Century tradition of drawing up wills on one’s deathbed. This points to the fact that Shakespeare was aware his life was coming to an end. Some scholars also point out the fact of his signature being somewhat shaky, giving evidence of his frailty at the time.

Shakespeare was the oldest surviving child of his parents, John and Mary Shakespeare. This is because John and Mary's two young children, girls, did not even live beyond infancy.William Shakespeare was the big brother of the family as he had three younger brothers called Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund, and two younger sisters Anne and Joan. His father was a leatherworker who specialized in the soft white leather used for gloves and similar items. He was a prosperous businessman, he married Mary Arden, of the prominent Arden family. John rose through local offices in Stratford, becoming an alderman and eventually, when William was five, the town bailiff—much like a mayor.

Shakespeare's siblings

• Joan Shakespeare
• Edmund Shakespeare
• Gilbert Shakespeare
• Richard Shakespeare
• Margaret Shakespeare
• Anne Shakespeare

In late 1582,a few years Shakespeare left school, he married Anne Hathaway when he was 18 and she was 26.On May 26th 1583, they had their first child called Susanna. 2 years after the couple had twins, Judith and Hamnet. Anne lived in Stratford with the children whilst Shakespeare worked in London as he was pursuing a theatre career and because of this distance it lead to a strained marriage which made them to separate.

Shakespeare wrote plays for at least one or two years before he gained fame for his work. When Shakespeare was 28,(1592), his rival, Robert Green had called Shakespeare an "upstart crow" and this shows that at this time Shakespeare was the envy of most writers at the time.

It is said that Shakespeare joined an acting company when he was young called The Earl of Derby's Men, ran by James Burbage. Records suggest that Shakespeare was a member of the company by 1594. However around this time London theatres closed down due to the plague and Shakespeare used this time to write sonnets.

There are many questions surrounding Shakespeare's life but there are also many questions surrounding his work. In relation to Hamlet, there are many questions and opinions to why Shakespeare actually wrote hamlet.

Some say that his writing in Hamlet was influenced by what was going on in the 1600,for instance to highlight the tensions that arose during the “English Reformation”.Others say that Shakespeare copied another play called “Ur-Hamlet” which was written during the Elizabethan times yet the original play is nowhere to be found now.

It is also believed that his reason for writing Hamlet was from the deaths he experienced. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in 1601 and in 1556, Shakespeare’s only son,Hamnet died of an unknown illness. Yet also the same year Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, was the same year his own father died therefore the death of Shakespeare’s father seems more of a justified reason to why Shakespeare wrote about a young man named Hamlet who was grieving over the death of his own father. Death was common back then which is why Shakespeare had witnessed so many with his close relatives and it seemed that he wanted to explore that with the character of Hamlet who also witnessed neuromas deaths through his life, as his own mother,Gertrude, died at the end of the play.

It is said that some of Shakespeare’s inspiration came from a play called “Amleth” which had a very similar plot to Hamlet : Prince Amleth is advenging for his ‘death.Amleth’s mother Gurutha marries Amleth’s uncle Feng. Feng sends Amleth to England along with his two retaines also with a note telling the King of England to kill Amleth; Amleth finds the note just like in Hamlet and changes the names. Amleth returns and kills Feng.

After Hamlet,the plays Shakespeare wrote a darker tone for the next few years such as Othello,King Lear and Macbeth because they covered themes such as murder,pride,jealousy and betrayal.

Week 1 Question- SETTING THE SCENE – LIFE IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND

Question:

What sense do you get of what life was like in Elizabethan England?

Life in Elizabethan England:

- The Elizabethan era was between 1558-1603

- During the era was the reign of Queen Elizabeth I

- This period in time of England was dominated by the rich and powerful

- If you were as to go back to the Elizabethan times you wouldn't necessarily find yourself living in a rich man's house or a castle, it would be more likely for you to find yourself upon the heaths and hills.

- 1/4 of England at that time had many hills, heaths and wasteland.

- Right now in the 20th-century horthfields are viewed as peaceful, quiet and scenic, yet Elizabethan people would see them as horrific and dangerous places.

