Elaborate gowns, lavish parties, palaces full of gold and silver- these are just a few thoughts that come to mind when one hears the term “Elizabethan Era”; however, there is more to this period than what meets the eye. The Elizabethan Era was a significant epoch in the United Kingdom’s history. Ranging from 1558 to 1603, this was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Elizabethan Era, also known as the Elizabethan Age or Elizabethan Period, is said to be the golden age of English history, with a quite diversified public life, a rise in the fine arts, and numerous advancements in many technological and scientific fields. To begin with, the highlighted topic of almost all historic accounts of the Elizabethan Age was the lives of nobles, “painting the pretty picture”, but most people fail to realize that there is always another side to every story. Nobles and peasants lived very different lives, as one might expect. Historic records show that “The Elizabethan Period in England had a daily life based on social order: the monarch as the highest, the nobility as the second rank, the gentry as third, merchants as fourth, yeomanry as fifth, and laborers as sixth” (Elizabethan Era). Many aspects of daily life between the nobles and the lower classes varied. One such aspect was education. The children of nobility received high quality education from renowned scholars, while most other lower class children did not even know how to write their own name. The type of education differed among boys and girls of the nobility too. Boys generally learned Latin, English, sometimes Greek, arithmetic, and religious education. Girls were taught by their mother or another female figure on housekeeping matters, tending to children, how to be a good... ... middle of paper ... ...fer York Stock. Vol. 1: Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 123-140. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. Alchin, Linda. "Elizabethan Food." ELIZABETHAN FOOD. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Alchin, Linda. "Religion in Elizabethan England." Religion in Elizabethan England. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. "Crime and Punishment in Elizabethan England." Elizabethan World Reference Library. Ed. Sonia G. Benson and Jennifer York Stock. Vol. 3: Primary Sources. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 169-179. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2014."Elizabethan Era." The Lost Colony. The Lost Colony, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Olsen, Kirstin. "Art." All Things Shakespeare An Encyclopedia of Shakespeare's World. 2002 ed. Vols. Volume 1 A-L. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2002. "Science and Technology - Elizabethan Museum." Elizabethan Museum. Elizabethan Museum, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Phelps, Brian. "Crime and Punishment in the Massachusetts Colonies." Crime and Punishment in the Massachusetts Colonies. PhelpsTek, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. .
The Elizabethan era was a time of literary discoveries, military victories, and religious developments. History tends to focus on the military achievements of the time, such as the successful defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, or the religious developments of the time, such as the overthrow of the Catholic Church in England and the implementation of the Protestant Church. Literature historians focus on the emergence of Elizabethan authors like Shakespeare and Marlowe. Ian Mortimer, the author of The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England, focuses on the social history of the era. He explains the lives of the people of England in the 1600s.
The Elizabethan Era was a Golden Age for the English people during the late 1500s and early 1600s. This time period is referred to as the English Renaissance because new ideas were introduced to Elizabethan daily life. People enjoyed learning; they enjoyed art, culture, music, and food. The people also enjoyed celebrating many customs and festivals. These celebrations became a major part of daily life, and there were many customs to celebrate.
The Elizabethan era lasted from 1558 through 1603. In American history, this time period is known as the golden age because during this England became much more of a wealthy nation. In this era, the nation was able to invest in arts and exploration. Many writers and poets, such as Shakespeare, shaped the ways of theatre and literature. This era is also vastly known for its ways of handling crime and punishment. In the Elizabethan era, unsparing, common crime and punishment flourished for reasons fluctuating because of social class, gender, religion, and the satisfaction of antiquated torture devices.
In February, 1587, Queen Elizabeth had ordered her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scotts, to her execution to eliminate all possibilities of any threats to her throne. This event would reflect the relentless violence and unforgiving punishments of the judicial system in Elizabethan Era. Criminals during Queen Elizabeth’s reign in England, known as the Elizabethan Era, were subject to harsh, violent punishments for their crimes. England was separated into two social classes, which were the nobility, and the commoners. Within each class, the punishments were defined by the class and type of crime that had been committed. Under the Tudor rule, the punishments dating back to the middle ages were revived. Such gruesome punishments were carried out to strike fear into the hearts of the English citizens and lower crime rate. There were a wide range of crimes that a person could be prosecuted for, and even included the act of witchcraft and alchemy. Of course, today the American court system would find prosecutions of witchcraft and alchemy ridiculous. However, in the Elizabethan Era, people accused of even the most petty of crimes would be immediately placed in prison to await their sentences, often resulting in death. Public executions were a common practice, and were often a form of entertainment for a crowd of spectators. Often considered as the “Golden Age” in English history, England’s court systems became an essential part of society because cruel punishments were severe enough to strike fear into English citizens as well as demonstrating the influence and power of Queen Elizabeth’s rule.
