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Wedding and marriage customs elizabethan
Wedding and marriage customs elizabethan
Elizabethan era wedding customs
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Weddings are a public way to show the joining of two people; however, during the Elizabethan Era weddings weren’t always the same because of the class of the bride and groom. The difference between nobles and non-nobles determined the age of marriage for many, along with the location because different regions would have different ceremonial orders.
Elizabethan weddings varied based on societal rank and location, but for most places, the wedding process usually began with the man proposing. At this time, he was probably in his mid-20s since apprenticeships ended at that age. His fiancée would be in her early 20s and able to take care of a home and her future children. Nobles would marry earlier in life, while non-nobles would marry later or
not at all because they were so overwhelmed with work. Nobles who married young would not live together until they were of a proper age. Instead, the young girl would be raised by the groom’s family until both were old enough to have their own home together. The engagement ring would be placed on the woman’s right ring finger and would be switched to the left hand at the wedding (Secara). Each region in England had their own ceremonial order and customs (Gottlieb 52). Most regions, however, used the Crying of the Banns. In this practice, the future bride and groom would announce the date of their wedding for three consecutive Sundays before the wedding. This ensured that all objections to the marriage were out of the way (Alchin). Some weddings would include the couple holding hands as they said their vows, others would include a kiss at the end of the ceremony (Gottlieb 52). Guests would stand on their respective side for the entire wedding ceremony because pews weren’t used in churches, then after it was over, the guests and the newlywed couple would go to a feast. For nobles, the feast would be hosted by the families of the bride and groom or it would be catered by others; however, non-nobles would have a potluck. Traditional dishes were generally used, but nobles would have exotic dishes as well, such as peacock and/or spicy foods originating from India and they would drink ale or wine because the water was unclean (Alchin). Weddings may have varied, but the outcome was the same: a happy, married couple. The marriage of two people in the Elizabethan Era was a complex ordeal that wasn’t the same for everyone. Like today’s marriages, each region would have different customs and ideas of how a wedding should be held. Elaborate weddings would be reserved for those of a higher class while nominal weddings would be held for those in a lower class.
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.
Weddings were always a religious ceremony, conducted by a minister. The religions varied but the legal process prior to the wedding was always the same. There were no Registry Office marriages or marriages conducted by a Justice of the Peace. The first stage was Crying the Banns, announcing a couple's intention to marry. The same procedure still applies to Church marriages in England today. The Elizabethan Wedding custom dictated that the couple's intention to marry had to be announced in the church three times on three consecutive Sundays or Holy days. This allowed time for any objections to be raised or pre-contracts to be discovered. Any marriage not published beforehand was considered clandestine and illegal. Wedding invitations were not issued. People lived in small communities
Romeo and Juliet are committed to their love. There so committed that they got married the very next day they first met. The second time they met was on Juliet’s balcony by accident, because Romeo didn’t want to go home and he wanted to see Juliet again. They were talking for a few minutes and kissed each other many times, and Juliet said to Romeo, “If that thy bent of love be honorable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow”(Act two, Scene two). Juliet tells Romeo if you you love me so much, the marry me tomorrow. Romeo without hesitation, agreed to marry Juliet the next day at the Church. Romeo and Juliet decide to marry at 9 o'clock in the morning. Later on, Romeo asks Faire ( a priest) to allow him and Juliet to marry. At
Centuries ago in Elizabethan England there were many traditions about marriage and the treatment of women. One strong tradition of these times was the practice of marriage between races. Interracial marriages were considered extremely taboo. (High Beam). In this era marriages were arranged by the parents with strong help from the local church. The individuals had little choice as to who they would marry. (Elizabethan England Life). Yet another example of these traditions was the respectable treatment of women. While the husband was in charge of his wife, as was the father, the husband were expected to treat the women right (Elizbethi). In spurning all of these traditions, Shakespeare demonstrates a view of marriage far different from that of Elizabethan England, in doing this he is trying to plant new ideas in the people who read or view the play.
“Love and Marriage.” Life in Elizabethan England. Elizabethan.org, 25 March 2008. Web. 3 March 2014.
Lawrence Stone’s book ‘The family sex and marriage in England 1600-1800’ is one of controversy and contrasting opinions about marriage in the medieval era. As a medievalist historian, Stone puts forward a conflicting perspective when it comes to the medieval family unit in providing a new interpretation of the medieval family unit. In producing such a notorious argument, Stone provided the beginnings of the debate that has now surrounded the medieval family. His work, has had a mixed reception in the history community sporting conflicting ideas about his distant view on marriage. Lawrence's book challenges the aspects of the making of marriage and the patterns of family relationships that have never before explored so closely.