- Around the countryside, you would find many cottages which most likely is where a poor family would live.

- If people of this current time period were to live in cottages, they would find that they are very dark, there is lack of colour, they would sleep and wake up in darkness

- This is because in Elizabethan times candles were expensive and the poor families cannot afford lots of light

- Inside the cottage is very basic: One room, Earth floor, Thick smoke filling the whole room

-The possessions of families who live in cottages are; some ladles, a few pots, a basket and a bench.

- If we were to live in this cottages we would find ourselves sleeping on the floor or on a thin straw mattress; we would also find ourselves being more alert and aware of our surroundings so for example; the crackling of the fire, the child in the cradle, the raindrops on the roof.

- Living in poverty in Elizabethan England is a struggle to survive.

Class in Elizabethan England:

- The Elizabethan society is strictly divided according to the class you inherit( what you are born into)
- Most Countrymen fall into 3 categories;
YEOMAN- owns and rents his farm and employs workers
HUSBANDMAN- rents the land that he works on
LABOURERS- work on other people's farm
- In Elizabethan times as a poor person, the options for looking for work are extremely limited therefore the best bet is to offer yourself as a labourer going from farm to farm. You may also find a yeoman or a husbandman that may allow you to sleep in a barn.
- After a hard day of work as a labourer, there is not much reward but you are given 'a goat' a day which is part of the English currency since medieval times.-- also referenced to as 'fourpence(4d)'
4d= £100
3d= £75
- The amount of money Labourers earn is not enough for them to be able to raise a family unless you grow fruit and vegetables in your garden and make your own clothes.
-Social classes in Elizabethan England:

Moncarch= King, queen, anyone else in the royal family, they make important decisions for the country, the most powerful of the classes.
Nobles=  Most nobles are born into a noble family or have been enabled by the crown, they inherit incomes and extensive lands, if they were tried for offence they could only be tried by other nobles.
Gentry= knights, squires, gentlemen, gentlewomen, they can only become part of this class if their wealth was obtained or approved of the monarchy.
Merchants=  Made their wealth through trades, sells of wools and exotic goods. They could have the wealth of higher classes they did not have the same social status despite how important they were in that time.
Yoemanry= Attendance for nobility and the monarch, they make just enough money to support their families however they could become peasants if they went into debt.
Labourers/Peasants= slaves,shoemakers, do not own land, did not have enough money to support their families, a labourer/peasant can become gentry if they gather enough wealth and they are accepted.

- In terms of linking marriage and class, it was possible in Elizabethan England to marry someone in another class but it was generally looked down upon for one to marry someone in the lower class and therefore rarely occurred. 

The population in Elizabethan England:

- The time when Elizabeth I became queen(1533-1603) the population was 2 million people in England

- However during her reign of being queen,the population rose up to about 4.1 million people.

Entertainment in Elizabethan England: 

