The fame of Elizabeth is matched by the fame of the era in which she lived-a period of remarkable achievement in commerce, humanistic learning, literature, art, and music. Elizabeth's court was a center of culture and learning, and London was a magnet for aspiring poets, playwrights, musicians, lawyers, and politicians. Brilliant minds like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson made their careers in London and left an indelible mark in the history of English literature and theater.