Masterclass #3 "How the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I influenced Shakespeare's writing".

Delivered by our Head of English, Mr Mitchell, this Masterclass explored how Shakespeare's writing was directly and indirectly influenced by the reigns of the monarchs and the contextual changes which happened at the time. Attended by 68 students, we were left in no doubt regarding Shakespeare's propensity to write for the highest bidder, but also how his plays reflected the social shifts of the time.

Students said: "I had no idea the mood changed so forcibly once Elizabeth I was replaced by James I and the extent to which Shakespeare reflected this in his plays, particularly in Macbeth"; another said: "I learnt so much from this Masterclass which I will definitely use in my essays".