Alchin, Linda. "Elizabethan Crime and Punishment." Elizabethan Crime and Punishment. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
The aim of this lesson will be to develop students understanding of crime and punishment in Medieval Europe. As outlined in AUSVELS, this will include investigating different kinds of crime and punishment utilised and the ways the nature of crime and punishment has either stayed the same throughout history, or changed over time.
Criminals were not dealt with in private. They were displayed in towns and the middle of the marketplace for all the people to see. Many were witnessed by hundreds of people. Commoners treated punishment days as “exciting” days out("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1). The crowds of people who gathered for the public punishments and executions could be considered twisted individuals. They relished these days. For example, theft resulted in public hanging for all of the people to watch. Often times crimes were falsely accused and the crowds knew it, but nothing could be done. Small crimes, such as stealing bird eggs would result in a death sentence. It was the terrible price starving people had to pay because the government made begging illegal("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1). Many crimes resulted in brutal beatings. Beatings and executions were definitely not an issue, the only question was the type of beating a person would get or how they a would be executed("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1). A lot of times the Upper class was exempt from punishment unless it was a serious crime. Unfortunately, the Commoners did not get that valuable treatment because they were almost always in trouble. With any evidence of relationships with evil spirits condemned a person to death by hanging, burning, or drowning. More punishments included: beheading, pressing, and the drunkard's cloak. The drunkard’s cloak was basically a big barrel
The music was played very often as a normal routine. People considered it a must to know how to play an instrument, sing, or be involved somehow with music in this age of time. Instruments in the 1600’s were able to make any type of music; the amazing part was no matter how many instruments you used it would always sound pure and the same. Another unique thing about the music and culture in the 1600’s is that it was also healthy for the body. During the Elizabethan Era the people would gather together to dance and dance for hours, their stamina must have been incredible. Music was use to entertain most people. Before the music became a big part in people life during the Elizabethan Era theatre played a really big part during this time. It was out of the ordinary for women to take part in or be a part of the theatre during this period of time. Do to the fact that women were not allowed to play in any of the plays or drama, younger boys who were still young played the role of women.
During her reign, Elizabeth I greatly affected arts of England. “Elizabeth’s reign was a Great Age for English Music, and she directly patronized its greatest composers, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd” (Doran et al). Additionally, Elizabeth was a major proponent of literature, and it was prominent throughout her court. Many compositions were created that reflected Elizabethan politics from great writers such as the playwright, William Shakespeare, who made many comments through his classical writing. Another example was Elizabeth’s gothic art style, which she mixed into a renaissance-type court (Doran et al). Essentially, she was able blend and preserve medieval architectural and art styles into the Renaissance period, unlike other European nations which were much more consumed by the realistic and classical art of the
While researching texts written about the patterns of crime and punishment in the nineteenth century, I found authors who published books, scholarly articles, and other useful information. These articles were rather heterogeneous; from talking about punishment for pregnancy out of wedlock, to crime rates growing from Irish immigrants in England, and the differentiation in crime of the genders. However, while these authors discuss crime and punishment, they discuss them in multiplicities, there is no certain rate or discussion of what crimes were often performed. My general goal in this paper is to bring to light the certain crimes and the punishments for these crimes in the Victorian Era. I aspire to efficiently explain the originality of the crime in the period of the nineteenth century.
Architecture Style during Elizabethan Era." Elizabethan England Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
"Elizabethan Era." Elizabethan Era | The Lost Colony. The Lost Colony, 2013. Web. 20 Mar.
Gender was the leading cause of distress in the 1500’s: King Henry VIII wanted nothing more than to have a son, yet was “cursed” with the legacy of a sickly son, whom died before the age of 18 and two daughters, one of whom broke every convention of her gender. Queen Elizabeth I never married nor had children, yet can be considered one of England’s most successful monarchs. By choosing King James VI of Scotland as her heir, unbeknownst to her, she created the line that leads to the modern Queen of England, Elizabeth II. The question posed is then, how did Elizabeth I’s gender affect her rule?
During Queen Elizabeth’s forty-five year reign, England prospered considerably. “Her reign witnessed a wide increase in literacy and achievements in the arts” (Alchin 1). Famous writers such as Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser,...