Research On Shakespeare's Era

Elizabethan Era Research

Work Time

How have ideas about civilized behavior and human rights changed since Shakespeare wrote his play?

To be clear about this, use the Internet to research what was practiced in Shakespeare’s time when criminals were punished and for entertainment. Work with your reading group, with one part of your group looking for information about punishment and the other for information about entertainment.

A suggested site for research is http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/.

Look at the Elizabethan Era sitemap and find entries for Elizabethan Entertainment and Elizabethan Executions.

Share with your group the information you find. Then go back to the initial question: How have ideas about civilized behavior and human rights changed since Shakespeare wrote his play?

Discuss the following questions.

  • Were the public executions (beheadings) of the Elizabethan era more civilized than what we do today?
  • Is bearbaiting a civilized form of entertainment? Is dogfighting or cockfighting?
  • Are modern boxing and wrestling civilized?