Feasts- A large elaborately prepared meal, usually for many persons and often accompanied by court entertainment Banquets - A ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest Fairs - The Annual Summer Fair was often a bawdy affair Plays - Starting as plays enacted in town squares followed by the actors using the courtyards of taverns or inns ( referred to as Inn-yards ) followed by the first theatres ( great open air amphitheatres built in the same style as the Roman Coliseum ) and then the introduction of indoor theatres called Playhouses Mystery Plays - Re-enacting stories from the Bible Festivals - Celebrating Church festivals Dancing - Elizabethan dances enjoyed by the Upper Classes, Royalty and Nobility included the Cinque-pace, Galliard, Pavane, Roundel, Tordion and the Volta Jousts / Tournaments - A series of tilting matches between knights Games and Sports - Sports and games which included archery, bowling, cards, dice, hammer-throwing, quarter-staff contests, quoits, skittles and wrestling Animal Sports - Including Bear and Bull baiting. Dog and Cock fighting Hunting - Sport followed by the nobility often using dogs Hawking - Sport followed by the nobility with hawks The Names and Types of Elizabethan Entertainment were as follows: Jesters - A fool or buffoon at Elizabethan courts Mummers - A masked or costumed merrymaker or dancer especially at a festival Minstrels - Travelling musician who sang of legends (declined in the Elizabethan era) Troubadours - Travelling musician who sang of courtly love (declined in the Elizabethan era) Acting Troupes - Travelling actors Jugglers - Also used tricks, deception, or fraud Reference:  http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-entertainment.htm From all this information I can evaluate that: - As there was no technology back then, entertainment was provided by things like sports, plays and festivals -  Yet the entertainment provided wasn't just for anybody, the noble and upper classes got to enjoy any type of entertainment because of the authority and wealth they had -  Peasants wouldn't get the most of the entertainment because most of the time they couldn't afford  it, but if they could it would be sure that they would get the worst of the entertainment i.e in plays peasants had to sit on the floor. - Life wasn't the best in the Elizabethan era but they had amazing entertainment which Elizabethan people loved and the entertainment was very popular when there was something to celebrate Religion in Elizabethan England: PROTESTANT VS CATHOLIC... - The two main religions of the Elizabethan era were Catholic and Protestant - In the early 1500's all the people of England practiced the Roman Catholic religion - However, the practices of this religion were questioned leading to the reformation; therefore a new religion called Protestantism was introduced under the beliefs of German Martin Luther(1483-1546) - There were many convictions and beliefs between both religions and this led to executions of many of the followers of these Elizabethan religions. - Within more or less the past decade, the nation had gone from Protestant under Edward VI to Catholic under Mary and now back to Protestant. - Now there was the threat of religious disruption and violent persecution alongside the plague, inflation and the war with France and Scotland. - Queen Mary who was the former queen before Queen Elizabeth, was very passionate about the Catholic religion so if anyone followed the protestant religion she would have them burnt alive. CATHOLICS: - Believed there was a direct link between the pope and God - Priests expected to devote their lives to God; by remaining unmarried and wearing elaborate robes PROTESTANTS: -Believed people could find God without a priest or a pope. - Ministers were ordinary people who led normal lives - They would wear ordinary robes SIN: - In Catholicism:  Believed that priests and popes could forgive sin However, this came at a price Gifts and indulgences were to be given - In Protestantism: Believed that ONLY God could forgive your sins The sins in religion in Elizabethan England: - Pride because it interferes with the individual recognition of the grace of God - Envy is a desire for others traits, abilities, status or situation which is a sin because you should happy and grateful for how God made you - Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than which one requires which is also a sin because as a believer you should be happy with what you have and understand that God knows best and we shouldn't lean on our own understanding - Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body ad is a sin because in the Bible it says that our body is our "temple" therefore we should keep it holy. - Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. This can be considered a sin because God wants us to be able to control our anger so it doesn't lead to something else worse, that could essentially get us into big trouble. - Greed is the desire for materialistic things and wealth or gain which is ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is viewed as a sin because it is as though you are wanting earthly things more than the one who made you, God. You are more engaged in the activities of the world when you should just be in the world and focus on God. Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work and is considered a sin because it is like ignoring God. Superstitions in Elizabethan England: - First of all the definition of superstition is "excessively credulous belief in and reverence for the supernatural." - The belief in superstitions and supernaturals were common practices - Superstitions were based on fear of the unknown and unexplainable natural occurrences. - I.e: Sneezing opened your soul to the devil and evil spirits, eclipses were an omen of evil and death, witches commonly performed seances to summon spirits - Elizabethans believed that fairies and goblets came out at night to play tricks on people - They believed that these devilish creatures could make people go insane and give them nightmares - Women who didn't fit into the society were branded as witches and accused of working for the devil - It was considered unlucky for black cats to cross your path ever because they were associated with witches - Strongly believed also that it was unlucky to walk under ladders because they were strongly associated with executions. - The eye of the feathers of a peacock were viewed to be the eyes of the devil or the eye of evil In Elizabethan times, there is a different way of looking at life compared to nowadays. They believed in a divine order or great 'chain of being'. The divine order was a belief that everything in the universe has a specific place and rank in order of spiritual nature. The more spirit or person or object a person had, the more power they possessed. - Different 'humors': Blood Yellow Bile Black Bile  Phlegm It was thought that if these 4 humors weren't balanced when a person was healthy it would not only affect their physical health but also their personality. There was also Bloody Mary: You stand in front of a mirror and stand alone, you turn off all the lights and say the simple phrase "Bloody Mary Bloody Mary Bloody Mary" Then you stare at the mirror and it is said that she will appear to you and come through the mirror and kill you. Money in Elizabethan England: - During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I all currency was in the form of coins - The coins were either made out of gold or silver and the weight of it determined the value of the coin - The Elizabethan monetary system was comprised of penny, shilling, and the pound - The abbreviation of a penny is "d" after the silver Roman coin, Denarius. - The abbreviation of shilling is "s" after Sestertius, also a silver Roman coin. - The pound was known as "L" with a crossed bar to look like "£". This was an an abbreviation for the latin word for pound, Libra  UNITS AND VALUES OF ELIZABETHAN CURRENCY: Farthing 1/4 penny Half penny 1/2 penny Threefarthing 3/4 penny Penny 1 penny 1d Half groat 2 pennies 2d Groat 4 pennies 4d Sixpence 6 pennies 6d Shilling 12 pennies 1s Half crown 30 pennnies 2s 6d Quarter angel 30 pennies 2s 6d Crown 60 pennies 5s Half angel 60 pennies 5s Angel 120 pennies 10s Half pound 120 pennies 10s Ryal 180pence 15s Pound 240 pence 20s £1 Fine Sovereign 360 pence 30s £1 10s http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-period-money-and-currency.htm - In Elizabethan time, wages depended on your job status so for instance, the lower class earned their wage in pennies whilst the upper class earned theirs in pounds annually. It is almost the same as today as your wages do depend on the type of job you have. - For example, a typical nobleman earned 1,500 to 3,000 pounds per year whereas a carpenter only earned approximately 13 pounds per year. - Currently, our currency uses paper bills and coins. Yet our coins do not have nearly as much silver and gold as Elizabethan coins did - Because of this, it meant that Elizabethan money bought more back then than our currency does today. - Money played a part of the struggle of the Elizabethan era because life in Elizabethan times was not very cheap. This is why it was a hard time for people living in poverty. - The many necessities required in everyday life were clothing and fabric, food and drink,fines,housing and indulgences. - For example, Boots could cost four to ten pounds, cinnamon cost about 10s 6d= 10 shillings and six pennies(per pound), and a doctors visit cost one mark( 13s 4d)= 13 shillings, 4 pennies Jobs in Elizabethan England: - Jobs were based on class and social ranking - The nobles were quite high up in the social ranking, therefore they rarely had jobs, they just had to make sure the servants were doing their job correctly and everything was running smoothly. - The Gentry lived like they were nobles though they couldn't become nobles. They were educated and they were advisors of the Queen. - Knights would fight and serve the queen. - Yeoman were hard workers, they were not rich though they were comfortable. - Peasants were the poorest of the poor and they worked the jobs that nobody wanted for very little play. - Many people were unemployed in Elizabethan England - It was very difficult at the time to find work in towns, cities and the countryside - Jobs were limited and a lot of people were in desperate need of work - Some of the popular jobs in Elizabethan era Bottler who stored and dispensed wines Chaplain who is responsible for religion activities of castle servants Apothecary gave remedies made from herbs, plants, and roots Cordwainer a shoemaker or the Cobbler, craftsman who made shoes Spinster which was an occupation gave to a woman who earned her living spinning yarn. -Popular jobs today Doctor Nurse Welder Marine biologist Veterinarian - Jobs today still determine people's income and wealth - Today English people take pride in their history and they respect the customs and traditions of England -Around 95% of English people live in urban areas nowadays meaning that places are crowded with shoppers, office workers and people going to see entertainment like theaters and restaurants.  