Final answer:
Theaters were closed in England from 1642 to 1660 due to a government ban implemented by the Puritan-led Long Parliament during the First Civil War, aimed at eradicating what they saw as moral corruption and wasteful expenses associated with theatrical productions. The correct answer is option: b) Government ban on theater
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason theaters were closed from 1642 to 1660 in England was due to a government ban on theater. This ban was instituted by the Long Parliament at the outset of the First Civil War. The socio-political circumstances were grim: King Charles I was executed, his son Charles II lived in exile in France, and the Puritans, under Oliver Cromwell's leadership, considered theater to be immoral and corrupting.
Their belief was that theater encouraged deceit and deception among its audience and was a waste of the working people's money. Therefore, they imposed this ban as part of their broader agenda to reform society and eliminate perceived corruption.
Similar to the COVID-19 pandemic causing worldwide theater closures, historical pandemics have also led to theater shutdowns. For example, the Black Death caused significant disruptions in society, which led to theaters being closed to avoid the spread of disease.
However, the closure of theaters due to the Puritan ban from 1642 to 1660 was more directly a result of the political and religious beliefs of the time than disease control.