This is the story of how a young Englishman named William Shakespeare stormed London's theater scene in the late 16th century, and wrote a bunch of plays and poems that have had pretty good staying power. We'll learn about Shakespeare's...

Pupil outcome: I can explain Juliet’s agency in Act 4, Scene 1 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - Arguably, Paris’ use of imperative language suggests that men stereotypically dictated women’s life choices. - Paris’ claim “thy...

Pupil outcome: I can explain how Lord Capulet’s views on women and marriage in Act 3, Scene 5 relate to a patriarchal society. Key learning points: - Initially, Lord Capulet appears to subvert patriarchal norms through suggesting he...

Pupil outcome: I can explain how Romeo and Juliet both subvert and conform to gendered societal expectations in 'Romeo and Juliet'. Key learning points: - In Elizabethan England, violence and honour were arguably seen as integral to...

Pupil outcome: I can explain the role of violence and honour in Elizabethan society. Key learning points: - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ opens and ends with acts of violence. - Exposure to violence would have been a reality in Elizabethan England....

Pupil outcome: I can explain how the prologue sets up the theme of fate in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - In Elizabethan England, most people believed that their lives were controlled by fate. - Romeo and Juliet’s fate is...

Pupil outcome: I can explore the societal expectations around adolescent behaviour and parental control in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - Arguably, Shakespeare suggests that adolescence was associated with impulsiveness in...

Pupil outcome: I can explain Juliet’s agency in Act 5, Scene 3 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - Potentially, we might see Friar Lawrence’s offer of a nunnery as representing how limited women’s choices were. - Arguably,...

Pupil outcome: I can explain how violence and honour are presented in Act 3, Scene 1 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - Arguably, Shakespeare opens Act 3, Scene 1 with the expectation of violence through the pathetic fallacy...

Pupil outcome: I can explain how Juliet’s language around sex and forgiveness relate to ideas of female agency. Key learning points: - Female sexual desire was frowned upon in Elizabethan England. - Juliet’s language around sex implies...

Pupil outcome: I can make inferences about an unseen extract from Akala's 'The Dark Lady' and respond to the use of imagery. Key learning points: - Making predictions about a text is useful because it allows you to consider the impact of...

Pupil outcome: I can create a convincing interpretation of Puck's epilogue from Act 5 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through performance. Key learning points: - ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ ends with an epilogue given by the character of...

Pupil outcome: I can explain how Shakespeare presents the character of Egeus in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, including considering relevant context. Key learning points: - ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ was first performed to an Elizabethan...

Pupil outcome: I can explain the role of Friar Lawrence and his relationship to Romeo within Act 2, Scene 3 of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Key learning points: - In Elizabethan England, religion played a central role in people’s lives. - Friar...

England was the clear winner of the latter half of the 16th century. Flourishing under the reign of their industrious and stylish monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, it was between 1558 and 1603 that England emerged as the world’s first real...

How to Survive in Tudor London? : Life in Elizabethan England, Shakespeare's London

When Shakespeare crafted Richard III, he packed it with lots of juicy details and references to history. Not only does the play draw on the famous Wars of the Roses, but it also reflects the ideas and values of Elizabethan England. Join...

Ready to master comparative essays? In this lesson, we’lll explain what a comparative essay is and the types of questions you could encounter. We’ll teach you how to approach questions based on context, techniques, textual form,...

An overview of Elizabethan England, through the eyes of a wealthy woman. She talks about politics, crime, the impact of population growth and the development of towns as well as the treatment of vagrants.



The History Squad...

An ordinary gunner’s story of how he fought aboard Sir Francis Drake’s ship during the Spanish Armada. He gives a decks-eye view of the battle and tactics used during the by the English Navy and international trade during the...

This is the pre reading video for a full analysis of every Act of Shakespeare’s play Merchant of Venice through different themes. Subscribe for future seasons of this Shakespeare Play by Play.