Tina Turner belted out, what’s love got to do with it?” (1984). Keeping this in mind, in order to accurately compare and contrast the relationships between Kate and Petruchio and Bianca and Lucentio, it is first necessary to understand the ideologies of Elizabethan marriages. Shakespeare models “The Taming of the Shrew” after the traditional idea of marriage at the time. His play depicts the business venture of marriage and at times, scoffs at tradition. Within this framework, Kate is shown to be the “shrew” and is therefore considered a societal infidel. Bianca, her sister, is portrayed as a kind soul, willing and able to do anything to please her suitors. Marriage in Elizabethan times, among the middle class it would seem, was considered a business transaction. Love was not necessary. Money, land and a dowry were the main components. In “The Taming of the Shrew,” did love eventually win out at the end between either of these couples?
During Shakespeare's time, the wedding and engagement rings indicated commitment. The rings Portia and Nerissa gave to Bassanio and Gratiano, that they were never to remove, were just that. "I give them with this ring, Which when you part from, lose, or give away, Let it presage the ruin of your love And be my vantage to exclaim on you" (3.2.171-4). The rings stood for the man's commitment to his wife just as rings Bassanio and Gratiano would give to Portia and Nerissa at their weddings would stand for the wives' commitment.
Sir Gawain is one of the more famous Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legends. Various authors have written about Gawain including the anonymous author of "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell." The reader gets to know Gawain’s character through its development throughout the story. Gawain shows his virtue and courteous manner through his words and also through his actions. His physical appearance and dress are never mentioned so there are no clues to his personality in this regard. Gawain’s steadfast manner in the face of adversity is further testament to his worthiness as a knight.
At the time of the writing of "The Canonization" and "The Flea," around the turn of the seventeenth century, one of the biggest debates in English society concerned who was responsible for the choice of a mate and what the criteria should be the basis for marriage. Until the beginning of the seventeenth century, it had been traditional for the parents in the upper classes to be the sole source of marital decisions with their child having no say in the selection process and little if any say in the approval of a proposed match (Stone 70). These arranged marriages tended to be based solely on the accu...
In Elizabeth’s time, it was completely acceptable to marry a cousin or someone just for their belongings. It was the idea of these people that they should marry for money and/or social class. She obviously was not the type of woman to do such a thing. She was confident in marrying someone wh...
To give a little background on the play; the pursuit of marriage is the driving force behind the play. “I now pronounce you, man and wife.” This traditional saying, commonly used to announce a newlywed couple during a wedding ceremony, marks the happily ever after that many dream of today. In today’s society, marriage is an expression of love between two individuals. Marriage has not, however, always been an act of love. In the Victorian era, marriage was almost a chore. Most people married out of need rather than want. In the Play this is evident when Lady Bracknell objects to Gwendolen and Ernest’s engagement on the basis of his lack of legitimate background. On the other hand, Jack objects to the marriage of Cecily and Algernon’s
Firstly, in the culture of Romeo and Juliet, or the culture of the Elizabethan era the weddings of that time were Roman Catholic. Traditionally, during that time and in Roman Catholic weddings the parents of the
Shakespeare writes for a public who views marriage unsentimentally. At all levels of society, from king to commoner, marriage is entered into for commercial and dynastic reasons. People marry to increase their property and to secure its inheritance. Wise parents, who may dispose of their children in marriage, will of course try to avoid matches which the contracting parties find intolerable, but there are limits to this. On the other hand, children have a duty of obedience. And the husband Egeus proposes for Hermia is by no means unattractive; his chief defect is that he is not Lysander, whom Hermia loves, perhaps intemperately.
The traditional Wedding Dress first commenced in the early 18th Century, in London, when machine-made fabrics were first made available. The first to wear these elegant garments were the royal princesses. It soon became a royal competition- to try and outdo each other with their dress creations. It became necessary for a royal bride to look nice on her wedding day, as it was important for her groom’s country to be impressed with her style and wealth. In order for this to happen, she created a wedding gown of utter extravagance- with an overabundance of costly material (usually velvet, satin, damask silk, fur, and fabrics woven with thread of gold or silver). Typically the skirts would be gathered, full, and flowing- it was considered that a full skirt illustrated wealth and importance. Sleeves would brush against the ground, and trains would trail several metres behind the bride. As for colours- only the wealthy could afford rich, vibrant tones, so these royal brides wore deeps reds, purples and true black materials. In addition, the dress was densely covered with diamonds, rubies and other gems- sometimes so much, that the material was hidden beneath them!