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Elizabethan England
*** This Guide is No Longer Being Actively Maintained ***
by Beth Vella, Librarian
This pathfinder is a guide to resources on life in Elizabethan England. The Elizabethan Era is named for Queen Elizabeth I, who was born in 1533 and reigned from 1558 until her death in 1603. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth was the last of the Tudor monarchs. Among the high points of her 45-year reign was the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. It was also a golden age for literature and the arts. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) wrote many of his plays during this period.
Please Choose from the Following:
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Books & Videos
Magazines
Databases
Websites
Local Resources
Associations
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
These reference books, available for in-library use, have information on Elizabethan England. Many other reference books also have relevant information.
Encyclopedia
of the Renaissance
6 vols. Scribner’s, 1999.
R 940.23 ENC
An encyclopedia of the European Renaissance with nearly twelve hundred entries.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life.
6 vols. Greenwood Press, 2004.
R 390 GRE
Volume 3 of this six-volume set on everyday life throughout history covers life in England and other areas of the world during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Who’s
Who in Shakespeare’s England
Palmer, Alan, and Veronica Palmer.
St. Martin’s Press, 1981.
R 941.05 PAL
A biographical dictionary of approximately seven hundred influential men and women in England during the years 1590-1623.
Shakespeare’s
World and Work: An Encyclopedia for Students
3 vols. Scribner’s, 2001.
R 822.33 SHA
This encyclopedia for middle school and high school students includes many articles on
Elizabethan life.
The following encyclopedia articles are available
online through the Gale Virtual Reference
Library database. An OCPL library card is required for access.
Black, Jeremy.
“England.”
Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Vol. 2. Scribner’s, 2004.
MacCaffrey, Wallace.
“Elizabeth I (England) (1533-1603; Ruled 1558-1603).”
Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Vol. 2. Scribner’s, 2004.
“The Sixteenth Century.”
Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations,
and Footwear Through the Ages. Vol. 3. U*X*L, 2004.
Books & Videos
Here are some useful Subject Headings to search for materials:
To find additional items available in the Onondaga County Public Library system, search the online catalog under Browse - Subject for these subject headings:
Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603
England – Social life and customs – 16th century
England – Civilization – 16th century
Great Britain – History – Elizabeth, 1558-1603
To find biographies of famous Elizabethans (e.g., Sir Francis Bacon, Sir Walter Raleigh, William Shakespeare), search for their names.
Books
All the Queen’s Men: The World of Elizabeth I
Brimacombe, Peter.
St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
923.142 BRI
A look at the men who surrounded Elizabeth during her reign: statesmen, seafarers, explorers, suitors, and others.
High
Fashion in Shakespeare’s Time
Brownfoot, Andrew.
Tarquin Publications, 1992.
391.009 BRO
An A to Z guide to clothing worn by the wealthy and influential.
Shakespeare’s
Songbook
Duffin, Ross W.
Norton, 2004.
782.42 DUF
A collection of lyrics and tunes for 160 songs mentioned
in Shakespeare’s plays. The companion audio
CD contains recordings of about half the songs printed
in the book. Recordings of additional songs are available online in MP3 format.
Elizabethan
England
Greenhaven Press, 2002.
942.055 ELI
A collection of essays covering the major events and cultural advances during this period.
The
Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England:
From 1485-1649
Emerson, Kathy Lynn.
Writer’s Digest Books, 1996.
942.05 EME
Written by the author of the Lady Appleton historical mystery series. A good reference for students as well as writers.
Understanding
Shakespeare’s England: A Companion for the American
Reader.
McMurty, Jo. Archon Books, 1989.
942.055 MAC
Examples from Shakespeare’s plays and other Elizabethan
literature are used to explain the Tudor dynasty, degree
and rank in Elizabethan England, religion, money, marriage,
education, and more.
The
Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain
Oxford University Press, 1996.
941.05 OXF
Chapters cover politics, education, law, theatre, and other aspects of Tudor society.
Elizabeth’s
London: Everyday Life in Elizabethan London
Picard, Liza. St. Martin’s Press, 2003.
942.105 PIC
A detailed account of daily life in London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Shakespeare’s
Kitchen: Renaissance Recipes for the Contemporary Cook
Segan, Francine. Random House, 2003.
641.594 SEG
Modern versions of recipes taken from sixteenth and seventeenth century English cookbooks.
Daily
Life in Elizabethan England
Singman, Jeffrey L. Greenwood Press, 1995.
942.055 SIN
Includes instructions for clothing, recipes, games, songs, and dances.
Elinor
Fettiplace’s Receipt Book: Elizabethan Country House
Cooking
Spurling, Hilary. Viking Penguin, 1986.
