Exploring the Time Period during Shakespeare’s Career

By: Nicole Weaver

In a WebQuest!

• Choose own topics • Research topics in a guided manner• Stay on track through organized, pre-

planned steps

Why Learn about a Time

Period/Historical Background?

• Shapes who people were, what they did, and how they interacted

• Helps to understand where/how the author lived to see any connections in the piece of literature

• Understand the context of themes or aspects present in the work

In Romeo & Juliet…

• Several ways aspects of this time period appear

• Fencing, insults, and marriage are a few

The Art of Fencing

• Wasn’t considered a “sport” like today• “Rules” that provoked/prohibited a fight• Relevant in many of the fight scenes in

Romeo & Juliet

Elizabethan Insults

• Thumb-biting• Tactic used in Romeo & Juliet inAct 1 sc. 1

Marriage and Family

• Arranged marriages by parents• Status, Money, Wealth > Love• Juliet arranged to marry Paris, not Romeo

Credits• Fencing scenes:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sVzFUHGREk Silver

Spring Stage performancehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSo_ioyGfO0 1996 film

version directed by Baz Luhrmann

• Thumb-biting scenes:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-IcF82J-eY 1996 film

version directed by by Baz Luhrmannhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E77UpBsqZvI 1968 film

version directed by Franco Zeffirelli

• Marriage/Family Link:http://www.william-shakespeare.info/elizabethan-wedding-customs.htm

All images come from Google Images