This episode offers a comprehensive overview of Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, highlighting its historical context and key characteristics. They trace the origins of English drama from medieval miracle and morality plays to the Renaissance revival of classical influences, culminating in the works of prominent playwrights like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson. The texts discuss the features of the Elizabethan stage, including its audience, lack of elaborate scenery, and reliance on rich dialogue, as well as the societal criticism and censorship the theatre faced. Furthermore, the sources explore dramatic devices used during the era, such as blank verse, soliloquies, asides, and disguises, and detail specific plays and their themes, including the prevalence of revenge tragedies and comedies of humours.