Preview

Elizabethan family life

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1071 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Elizabethan family life
Family life during the Elizabethan period was largely determined by what class the family was in. As in how rich the family was. But the main exception to this was religion. It didn't matter whether the family was wealthy, poor, young or old, each family was expected to attend a protestant church service every Sunday. Each family member also wore different clothes.

A wealthy family led a completely different life to one of a poor family and men led very different lives to women. The men had quite a lot of control over the lives of the women in the family during the Elizabethan times. The women were expected to always be ready to do whatever the men told them to do and were supposed to obey the men in all aspects of their life. In their religion, disobedience was seen as a crime or wrongdoing.

The whole purpose for women to get married was to increase the position and wealth of her own family and then to produce children. Love was not really considered as a reason to get married back then but may come in the marriage. Male children were preferred back in those times. There were no careers available to women and the girls did not receive an education either, so most of the females weren’t able to read or write. It was the women’s job to keep the house tidy and in good shape. It was also the responsibility of the women to keep their family healthy by producing medicines from their available herbs.

The Elizabethan men led a life of power, completely opposite to the women and much more favourable. The men made all the decisions and the women were expected to obey them. The men supported the family by going to work and they had a wide variety of occupations.

The men were expected to improve the positions of family members too by working with wealthier people and families than their own and patronising with them. Boys had an education and went to school for 6 days a week. This meant they were literate, unlike the girls. When tobacco was introduced, smoking

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In Michael Best’s article, “The Age of Marriage,” he indicates that although people did not get married as young as people believed, marriage was still not so much about love. For example, “in some noble houses marriages were indeed made at a young age for reasons of property and family alliance,” (Best, 1). A clear example of this is that Capulet wants Juliet to marry Paris to expand their name and alliances. Juliet did not love Paris but was being forced into marrying him by her parents. In addition, girls were obliged to marry a man that was successful and rich. This narrowed down the limited choices for women and although young girls had no interest in marrying they had to in order to get wealthier and have a better life. However, children of noble birth ran a great risk if they tried to marry without their parents prior approval, since they would be left with no resources. Some marriages were in fact based on love but it was very rare because the bridegroom may not have been wealthy or known.…

    • 648 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    In the beginning of this time period, there was an unmarried woman on the throne in England; she was Queen Elizabeth. Descended from royalty, this was the first time England had ever had a woman rule her people. Yet even with this remarkable step for women, the roles of women in society were still very much limited. Elizabethan England had very clear-cut expectations of men and women; men were expected to support the household, and women were expected to take care of domestic chores. Across the Atlantic Ocean, the colonies in North America were very much the same.…

    • 1806 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history, women have been constantly viewed and treated as inferior to men. Throughout English history, there have been many female monarchs. Among these monarchs is Elizabeth I. Elizabeth’s predecessor was Mary I, who tried to restore England to Catholicism and was heavily disliked by her subjects. Elizabeth’s period of rule commenced during 1558 and lasted until 1603. Since Elizabeth I ensured that England stayed an Anglican country, she was greatly loved by her people and was able to earn respect as a ruler. However, since Elizabeth I was a female during a time where the idea of female inferiority was shared by the majority of people, she did not attain as much respect as a king would have. During Elizabeth’s reign, she used her…

    • 851 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With them being considered the lesser of the two sexes and the ones who were supposed to keep house the men did not see a means for the women to be educated. Some also thought women were not able to retain the knowledge, this of course is not true but in this time period it was the way of thought. This most likely continued because the men believed they were the ones who had to bring home the money so they were the ones that needed education and women were to be educated in making a home and raising children and that was what they were good…

