Religion and Superstition

Elizabethan England marked the ‘golden age’ of culture, commerce, and growth, yet it was also a time of complex spiritual and political conflict. William Shakespeare grew up and found success as a playwright during this period, and his plays therefore reflect much of the religious conflict of the era. This guide will provide a brief overview of the religious history prior to and during Elizabeth I’s reign. It then explores some examples of how Shakespeare used popular superstitions and religious beliefs in his plays.

Key Dates & Events

• 1534 - Parliament recognized the monarch (Henry VIII) as head of the newly-formed Church of England. This Act of Supremacy completed England’s break with the Roman Catholic Church.
• 1553 - Mary I ascended to the throne and quickly began to reverse the Protestant reforms put in place by her father, Henry VIII, and continued by her younger half-brother, Edward VI.
• 1554 - Princess Elizabeth was placed under house arrest for almost a year under suspicion of aiding Protestant rebels.
• 1558 - Mary I died at the age of 42 and was succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth
• 1570 - Elizabeth I was excommunicated from the Catholic church by Pope Pius V.
• 1588 - A fleet of ships known as the Spanish Armada set sail towards England with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I and restoring Catholicism in England. Their expedition was unsuccessful.
• 1593 - London’s theatres were closed during a severe wave of plague which killed around 10,000 of London’s residents.
• 1597 - James VI of Scotland (the future James I of England and Wales) published his dissertation, Daemonologie.
• 1599 - The first Globe Theatre opened and was a huge success.
• 1603 - Elizabeth I died. She was succeeded by James I (VI of Scotland).
• 1604 - Witchcraft was made a capital offence in the Witchcraft Act of 1604.