641.594 SPU
Over 200 recipes taken from a 1604 handwritten cookbook.
The
Life of Elizabeth I
Weir, Alison. Ballantine Books, 1998.
BIO ELIZABETH I
There are many biographies of Elizabeth. This one, by historian
Alison Weir, focuses on Elizabeth’s personal life
and character.
What Life Was Like in the Realm of Elizabeth: England, AD 1533-1603.
Time-Life Books, 1998.
YA 942.055 WHA
Text and illustrations depict life in Elizabethan London and the major people and events of the period.
Elizabethan
Costuming for the Years 1550-1580 (2nd ed.)
Winter, Janet, and Carolyn Savoy. Other Times
Publications, 1987.
391.009 WIN
Instructions for sewing men’s and women’s clothing.
Videos
Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen. Videocassette. A&E Home Video, 1999.
VC BIO ELIZABETH
An A&E television network biography of Queen Elizabeth I.
Elizabeth R. 1971. Videocassette. CBS Fox Video, 1995.
VC 791.45 ELI
This 1971 Masterpiece Theatre miniseries on the life of Elizabeth won five Emmy awards and was praised for its historical accuracy. It stars Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth.
Picture File
The Picture File at the Central
Library has items available for checkout under the subject “England – History – Shakespearean.”
Magazines
The following magazine articles are available in the
EBSCOhost MasterFILE Select database:
Carlson, Eric.
“Courtship in Tudor England.”
History Today, Aug. 1993: 23-29.
Harmon, Melissa Burdick.
“Queen Elizabeth I.”
Biography, Apr. 2000: 96-101+.
Richards, Judith.
“The Two Tudor Queens Regnant.”
History Review, Dec. 2005: 7-12.
Sherwood, Marika.
“Black People in Tudor England.”
History Today, Oct. 2003: 40-42.
Sietma, Robert.
“At Elizabeth’s Table.”
Biography, Apr. 2000, 106.
Stewart, Doug.
“Elizabeth Reign On!”
Smithsonian, June 2003, 64-70+.
Stewart, Doug.
“To Be or Not to Be Shakespeare.”
Smithsonian, Sept. 2006: 62-71.
Databases
EBSCOhost MasterFILE
Select is available online with an OCPL library card. This database indexes magazine articles on a wide variety of topics. To find articles on Elizabethan England, first connect to the database, then try the subject
terms listed below.
ELIZABETH I, Queen of England
GREAT Britain – History – Elizabeth, 1558-1603
GREAT Britain – History – Tudors, 1485-1603
SIXTEENTH Century
Websites
General
Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge 1558-1603
A reference for writers, actors, and re-enactors. It covers occupations, games, money, religion, family, food, servants, and more.
Costume
Elizabethan Costume: History and Technique
Information on creating costumes for Renaissance Faire participants. Describes the types of clothing worn by different social classes.
The Elizabethan Costume Page
A collection of articles and links dealing with Elizabethan costume. Includes detailed instructions for making many items.
Food
Elizabethan Recipes and Food
This site has a large collection of Elizabethan recipes divided into appetizers, entrees, side dishes, sauces, and desserts.
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I: An Overview
From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), an overview of Elizabeth’s life and reign, with links to additional BBC resources.
Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603)
A comprehensive site on the life and times of Queen Elizabeth.
Shakespeare
Shakespeare and the Globe
This website from Encyclopedia Britannica presents information on Shakespeare’s life and times, his plays, the Globe Theatre, and playwrights, authors, actors, and others associated with Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's Life and Times
This section of the impressive Internet Shakespeare Editions website discusses Shakespeare’s life; the theater; and Elizabethan society, history, and literature.
The Tudors
Tudor England: 1405 to 1603
Biographies, portraits, and a selection of primary sources.
Tudor History
Biographies, information on Tudor architecture, and more.
Local Resources
Sterling Renaissance Festival
15385 Farden Road
Sterling, NY 13156
Toll-Free: 1-800-879-4446
Held each summer in Sterling, NY, the Sterling Renaissance Festival recreates the look and feel of an English village in the year 1585.
Syracuse Shakespeare Festival
350 West Fayette Street
VPA, Rm. 001
Syracuse, NY 13202
"The mission of the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival is to bring the beauty, poetry, and language of Shakespeare’s works, through high quality productions, to everyone in Central New York with a focus on school aged children."
Associations
Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)
PO Box 360789
Milpitas, CA 95036-0789
Phone: (408) 263-9305
Toll-Free: 1-800-789-7486
“The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe.”
Last updated: July 14, 2010