Learning Goals:

1. Students will learn popular Elizabethan Christmas traditions in the country and the court such as wassailing, caroling, local plays, feasting, and games.

2. We will touch on the turbulent history of the Protestant restoration, and how the Puritan radicals briefly succeeded in banning Christmas.

3. We will learn about the famous Christmas celebrations at Hampton Court Palace, where Shakespeare's company frequently performed before the king and queen. Students will take a virtual tour of the palace, and imagine themselves as actors in Shakespeare's company performing before Queen Elizabeth herself!


4. I will delve into how all these Christmas traditions factor into Shakespeare's play that is literally named after a Christmas celebration, "Twelfth Night," including the games played in the play, and analyizing the song "O Mistress Mine, (which appears in Act II, Scene iii), and the play's general theme of learning to slow down and enjoy life for a little while.

Hope you can sign up for the class at the link below: https://outschool.com/classes/what-was-christmas-like-for-william-shakespeare-BwVLyBPp#usMaRDyJ13