    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Social classes in the Elizabethan era were quite different than those we have today. These days we have a few generic classes that everyone gets grouped into. Back then, there were many diverse classes that you were basically born into. During this period, the main classes that people were separated into were The Monarch, Nobility, Gentry, Merchant, Yeomanry, and Laborers.…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the Elizabethan Age, there were social classes that consisted of the upper, middle, and lower class. Each social class’ wardrobe depended on the Sumptuary Laws. The Sumptuary Laws were a set of restrictions that were placed, depending on the social class, to regulate luxury and extravagance. As a result of the Sumptuary Laws in the Elizabethan Age, each social class had a limit on what type of clothing could be worn.…

    • 308 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Elizabeth I Dbq Analysis

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Throughout history, many people have been criticized for their race, religion, or sex. One of the many people that this type of discrimination happened to was Elizabeth I, who was a ruler of England. She ruled in the years of 1558 through 1603. Elizabeth made sure that everyone knew she was not going to stand for this type of discrimination. Individuals who did not trust that a lady could run the nation couldn't concur with Elizabeth ruling England. Different thinkers of the nation, particularly her individual partners, totally backed her up. Elizabeth knew what was expected of her and she was not going to let her gender get in the way of that.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women could refuse to marry but would be disowned by their families; it was a silent threat that was hidden underneath every happy Elizabethan family. Just as Capulet’s behaviour so drastically contrasts from when Juliet was obeying him to when she spoke out. Women had either little or no work opportunities outside their family and without a male supporter they became penniless street vagrants. Elizabethan society wasn’t fair; if it was then women wouldn’t be working in high power jobs equally with men. The modern society we live in has changed so because of the prejudice against how women where controlled mercilessly by men. In my opinion that is unjust and wrong, I am very appreciative that I wasn’t…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Elizabethan Government

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Elizabethan government has its similarities and differences with the US government now. First, the courts of the Elizabethan era are very different from the US branches today. Secondly, crime and punishment was not as enforced in the Elizabethan era as it is today in the US. Third, the branches of the US government contradict the ideas of the Elizabethan monarchy.…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Elizabethan times, a marriage between a man and a woman was considered extremely important. Women were generally considered to be…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the Elizabethan Era crime was a major problem, and the main contributor was the issue with poverty. Due to the fact that there were no social services, many people had to steal money or food just to stay alive. Elizabethans liked a calm way of life, and to maintain that meant that everyone had to behave themselves, be satisfied, and stay in their proper place. If there was anyone who disturbed the peace, they would be considered a threat to society, and they were to be punished.…

    • 422 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Relationships in the 1600

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages

    During the 1600s women were treated as inferior compared to the men who were superior. Women were expected to clean, cook, and tend to the children. Also During this era men argued that women were not capable of higher thinking because a woman’s skull is smaller than a man’s skull. Another statement that was said, women have wider hips which means there naturally supposed to be mothers. Overall woman were treated poorly and were not treated fair in the relationship either. In the play Hamlet Claudius and Gertrude, Claudius wants to remain King and in order to do so he must please Gertrude and show love to Hamlet in front of Gertrude, but behind her back he plots to kill Hamlet.…

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the Elizabethan era, women were dominated by men. Women had to obey every rule and order a man gives. Disobedience was a crime against their religion. They are expected to do the house chores, marry and have children. There was no school for girls in Elizabethan era, therefore women doesn’t have respectable jobs and have no status. Marriage is a way for an Elizabethan woman to increase money and position in the family. Their job is to keep their family healthy and also to keep the house clean.…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Young girls could only dream of continuing their schooling and obtaining a higher education. Men, who had control over women, didn 't believe women were intelligent enough. God forbid they hurt themselves through straining their brains! In men 's minds, a woman should have stayed at home taking care of her husband 's house and children while he was away on business. Women were also expected to educate the male children before they were old enough to go to school and acquire more knowledge then their mother. Girls looked upon their brothers who would leave home to explore the world and start new lives with jealousy. Girls only had the option to dwell at home and learn the responsibilities of being a good wife and very much a slave to her future husband.…

    • 1058 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Elizabethan Era

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Religion, politics, executions, crime and punishment all played their part in the Elizabethan era. And so did the commoners!…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays