What were current events when it premiered (when did it premiere?)? Who were important figures in government, the arts, business? What was happening with religion, education, family structures, understandings of identity, and political structures? What other sorts of artistic events or movements where starting, ending, or under way?
Medea by Euripides (431 BCE)
Lysistrata by Aristophanes (411 BCE)
Everyman by Anonymous (1495)
Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (1594)
Volepone by Ben Johnson (1606)
‘Tis Pity She's a Whore by John Ford (1633)
Loa to Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (1689)
Start with these background sources to establish factual evidence for a play and its historical period.
These sources help identify significant events of a specific time period. To find chronologies in Primo, use the search terms "chronology historical"
When searching Primo for books about context, try these search terms:
everyday life, use social life and customs, e.g. England Social life and customs 16th century
first productions and staging, use stage history, e.g., Jonson stage history
history of the period, use country and century, e.g., Spain 17th century;
broad overview of country or city's history, use country and civilization, e.g,. Spain Civilization 1516-1700
works about the theatre, use theater and country, e.g., Theater England History
critical works, use criticism, e.g., Shakespeare AND criticism; English drama Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600 history and criticism
views of the author, use author and political and social views or author and religion, e.g., "Sor Juana Ines" AND political AND social views; Marlowe AND religion
Note: When searching by subject, use the ER spelling of theater.
Start with these databases to find articles relating to the historical and social context of the play.
Mexico
Greece
Spain
England