History and English - Shakespeare and the nasty nineties: Shakespeare in context with Dr Stuart Palmer

Hosted at Murray Edward College, the Sixth Form Lecture Series will dive into English Literature, French, Spanish, Classics and many more literature and language-based subjects by exploring many commonly studied A Level texts and topics in new and interesting ways.

You do not need to fill out a form to attend the lectures: it is free and open to anyone.  However, if you would like to be kept up to date regarding the sessions and receive any post-lecture resources, please complete this form.

Shakespeare and the nasty nineties

Wednesday 10th June 2026

17:30 for food and refreshments and 18:00-19:00 (GMT) for the lecture itself.

Buckingham House, Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DF

In this lecture, Dr Stuart Palmer will discuss the context in which Shakespeare wrote some of his most famous works and how they may have impacted his writing. 

The 1590s were a period of social, cultural, political and ecological disruption. It was also the decade Shakespeare established his career in London and wrote some of his early comedies, histories, and tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, The Comedy of Errors, Titus Andronicus, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Merchant of Venice to name a few. This lecture will discuss how the context in England at the time may have influenced the bard's work.

If you would like to be kept up to date on the series and receive any post-lecture resources, please complete this form.