Question

Who split the Catholic Church and allowed actors in public theater to attack the Catholic Church on stage?

A) Henry VIII
B) William Shakespeare
C) Martin Luther
D) Christopher Marlowe

Answer 1

Henry VIII split the Catholic Church by forming the Church of England, allowing him to divorce and seek a male heir. This decision marked a significant shift in religious and political powers in England and was a factor in the decline of public theater during Puritan rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

The individual responsible for splitting the Catholic Church and establishing the Church of England was Henry VIII. His desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon and seek a male heir led him to separate from the Roman Catholic Church. Advised by Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Cromwell, Henry enacted legislation that made him the head of the newly formed Church of England. In response, Henry dissolved the monasteries and confiscated their wealth.

Public theater saw a decline after the era of Shakespeare, particularly with the onset of the First Civil War. Performance spaces were closed in 1642 by the Long Parliament as a result of the societal divide caused by Puritan influences, which censured playhouses and sought religious reforms that contrasted with traditional festive culture.