How did Jacobean literature differ in time period from Elizabethan literature?

The distinction between Elizabethan and Jacobean literature is defined by the reigns of the respective monarchs.

• Elizabethan literature encompasses works produced during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, spanning from 1558 to 1603.1
• Jacobean literature refers to the body of work written during the reign of King James I, which lasted from 1603 to 1625.21

While these periods are primarily chronological markers, the transition around 1603 marked a notable shift in literary tone. Elizabethan literature is often characterized as a golden age of poetry and drama, whereas Jacobean literature frequently adopted a darker, more cynical mood that questioned the stability of the social order. Because some themes and patterns from the 16th century persisted into the early 17th century, the writing from the beginning of James I's reign is sometimes referred to by the amalgam "Jacobethan".21