Shakespeare’s England

  1. Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 at Stratford-upon-Avon.
  2. It was called the Elizabethan Period because it was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 and England was emerging as a leading power. It was also called the “Golden Age.”
  3. The system of government was a personal monarchy with appointed ministers.
  4. Social structure- Class was determined by wealth, fame, skills and birth. There were 6 classes: Monarch, Nobility, Gentry, Merchants, Commoners and Labourers.
  5. Women’s clothing was dictated by the Sumptuary Laws enacted by Queen Elizabeth They were not allowed to wear whatever they liked. Fabric and colour of the clothes were determined by their class status or position. The Queen’s colour was purple and other lesser status colours went from gold to grey. Also embroidery, buttons and other embellishments were allowed depending upon status.
  6. Hairstyles were designed to complement the upper class fashions of the day. Women wore their hair long which they swept up after marriage. The most visible parts of the hair were the sides and front as much of their hair was hidden by some form of head covering.
  7. Crime and Punishment:
    A peasant stealing anything worth 5 pence or more would be hanged
  8. A Capital offence was execution by being cut into quarters. This was done while the person was near death from hanging, released by the hangman then quartered.
    Treason resulted in decapitation.
  9. Healthcare was based on the philosophies of Hippocrates and Aristotle. Strong herbal remedies were prescribed for some illnesses, leeches were used to draw out bad blood and if you had a toothache the tooth would be pulled. They also believed the body consisted of 4 humours: blood represented air, black bile was earth, yellow bile was fire and phlegm was water. If all were in balance you considered healthy.
  10. The terrible disease during the 1500’s was the plague. It took approximately 80,000 lives or a quarter to a third of the population.
  11. The Elizabethan education system: Boys aged 5-7 were home-schooled and were taught to read and write and be a good Christian. Ages 7-14 went to school and learned Latin, spelling and grammar.
  12. Elizabethans entertained themselves by going to feasts, dances, playing chess and checkers, but their” favourite “activity was going to the theatre.
    12. Sanitation during Shakespeare’s time was basically non-existent. London had no sewage system and people did not bathe regularly. The streets were strewn with trash. The rivers were polluted with raw sewage and other waste which caused sicknesses among the poor who got their water from the public wells.
    13. The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 in London by Shakespeare’s playing company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men:
    People knew there would be a play by the flags that were put out to advertise the next play. Colour coding was used to describe what type of play would be performed. Black stood for tragedy, white meant comedy and red indicated history.
    Actors generally did not know their lines in advance until the play was in progress. This was called “cue scripting”.
    Actors travelled from town to town on a cart looking for audiences to pay to watch them perform.
    Plays were usually held in the afternoon between 2-4pm. Since it was an open-air theatre they relied on natural lighting.

whirligig chapter 9 vocab

Sociable-inclined to associate with or be in the company of others

Converse-to talk informally with another or others; exchange views, opinions, etc., by talking.

Summoned-to call into action; rouse; call forth (often. followed by up

Overlapping-to cover and extend beyond (something else)

Shingles-a thin piece of wood, slate, metal, asbestos, or the like, usually oblong, laid in overlapping rows to cover the roofs and walls of buildings.

Brisk-quick and active; lively

Hollowness-having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty:

Cicada-any large homopterous insect of the family Cicadidae, the male of which produces a shrill sound by means of vibrating membranes on the underside of the abdomen

whirligig chapter 8 vocab

Intercom-an intercommunication system

Catapulted-to thrust or move quickly or suddenly

Chemotherapy-the treatment of disease by means of chemicals that have a specific toxic effect upon the disease-producing microorganisms or that selectively destroy cancerous tissue.

Resemble-to be like or similar to.

Nonchalantly-coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual:

Furiously-intensely violent, as wind or storms.

Unfocused-not brought into focus; lacking proper focus:

Awning-a rooflike shelter of canvas or other material extending over a doorway

whirligig chapter 7 vocab

Apprentice-a person who works for another in order to learn a trade:

Appendix-a narrow, blind tube protruding from the cecum, having no known useful function

Panorama-an unobstructed and wide view of an extensive area in all directions.

Fraud-deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.

Vagabond-wandering from place to place without any settled home;

Fatigue-weariness from bodily or mental exertion

Minuscule-very small.

Deluge-a great flood of water; inundation; flood

whirligig chapter 6 vocab

Paradise-A place of extreme beauty, delight, or happiness

Virtuoso-A person who has special knowledge or skill in a field.

Pledge-A solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something:

Background-The ground or parts, as of a scene, situated in the rear (opposed to foreground

Standards-Something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.

Recital-A musical entertainment given usually by a single performer or by a performer and one or more accompanists.

whirligig chapter 5 vocab

Squinted-To look with the eyes partly closed

Anonymous-Without any name acknowledged, as that of author, contributor, or the like

Hostel-Also called youth hostel. An inexpensive, supervised lodging place for young people on bicycle trips, hikes, etc.

Marimba-A musical instrument, originating in Africa but popularized and modified in Central America, consisting of a set of graduated wooden bars, often with resonators beneath to reinforce the sound, struck with mallets.

Distance-The state or fact of being apart in space, as of one thing from another; remoteness.

Unobtrusively-not obtrusive; inconspicuous, unassertive, or reticent.