Education, Culture, and the Theatre

The Elizabethan period is often called a "Golden Age" of English culture. It saw an explosion of creativity in literature, drama, music, and art. Education expanded, literacy increased, and the theatre became a central part of English cultural life. This lesson examines the cultural achievements of the Elizabethan era.

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Education

Education expanded significantly during Elizabeth's reign, although it remained limited by modern standards.

Types of School

School Type	Description	Who Attended
Petty schools	Basic schools teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic; often run by a single teacher	Boys (and occasionally girls) from age 5–7; children of all social classes
Grammar schools	More advanced schools teaching Latin, Greek, rhetoric, and classical literature; often endowed by wealthy benefactors	Boys from age 7–14; mainly sons of the gentry, merchants, and yeomen; scholarships available for bright poor boys
Private tutors	Wealthy families employed tutors to educate their children at home	Children of the nobility and wealthy gentry; both boys and girls
Universities	Oxford and Cambridge; taught theology, law, medicine, and the classics	Young men (typically aged 14–17 on entry); mainly sons of the gentry and wealthier classes

Curriculum

Subject	Detail
Latin	The foundation of all education; boys were expected to read, write, and speak Latin fluently
Greek	Studied at grammar schools and universities; Homer, Plato, and Aristotle were key texts
Rhetoric	The art of persuasion and public speaking — considered essential for gentlemen and future leaders
Classical literature	Works of Cicero, Virgil, and Ovid were studied intensively
Religion	The Bible and catechism were central to education at all levels
Mathematics	Basic arithmetic and geometry; increasingly important for navigation and commerce

Exam Tip: Elizabethan education was mainly for boys. Girls from wealthy families might be educated by tutors, but there were no grammar schools or universities for women. Elizabeth herself was an exception — her father ensured she received an outstanding education. When discussing education, always note these gender limitations.

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Literacy

Literacy rates increased during Elizabeth's reign but remained limited:

Group	Estimated Literacy Rate
Nobility and gentry	Nearly 100% for men; high for women
Merchants and professionals	High — literacy was essential for business
Yeomen	Variable — perhaps 30–50%
Husbandmen and labourers	Low — perhaps 10–20%
Women (overall)	Much lower than men — perhaps 5–10%

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Literature

The Elizabethan period produced some of the greatest English literature ever written.

Key Literary Figures

Writer	Major Works	Significance
William Shakespeare	Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and many more	The greatest playwright in the English language; wrote approximately 37 plays and 154 sonnets
Christopher Marlowe	Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine the Great, Edward II	Pioneer of blank verse drama; Shakespeare's most important predecessor; killed in a tavern brawl in 1593
Edmund Spenser	The Faerie Queene	The greatest Elizabethan epic poem; an allegory celebrating Elizabeth and Protestant England
Sir Philip Sidney	Astrophel and Stella, Arcadia	Influential poet and courtier; embodied the ideal of the Renaissance gentleman
Ben Jonson	Volpone, The Alchemist	Major playwright and poet; rival and friend of Shakespeare

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The Theatre

The theatre was the most popular and distinctive cultural phenomenon of the Elizabethan age.

The Development of Professional Theatre

Development	Detail
Before 1576	Plays were performed in inn yards, great halls, and temporary stages; acting companies were often attached to noble households
1576	James Burbage built The Theatre in Shoreditch, London — the first purpose-built public playhouse in England
1599	The Globe Theatre was built on Bankside, Southwark, by the Lord Chamberlain's Men (Shakespeare's company)
Other theatres	The Rose (1587), The Swan (1595), The Fortune (1600), and others

The Globe Theatre

Feature	Detail
Shape	Circular (or polygonal); open-air central yard surrounded by three tiers of covered galleries
Capacity	Approximately 3,000 spectators
Stage	A raised platform projecting into the yard; no curtain; minimal scenery
Groundlings	The cheapest tickets (1 penny) bought standing room in the yard; the audience was close to the actors
Galleries	More expensive seats in the covered galleries; wealthier spectators sat here
Performances	Held in the afternoon (there was no artificial lighting); approximately 2–3 hours long

flowchart TD
  T["The Theatre<br/>Shoreditch 1576<br/>James Burbage"] --> R["The Rose<br/>Bankside 1587"]
  T --> S["The Swan<br/>Bankside 1595"]
  T --> G["The Globe<br/>Bankside 1599<br/>~3,000 capacity"]
  T --> F["The Fortune<br/>1600"]
  G --> GR[Groundlings: 1d standing yard]
  G --> GA[Galleries: 2d-3d covered seats]
  G --> ST["Raised stage,<br/>no curtain, minimal scenery"]
  G --> LCM["Lord Chamberlain’s Men<br/>Shakespeare’s company"]
  LCM --> P["Plays: Hamlet, Henry V,<br/>Richard II 1601"]

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Opposition to the Theatre

Not everyone approved of the theatre. It faced significant opposition:

Group	Objections
Puritans	Believed theatre was sinful and immoral; encouraged idleness, drunkenness, and sexual immorality; theatres attracted prostitutes and criminals
City authorities	Feared large gatherings could spread plague; worried about public order; tried to ban theatres from the City of London (which is why theatres were built in Southwark, outside the City's jurisdiction)
Some clergy	Objected to the portrayal of religious themes on stage; believed plays distracted people from church

Exam Tip: The opposition to theatre is a common exam topic. Puritans objected on moral and religious grounds, while city authorities were more concerned with public health and order. The fact that theatres were built outside the City of London (in the "Liberties" of Southwark) is an important detail that shows how theatre companies navigated official opposition.

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Music and Art

Music

Feature	Detail
Church music	Hymns and anthems composed for Church of England services; Thomas Tallis and William Byrd were the leading composers
Secular music	Madrigals (unaccompanied vocal music), lute songs, and consort music were popular among the educated classes
Instruments	The lute, viol, virginals (a keyboard instrument), and recorder were popular
Elizabeth	Was herself an accomplished musician who played the virginals

Art

Feature	Detail
Portraits	The main form of visual art; used to display wealth, status, and power
Miniatures	Small, detailed portrait paintings by artists like Nicholas Hilliard; worn as jewellery or exchanged as gifts
The Cult of Gloriana	Elizabeth's image was carefully controlled; portraits depicted her as eternally young, powerful, and divine

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Exam Focus: Worked 16-Mark Answer on Elizabethan Theatre