eii context

historians believe despensers were more influential in eii downfall, marlowe focuses on gaveston

victorians probably marginalised eii, whereas renaissance wouldnt have felt the same way

hedonistic court - 16th century, different from eii actual interests

elizabethans saw that the past was being interlinked with the present - understanding of past informs understanding of present (being of its time or not of its time)

• looking through their own lens,

• eii would’ve dressed up in contemporary dress (not medieval)

  • got costumes from aristocratic households, convenient

  • cobbling together looks - mix of old and new, some medieval and contemporary

  • milton - through epic similes, combination of old and now, even though it is biblical

    • the rake represents the now,

    • satan on his divan,

    • eve’s hair,

    • adam’s tirade about women eve - only one couple, expectation of other people technically doesnt exist, milton’s own voice coming through

    • satan flying around the world

    • ref to galileo (book 1, optic glass, tuscan artist), cortez, colombus (book9, line 116, colombus found…), montezuma (book 11, list of places, atahualpa

tragedies often came from historical sources - holinshed, mirror of magistrates