Queen Elizabeth I reigned form 1558 until her death in 1603. In those forty years she became a powerful image of female authority. Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII had been of royal Plantaganet stock, and had some Welsh blood from his father Henry VII. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, had been an English commoner whose ancestors had been Norfolk farmers and merchants. Her parents rose to prominence because of w

Christopher Marlowe set the foundation upon which William Shakespeare was to build. He was born in 1564, the same year as Shakespeare. He was educated at Cambridge and received his Master of Arts degree in 1587. From 1587 to 1593 Marlowe wrote and produced his plays. He established himself as a major dramatist with Tamburlaine, Parts I and II, The Jew of Malta, Edward the Second and Doctor Faustus (Biographical Sketch of Christopher Marlowe 1). He is famous for introducing blank verse as the medium for drama (Jokinen 2). His plays were filled with violence, brutality, passion and bloodshed Marlowe's death involved considerable intrigue. He was killed on May 30, 1593 in a tavern brawl, which may have been part of a deliberated plot to assassinate Marlowe.

ealth and through a series of advantageous marriages with daughters of the nobility. After being married for seventeen years the Spanish Princess, Katherine of Argon, had only given birth to a daughter, Mary, but had failed to provide Henry with the male heir he so desperately needed. Henry, upset with Katherine, began to feel a passion for Anne Boleyn, but she had made it clear that she would not be his mistress. Henry had become involved in a serious controversy with the church over his divorcing Katherine, and eventually declared himself head of the Church of England. After having his marriage declared void he was able to marry Anne. He did this as soon as she became pregnant in 1533. Henry and Anne had anticipated that their child would be a son and were disappointed when it turned out to be a girl. She was named after her grandmothers, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Howard. Elizabeth was a healthy baby and her parents were hopeful of providing her with a brother. After many unsuccessful pregnancies and one stillborn son Henry fell out of love with Anne and started having affairs. Anne was later charged with plotting to murder the king and with twenty-two counts of adultery. After being found guilty and having her marriage annulled and her daughter declared a bastard she was beheaded on May 19, 1536. In 1537, Henry's third wife gave birth to a son named Edward. Elizabeth faded more into the background, but was not neglected. Elizabeth was present at state ceremonies and was regarded as third in line to the throne. Catherine Parr, Henry's sixth and final wife, gave Elizabeth loving attenti

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