Elizabethan Life and Culture

The book in hand is an analysis of the films Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Anonymous (2011) focussing on the depiction of life and culture during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It centres on the representation of London, some major characters in the film, as well as on the theatre business of the late 16th century, including such aspects as acting companies, cross-dressing and censorship. Further points are the comparison of the respective protagonist’s - Shakespeare's and the Earl of Oxford's - composition techniques and the use of intertextual devices. Well known Shakespearean plays are analysed taking into account the controversial Oxfordian Theory of Authorship and the political environment of the time.