Monday, December 23, 2013

What were the dominant literary themes in the Elizabethan era?

The themes in the Elizabethan era were varied.  By looking
into the plays of William Shakespeare, we can see what interested these people.
 Shakespeare is the best example because he covered so many areas of human
interest.


In his history plays, Shakespeare explored power
and what makes a good ruler.  By delving into his own recent history, he could explore
 these ideas.  The question of how to be a good ruler has been asked by countless
generations.  Shakespeare shows us the good, the bad, and the
ugly.


What does it mean to be a human being was the subject
of his tragedies.  He explored love and jealousy, duty and revenge, power politics, and
many other ideas.


In his comedies, he poked fun at us.
 Love and our misunderstanding of it seems to be a favorite theme.  In these plays, the
women teach the man what love truly is.


Family
relationships, lost children, forgiveness, and reunification seem to dominate the late
plays.


So, it would appear that the things that concern us
today also concerned the people in the Elizabethan period.

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