Similarities And Reflection Of The Elizabethan Era

Life for the women in the Elizabethan times was very hard. Women were expected to find some rich and successful guy to end up marrying and then expected to have babies and spend their life caring for the children, their husband, and their home. Women were not able to have paying jobs or schooling. All they did was clean and obey the men around

In the sixteenth century the role of women in society was very limited. Women were generally stereotyped as housewives and mothers. They were to be married, living their life providing for her husband and children. The patriarchal values of the Elizabethan times regarded women as the weaker sex.’ Men were considered the dominant gender and were treated with the utmost respect by females. Women were mainly restricted within the confines of their homes and were not allowed to go school or to university, but they could be educated at home by private tutors. Men were said to be the ones to provide for their families financially. Women were often seen as not intelligent. Property could not be titled in the name of a female within the family. Legally everything the female had belonged to her husband. Poor and middle class wives were kept very busy but rich women were not idle either. In a big house they had to organize and supervise the servants.

In the Elizabethan period, women were subordinate to men. They were considered to be ‘inferior' beings who were controlled by their husbands, fathers or any other men in the family. Women were not allowed to hold their own opinions, views or lifestyles. Men had control of everything, some of these included money, politics, work, children, women and home.

During the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I experienced a lot of oppression during her reign in England. Many religious figures opposed the idea of a female ruling a country, saying that it is against God’s will. Other citizens of the country, specifically personal associates of Elizabeth, however, stood behind the queen and admired her bravery, confidence and love for England. Elizabeth responded to the gender ideas in an authoritative way, She had to live with female stereotypes, and used it to her advantage when possible but she asserted that the stereotypes did not completely apply to her and that she was perfectly capable of ruling England.

During Elizabeth I’s reign, she was forced to face many stereotypes in England. In document 1, Knox expressed that women had no place to hold a high position of any form. This belief was prominent throughout the entirety of the 16th century. Many people doubted Elizabeth, justifying these criticisms through their

The Elizabethan Era is often referred to as the Golden Age of England (A Changing View...). The Elizabethan Era, named after Queen Elizabeth I, was a time of change and discovery (Elizabethan Superstitions). Elizabeth ruled in a time of religious turmoil; both the Catholics and Protestants fought to be the official religion of England. (Elizabethan World View). Many people throughout England struggled to find the “correct” religion (Elizabethan World View). Religion was changing and so did science. During the late 1500’s science began to evolve; new ideas, concepts, and beliefs were starting to emerge (A Changing View). Magic was considered to be very similar to science in this era. The belief in magical creatures served as the roots for

This article’s purpose is to express the danger of breaking the law in England. Most of the punishments of our time are deemed cruel and unusual. The death penalty can no longer be enacted in cases of theft or highway robbery. The following paragraphs will describe the various instruments of punishment (torture) of the period.

In the Elizabethan era, there was a standard women and men had to follow. The Elizabethan society was patriarchal, meaning men were considered leaders, and the women were inferior to men. The men in Elizabethan life was to be of power, authority, and head of the their families, and above all to be obeyed. In this time wealthy men were to become courtiers, diplomen, clergymen, and lawyers. The men made the decisions and whatever decision they make women have to obey them. They were also responsible for taking care of the family while working different jobs..And they were expected to improve the positions of all members of the family through influence and patronage from wealthier people and families than their own. As for the women in this time frame they were raised to believe that they were inferior to men. Their roles in Elizabethan society was very limited, and their job was to be housewives and mothers. Women at the time were to be watched for and if she was married it would be her husband but if she was single then her father or brother. Gender conventions in Elizabethan Era is key to understand my argument about how women in Shakespeare’s plays break their gender conventions. I will be using parts from Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Twelfth Night, to show how women in this time period broke gender conventions.

The play is thought to have been written between 1598 and 1599 as Shakespeare was approaching the mid of his career. It was the time when renaissance touched England. Though the period witnessed tremendous growth in science and learning but it was a male dominated society. Women had very little rights. Despite the fact that England was ruled by a female monarch Queen Elizabeth I for over four decades, most women had little or no power over their own lives. Women were denied formal education, the right to speak and the opportunity to hold office. Women were considered as weak and inferior to men and in need of always being protected. Women were expected to get married, bear children and look after the household. They were expected to obey the male members without question. They were expected to learn how to govern a household and become a skilled housewife. Single women were looked upon with suspicion. It was a solely patriarchal society with institutions such as marriage solely vested in elderly male authority. During that time the father chose whom his

Over the years women have made huge changes in their daily lives and culture. Today we see women running for president, they hold high positions in their jobs, and some of our leaders our women. Although life as a woman isn’t completely equal as a man, women continue to fight for the rights they lack. The start of change in women’s life can be traced all the way back to the Elizabethan Era. In Shakespeare’s time women might not have been seen like they have a lot of power, but in reality they were given more power than other parts of Europe. For example, Elizabeth I held power as the queen of England and really helped develop England when it came to religion. Although having a female hold power caused anxiety during this time to the public, women continued to influence the culture of the time. (Marvel 39). In the Elizabethan Era, women influenced culture by their life at home, their jobs,

During the throne of Queen Elizabeth, who had a very clear expectation of men and women, men are foreseen to be the breadwinners and women to be housewives and mothers. Elizabethan society was patriarchal, meaning that the men were considered leaders and women are lower. Women were considered "the weaker sex", not only in terms of physical strength, but also emotionally. It was believed that women always need someone to look after them. If they were married, her husband was expected to care for them. If they were one, then it was expected that his father, a

Because of all the little knowledge in the Elizabethan Era, daily lives were impacted, people turned to unusual medical theories which also impacted their everyday lives, and turning points in medicine occur. Little was known about how to treat serious diseases. People turned to different ways to cure themselves based on the kind of sickness they had acquired.

Elizabeth Tudor, perhaps England’s most famous monarch, grew up in complex situations, since she lost both her parents at a young age and was imprisoned and treated as a traitor while a princess. Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, otherwise known as the Golden Ages to some, was a time of stability and peace for England, as she solved religious and political complications and ended a war. During the Elizabethan era, there was a growth in art, plays, fashion, and music due to Queen Elizabeth’s support. Without Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the Elizabethan era would not have existed, causing art to not have had a chance to grow, women of the English Renaissance to be less respected, and England to have faced political and religious challenges. Due to Elizabeth’s difficult early life, Queen Elizabeth I grew up to be a clever and independent queen who caused stability and peace in England, caused English Renaissance art to advance, and showed women could be respected for great accomplishments

Women and men’s role in Elizabethan society is completely different to modern society. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare shows exactly what the attitudes were like. For example, the scene when Katherina is fighting with her sister because Bianca has a number of suitors waiting for her but she refuses to tell Katherina which one she prefers. Katherina gets angry and aggressive towards Bianca because she doesn’t give her an answer, Katherina starts to attack Bianca. Their father enters into the room and says “For shame, thou hilding of a devilish spirit! Why dost thou wrong her that did ne’er wrong thee? When did she cross thee with a bitter word? Baptista is expressing why Katherina would

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today.  The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture.  Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil.