Historical Background

3)

Under the reign of Elizabeth 1 significant progress in

The Elizabethan Age is regarded as the 'Golden Age' in
several areas of learning was made. She supported the
British history. Queen Elizabeth I, nicknamed the 'Virgin
for 45 years, from 1558 to 1603. To development of the sciences:
Queen, ruled is
have to Francis Bacon (1561-1626), a British philosopher,
understand why Elizabeth I was so popular, we
of the modern scientific
and after. It was a often called the founder
compare her reign with those before
brief period of internal peace between
the Enclish method (inductivism). She also encouraged exploration.
and Francis Drake's (41540-1595) 'Golden Hind' was the first
Reformation and the battles between Protestants
world.
British ship to sail round the
Catholics and parliament and the monarchy that would
modernised the universities
Furthermore, Elizabeth
engulf the 17th century. Elizabeth's predecessor, Queen development
also known as and grammar schools and promoted the
Mary I was a fanatic Catholic. She was first professional writers
the arts. In the 1580s, the
'BloodyMary' as she persecuted Protestants and aimed of
atcor Verting England back to Catholicism. This religious lettuniversity, for example Shakespeares contemporers
(1564-1593). Until then, writers
upheaval severely damaged the economy.
Politically, Christopher Marlowe
close to civil war and also close to a war had depended on noble patrons to support them.
England was
with the continent. 4)
Elizabeth I managed to avoid the external conflicts and
restored the economical and political
situation of
Queen Mary I was executed in 1587, ending the political
Church.
England. She also re-established the Anglican ambitions of some radical Catholics.
an economic boom and I1 of Spain to invade
The years 1574-1585 brought In 1588, an attempt by Philip
Armada was famously
growing national self-confidence. England with the Spanish
defeated. England became the first naval power of the
2)
the defeat of the Spanish Armada
was one
world, and
rise during
of the main reasons for the economic
The cultural developments during the Elizabethan Age was based on
Elizabeth's reign. Economic success
are closely connected with the Renaissance. This period, manufacture. However, the
the classical cultures of ancient foreign
trade, mining and
literally a 'rebirth' of 1585, wasn't
Greece and Rome, was marked by lively
interest in art Anglo-Spanish War, which had begun in
the Middle Ages, the human
resolved until 1604. The latter period of Elizabeth's reign
to
and sciences. In contrast war: external
was darkened by the consequences of the
being and life in the material word
gained importance.
major
perfectly proportion- trade suffered, unemployment became
a

Renaissance artists focussed on the

and the population was crippled by taxes.
edhuman being philosophers lostinterestin metaphysics problem,
in favour of the
more human social, political and ethical Also, Elizabeth having no children and therefore no heir
to the throne led to political uncertainty as to who
problems. As the human being was in the focus of interest,
called humanism. Queen would be the next king or queen.
this modern way of thinking is
Elizabeth I embraced the new 'spirit' of the Renaissance
and was interested in philosophy and science. She read
and liked watching theatre
Greek and Latin literature

performances.

1. Assign the following headlines to the single paragraphs.

Elizabethan Era - Political Developments England's New Peace under Elizabeth's Reign
The

The Renaissance - The Cultural Background Elizabeth - A Modern Queen

of the Elizabethan Age

words
2. Start making cue cards for your personal learning file. Note down the most important information on the
printed in bold onto cue cards.

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ISBN 978-3-12-576101-8
76
 The Elizabethan View of the World

2.1

A Neatly Ordered World (part 1)

A closer look at people's beliefs in the Elizabethan Age, can be surprising: Even though the Renaissance was
time of revolutionary changes and of modern thinking, the prevailing world view was still strongly influenced

by medieval paradigms of thought.

The Elizabethans still believed in the Ptolemaic system with the earth as the centre, surrounded by the eight
spheres of the universe and, behind them, the realm of God and the angels. Their concept of the world was
based on the idea of a heavenly order established by God, based on astrong hierarchy. This idea of a universal
order appears in the Great Chain of Being.

1. The following elements are part of the "Great Chain of Being" In which order do you think they occur? Why?
the
Work in groups and number them from 1-6 (1 is the highest). Then have a look at task 2 and complete
diagram below.

plants minerals, liquids, metals _ human beings

angels animals
2. Every link of the Great Chain has its own hierarchy. Find the pairs that belong together. Look for five categories
and then for each category one thing or being which is the "king" within it. Draw lines.

diamond dolphin eagle

archangels

stone
oak human beings
bird

tree angels
king fish

With the help of the pairs you have found, complete the following diagram. Use the lower box for the overall

category and the upper box for the respective "king'" like in the given example.

God

diamond

stone

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ISBN 978-3-12-576101-8 77