What was going on politically culturally and historically during Shakespeares life?

Answer 1

Quite a lot! The political and cultural history of England alone during the years 1564-1616 would and does fill volumes. Get out a book on the subject or watch a relatively accurate film on the subject--the BBC drama "Elizabeth R" would be a good start. And it is unlikely that you could really understand what was going on in England at that time without also knowing what happened in Scotland, France and Spain. Who was James VI of Scotland, and why did he become king of England when Shakespeare was 39? Why did Queen Elizabeth have his mother (who was her first cousin) beheaded when Shakespeare was 3? Why did the Spanish declare war on England and try to invade when Shakespeare was 24? Why did Shakespeare's theatre company get in trouble when they performed his play Richard II when Shakespeare was 37? Why was it so politically explosive? What did the French do to anger the English court when Shakespeare was 8? Why did Guy Fawkes try to murder the king and parliament when Shakespeare was 41? What caused Queen Elizabeth's Jewish doctor to be executed when Shakespeare was 30? What was going on in the New World that caused a North American princess to marry an Englishman when Shakespeare was 51? Those are some of the things which happened, but you need to read a book to find out why.

Answer 2

Quite frankly, if you want an answer to this question which has any depth to it, you should read a few long and carefully researched books or take a university course. This is a big topic. Here are some extraordinarily simplified comments. Shakespeare lived in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. England was engaged in a rivalry with Spain which resulted in the failed Spanish invasion of England and the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The latter years of her reign were marked by a concern over who would succeed Elizabeth, since she was childless. The sixteenth century was a transition period from a feudal medieval attitude to a commercial middle-class attitude as new economic realities came into existence. It was a time of many changes and considerable social confusion. The Stuart king James I who reigned for the last 13 years of Shakespeare's life was a marked change from the Tudor Elizabeth. An important milestone in his reign was the creation of the King James translation of The Bible. Religion was a political issue throughout Shakespeare's life, culminating in the Catholic-inspired attack on James by Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators on November 5, 1605.