The Tudor phase of England’s chronology, which Queen Elizabeth I ruled throughout, is known as the Elizabethan Age. It is generally known that the style the Elizabethan age brought with it had an impact on both the cultural and social events of the period (Khaled, 2019). The activities related to culture, recreation, and sports were emphasized during that time since people exhibited their desire to be entertained by something or someone, and additional relaxation was demanded. For instance, violent and aggressive types of sports were popular due to the emotions they provoked among the spectators.
Considering the first fact regarding recreation and sports, it is feasible to emphasize that bearbaiting and bullbaiting, two practices currently regarded as barbaric, were practiced in London. When a bear was being “baited,” it was tied to a post with a thick rope, and hounds were added to attack the restrained bear. Similar to bearbaiting, bullbaiting involved taunting or inflicting harm on the bull until it succumbs. Moreover, highlighting spectators, the Elizabethans found enormous interest in a variety of blood sports that people currently consider to be horrific and brutal. There were sizable groups of male and female spectators from all socioeconomic classes who came to see bear, goat, or cockfighting. These events were regularly used by Queen Elizabeth to welcome international visitors and ambassadors.
Thirdly, organized team sports, which were brutal and violent such as those including animals, became popular throughout Elizabethan times (du Plessis & Cairns, 2022). Football was a game played by ordinary men that acquired its title not from the way the ball was hit but from how all the participants moved. Some participants in hurling, a sport that combined polo and hockey, walked while others rode horses. Furthermore, one of the competitors in a common form of sports, for example, fencing could wager that he can strike his adversary a particular quantity of times. Additionally, a considerable amount of time was devoted to engaging in the gentleman’s pastime of hawking. The first step in coaching an eagle or a hawk was to catch a wild bird.
As the fifth fact, a little “bowl” or disk, known as a jack, was utilized as a marker to indicate the end of a grass lawn in the activity of bowls. This simple game was relatively common during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The winner is determined by whatever bowl gets nearest to the jack as the participants throw their bowls in that direction. Finally, many Elizabethans spent their free time engaging in numerous activities that are presently recognized as being connected to culture and the arts. Visiting a theatre was considered to be an option during the Elizabethan Period since Shakespeare was active throughout that period (Ferrara, 2019). At the enormous Globe Theatre, several of Shakespeare’s works were premiered.
References
du Plessis, P. & Cairns, J. (2022). Reassessing legal humanism and its claims: Petere Fontes?. Edinburgh University Press.
Ferrara, D. (2019). Poverty and charity in early modern theater and performance.Theatre Research International, 44(1), 104-105.
Khaled, M. (2019). The influence of music on the Elizabethan era. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 17(1), 42-48.