Reflections of social and political conditions of late Tudor and early Stuart England in the work of William Shakespeare

The aim of the dissertation was understanding and explaining historical plays of the most famous Elizabethan dramatists - namely William Shakespeare - in the context of the time the plays originated. Shakespeare's historical plays were the main source. Works of Elizabethan and early Jacobite dramatists were influenced by political, economical and religious changes in England of that time. Elizabethan writers were to celebrate and in some way legitimize the dynasty of the Tudors. The right of grandfather of Elizabeth II to English throne was quite problematic from some point of view. In his historical plays William Shakespeare also celebrated English history and he tried to created a picture of an "ideal ruler". First of all, his "Richard III" helped to make a portrait of Henry VII "who saved England from tyrannical rule of Richard III". So Shakespeare legitimized coming of dynasty of the Tudors. Shakespeare's interpretation of the "biggest villain" of English history influenced further generations of writers and historians. On the base of psychological development of historical figures which are complemented by peculiar characters from lower class Shakespeare uncovered religious and political problems of his time and relations between different social classes