Background

Shakespeare's World

• Time Period: 16th century (1500s).
• The world was very different from today.
• South Africa in 1564: Many African groups were still migrating southward.
• London in Shakespeare's time:
  • Different from modern London.
  • A fast-growing city with people from different places.

Elizabethan England

• Queen Elizabeth I ruled during Shakespeare's lifetime.
• Exploration and Trade:
• English explorers travelled to new lands.
• Brought back new fruits, vegetables, and spices.
• London was the fastest-growing city in England.
• People from rural areas and other countries moved to London for work.
• Shakespeare met many different cultures and people, which influenced his plays.