Medicine in Elizabethan England: - The Elizabethan times were dark times for any form of medicine back then - There were diseases such as malaria, small pox and the Bubonic Plague - The Elizabethans were not educated enough in medicine - The practices for any form of medicine did more harm than good - Medicine was basic and practices to treat disease were based on superstition and also the teaching of Aristotle. - Doctors had to be well educated and had gone to physician universities like Cambridge or Oxford - You needed to have a certain amount of money to receive treatment, therefore only the wealthy received treatment - Doctors wore bird-like masks to protect themselves from the plague whilst trying to treat patients Elizabethan medicines were  basic, to say the least. Letting blood was conducted by cupping or leeches. The Medicine used to treat various illnesses were as follows: Bubonic Plague ( the Black Death )= Bubonic Plague was treated by lancing the buboes and applying a warm poultice of butter, onion and garlic. Various other remedies were tried including tobacco, arsenic, lily root and dried toad.  Head Pains= Head Pains were treated with sweet-smelling herbs such as rose, lavender, sage, and bay. Stomach Pains and Sickness= Stomach pains and sickness were treated with wormwood, mint, and balm. Lung Problems= Lung problems given the medical treatment of liquorice and comfrey. Wounds= Vinegar was widely used as a cleansing agent as it was believed that it would kill disease. The underlying cause of many of the Elizabethan illnesses was the lack of sanitation, especially in large towns or cities such as London. There were open sewers in the streets which were also filled with garbage. This was occasionally removed and waste was dumped into the nearest river such as the Thames. Diseases were easily spread in this unsanitary environment where fleas, lice and rats all flourished. There was no running water, this was obtained from water pumps ( a main cause of the spread of typhoid ). http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-medicine-and-illnesses.htm From all this information I can understand that England back then was extremely unhygienic and unsanitary which made a home for rats to come about. So, therefore rats were carrying a nasty flee called "Yersinia pestis" which essentially caused the bubonic plague in London to spread. The rat comes into contact with the human and the flee ten attaches itself to the human, infecting their blood etc. It is also shown from the information that doctors tried to treat these diseases with natural things like herbs and mint. Theatre in Elizabethan England: -  Elizabethan Theatre is usually associated with the famous playwright Wiliam Shakespeare who produced his plays in the time of Queen Elizabeth's reign. He plays were first performed during 1589-1613 - Along with Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson were also well-known writers in the Elizabethan times - Elizabethan people loved theatre and plays and theatres were as popular as movies and cinemas of the early 20th century. - Theatres are still popular today and most visitors to London at least visit one of the theatres. - London authorities refused to allow plays to be performed within the city, so theatres opened across the Thames in Southwark - Plays were performed in the courtyard of inns or sometimes the houses of noblemen - Theatre performances were held in the afternoon because there was no artificial lighting to use. - No women performed in plays so female roles were generally played by young boys  - Women, however, attended plays but a prosperous woman would wear a mask to hide her identity. - The Globe was the most famous theatre in Elizabethan era - Although the theatres had slight differences they shared great similarities and one of them is that fact that they were all built with a circular footprint like a giant letter 'O' - They were all also almost entirely open to the open air. The plays were produced during the months May-October. - Companies blew a flag above the theatre to indicate that there was a performance that day - The audience sat around in three levels - The higher the level, the more expensive the seat and this was partly because the closer one was to the roof, the better coverage on rainy days. Also because it gave you elevation to see what was happening on stage whereas the audience who stand in the yard or the area in front of the stage for the price of a single penny( they were known as the "penny-stinkers" and then later on the "groundlings" - The audience sometimes threw things at characters they didn't like. To conclude, the sense I get from what life was like in Elizabethan England is that is was a huge struggle living in that time in terms of jobs,class and money however it seems like one of the most fascinating periods in the History of England because a lot happened that still happens now and it is interesting to know that some of the things that we still have in England or still do now, started off in Elizabethan England. I feel that because they had a lot of fun events going on like entertainment, music, plays, language, medicine etc and it really does make Elizabethan England come across as a joyous and intriguing era to live in.