You are to research various aspects of Shakespearean England and present your findings in a four quadrant poster. You must use at least two library resources, which will be made easily available to you, as well as a selection of the websites below. You may not use any other websites beyond the ones provided for you. If you have any questions, please ask Mrs. Bentham or Mrs. Dupuis.
Instructions
You are to choose FOUR of the topics below to research. Links have been provided to sites from which you can draw your information, but as always, you are expected to put all information into your own words. The FOUR topics you choose will be made into a four quadrant poster (think of one bristol board divided equally in quarters). Each quadrant will contain at least 1 pertinent photo and information which answers the research question.
The Topics
1) Research William Shakespeare's family and early life in Stratford-on-Avon. What can you find out about the lives of Shakespeare's children? Who was Ann Hathaway? What can you find out about Shakespeare's marriage to her?
2) Find information about Queen Elizabeth. What sort of queen was she? What was she famous for?
3) When did Shakespeare move to London? What kind of city was it at the time? How did he make his living? What sort of life did he lead?
4) What did people do for entertainment in Elizabethan London? What were the expectations placed upon children, young adults, and older adults?
5) What kind of clothing did people wear in Shakespearean England? Be sure to describe what males and females wore in different stages of their lives, and address the difference between clothing the "commoners" would have worn as opposed to the aristocracy.
6) What were the main theatres operating in London at the time? With which theatre group was Shakespeare associated? Describe the set up of theatres at this time.
7) Find out what you can about love and marriage in Elizabethan England. Who decided who a young person would marry? What expectations were there about love and marriage?
8) Discuss health and wellness in Shakespeare's time. What were your options if you got sick? What sort of medical treatments were available? What was an apothecary?
Resources
In addition to two print resources (books!) you can use the following web resources:
Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources
Worst Diseases in Shakespeare's England
William Shakespeare's Early Life
Elizabethan Medicine and Illnesses
Shakespeare Resource Centre - Shakespeare's Globe
