Jacobean Drama refers to plays written during the reign of King James I of England (1603-1625). Notable playwrights from this period include William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and John Webster. While Shakespeare began his writing career during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Jacobean period is when he produced many of his most famous tragedies, such as Othello (1604), King Lear (1606), Macbeth (1606), and his “problem plays” like Measure for Measure.

Compared to the Elizabethan period, Jacobean dramas tended to be darker and more extreme. Portrayals of violence, evil, and sexuality were typical subjects of these dramas. Subgenres such as the revenge tragedy often depicted problematic political realities, such as corruption and abuse. King James I’s reign was marked by increasing conflicts between Catholics and increasingly strict sects of Protestantism such as the Puritans, as exemplified by the November 5 attack on Parliament by Guy Fawkes known as “the Gunpowder Plot.” As a result, many plays also engaged with religious subjects, seeking to explore the conflicts of belief and to critique institutions of religious power.

The theatre was a popular business during the Jacobean period. Permanent theatres existed in London, and these were typically open-air stages like The Globe.