CONTEXT & THEMES.
Everything you need to know about the context of Othello, as well as key themes in the play
- Jump to
- Fact sheets
- Context
Understanding Shakespeare’s life and times, as well as the history of the Globe Theatre, can enhance your exploration of Othello. Key themes and topics are also great discussion points for students.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Find free downloadable teaching materials to help in the classroom
FACT SHEETS
Find out more about the world that Shakespeare lived in with our fact pages.
Audiences
By 1600 several theatres offered plays most afternoons, with between 10,000 and 20,000 people a week going to London theatres. Find out about the people who went to the theatre, how much they paid and more.
Writing plays
Going to the theatre was a popular pastime in Shakespeare’s day. Just about everyone in London went to the theatre, but what did they go and see? Learn about the people who wrote plays and what they were about.
Discover MorePlayhouses
There were two different types of playhouse in London during Shakespeare’s time, outdoor and indoor playhouses. Discover more about these very different theatres and the audiences they attracted.
Discover MoreThe Globe
Many of Shakespeare’s plays were first performed at the Globe. Find out what happened to the first Globe, when and where it was built and what plays were put on there.
Discover MoreSpecial effects
Playwrights in Shakespeare’s time used language to describe ‘special effects’ much of the time; but acting companies could also produce very dramatic special effects. Discover how the Globe uses special effects, trap doors and more.
Discover MoreLondon
London was the biggest and richest city in England and was the home of the first permanent playhouses. Find out what the city was like and its major landmarks.
Discover MoreWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is world famous. We know quite a lot about him but there is still much that remains a mystery. Learn when and where Shakespeare was born, and about more his life.
Discover MoreCONTEXT
Learn context around costumes, printing the plays and the Globe Theatre itself.
OTHER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Understanding the play
Get to know the characters we meet in Othello
Discover MoreLanguage & analysis
Delve deeper into the language used in Shakespeare’s Othello
Discover MoreContext & themes
Everything you need to know about the context of Othello as well as key themes in the play
Discover MoreFrequently asked questions
Any questions you might have about attending Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank
Discover More