Slander and Sedition in Elizabethan Law, Speech, and Writing

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The Elizabethan era is characterized by a remarkable flourishing of the English language alongside a climate of severe repression. While celebrated figures like Shakespeare, Sidney, and Marlowe emerged, the period was also marked by harsh penalties for dissent, including execution and mutilation. Slander became a significant concern, with legal repercussions for those who dared to criticize the state or their neighbors, illustrating the tension between creativity and the oppressive societal norms of the time.