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Essay on medieval fashion
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During Shakespeare’s time women and man dressed a certain way they didn't have the clothes we wear today. According to Linda Alchin “in the 1500’s women wore long gowns, hats corsets, underwear, collars, ruffs and shoes, In the 1500’s the men wore doublets, breeches, underwear, collars, ruffs, hats and shoes. Elizabethan clothes provided information about the status of the person wearing them. This was not just dictated by the wealth of the person, it also reflected their social standing.” During the 1500’s people didn’t have guns when they fought or all the advanced technology have today. They most weapon they used was swords and daggers to defend themselves and heavy armor. During this time men were only fencing. Other weapons were an axe,
basilard, bill,billhook,bow and arrow, caltrop,crossbow, halberd,longbow, mace,pike,poleaxe, and spears. According to Linda Alchin “by the end of the 1500's firearms were in common use. The musket was invented towards the end of the Medieval era in 1520. By 1595 all bows were ordered to be exchanged for muskets. The most popular firearm was called a Matchlock (this name derived as it was fired by the application of a burning match). It was inaccurate, slow to load and expensive.” Nobles and Upper classes wore clothing made of velvets, furs, silks, lace, cottons and taffeta. Knights returning from the Crusades returned with silks and cottons from the Middle East. Velvets were imported from Italy. The Lower Classes had to wear clothing made of wool, linen and sheepskin however, silk, taffeta and velvet trimmings were allowed. Not only were the fabrics strictly restricted but also the colors.
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. The civil war guided historical developments in men's ready made clothing. At the dawn of the civil war uniforms were custom made in workers home’s by hand on government contract. Women's ready made clothing developed rather slowly. Clothing were depicted as modern and fashionable although the new ready made clothing fit poorly. Ready made clothing manufacturers create their own unique and sometimes unpredictable sizing systems. Clothes before the industrial revolution were often made from fabric that was made by hand or, bought locally. Tailoring was still expensive and not an option for all. The wealthy had clothes made by tailors. Today, designers have computer-aided design to their
Throughout history, there were many things that influenced fashion and the ideal body image of the time. Things such as politics, and changes in social roles were some things that had an influence on the fashion of the day. One particular shocking thing that had influenced on the fashion around the 1800s were sickness and diseases. Not only were diseases and sickness caused by different fashion trends, but it set the tone for certain ideal body images and also influenced the fashion of the time.
The young men voices were still high pitch and bodies had not been matured, so the role of women was perfect for them. William Shakespeare took a big part in theatre during the Elizabethan Era and his work is still popular till this day. Most plays that you often hear about such during the 1600’s were pretty much his. One of his most famous plays that still grab reader’s attention is Romeo & Juliet. Another thing about the Elizabethan Era was the way they said their words, what they would do is use a four count beat and pitching their voices high and low. All through London theatre was very popular. In the 1600’s during the Elizabethan Era instruments had also played a big part in their time. Like once before I told you that any instrument could play a ...
In the first Act of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses loose clothing as a symbol of changing times. After Macbeth defeats Macdonwald, a traitor, he becomes the new Thane of Cawdor. Once he accepts his new title, he removes his fighting armor and replaces it with robes. He asks the people present, “Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” (1.4.108-9). Macbeth infers that the clothes of the previous Thane of Cawdor, the traitor, do not fit him. Shakespeare uses this symbolism throughout the play to show how Macbeth evolves into a greedy and murderous monster. Toward the final scenes of the play, Macbeth realizes what he has become. While Macbeth requests to be put into his armor for his last battle, Angus makes a comment about him to Menteith, Caithness, and Lennox, “Those he commands move only in command, nothing in love. Now does he feel his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief” (5.2.19-22). Angus says that anyone who follows Macbeth does so only out of command to do so, not out of love. He also remarks that the title of “King” does not fit Macbeth, but rather it hangs around him like a dwarf in a giant’s clothing. Shakespeare shows the transformations of Macbeth simply through what he we...
Howard, Jean. "Cross-dressing, The Theatre, and Gender Struggle in Early Modern Eng- land." Shakespeare Quarterly 39 (1988): 418-40.
In Sarah J. Maas’ book, A Court of Thorns and Roses, the characters exist in a fantasy world. This world cannot then be placed in a specific time period. However, the setting can be related strongly to medieval European times due to the: styles of clothing, housing, technological level, and culture. The style of clothing is one of the subtlest hints of the time period. Maas describes the servants as wearing ‘homespun brown aprons,’ and the main character’s outfit as a dressing gown, with “the finest silk, edged with lace- simple and exquisite enough that I ran my finger along the lapels” (Maas 55). The opulent clothing relates to the life of a wealthy medieval European. The house of Feyre, the central figure in the story, is similar to the life of a medieval peasant. “The stone houses of the village were ordinary and dull, made grimmer by the bleakness of winter” (Maas 21). These simply built houses also reveal a low technological level within the novel. There appears to be no electricity even in manors, and Feyre takes a journey on a carriage. “... their brows rising at the gilded carriage” (Maas 252). These are minor correlations, however, to the similar cultures of medieval Europe and the setting of the novel. A major piece of evidence linking the two worlds is the
Shakespeare lived in a society where clothes were key in identifying certain social statuses. Only certain social statuses were able to wear specific colors or fabric. For example, purple silk was only reserved for the Queen, King and their family members, and velvet was reserved for only the highest nobility (Hanson). A person’s appearance affects how others in society view them. Shakespeare shows that clothing does not make a man. Characters in The Taming of the Shrew change their appearances to fit the role they are disguising as. Their change of clothes affected how society looked at them but did not change who they truly were. A servant dressed as a lord is still a servant and a lord dressed as a servant is still a lord no matter their change of clothes and a women is still a women even if she is labeled as a shrew. In the end of the play, they all changed to fit society norms.
Clothing affected the lives of women greatly. Women wore many layers of clothing that could be hot and tight, making them uncomfortable. Different types of clothing were also used to make women seem more petite than they actually were (History of Fashion - Elizabethan). Many outfits included most of the following under layers: a smock, stockings, a corset, a farthingale, a rowel, a stomacher, a petticoat, a kirtle, a fore part, and a partlet. Then, most of the following over layers: a gown, separate sleeves, a ruff, a cloak, and shoes. Shoes were often a flat, Mary Jane style, or had a platform to keep one's feet dry. The biggest influence on woman's clothing during the Elizabethan Era was actually Queen Elizabeth I herself.
In the old Shakespeare play Macbeth, women wear the pants, while the men wear the dresses, this is the theme throughout the play. It focuses on the marriage of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth takes the lead role, while she convinces her husband to kill Duncan. Shakespeare play concerning gender roles, shows the untraditional marriage in Scotland; what one sees is not what one gets. It also show how one starts is not how they end. The story of Macbeth shows power and betrayal. It shows power because it shows how one can take charge and get it done. It shows betrayal because he kill Duncan just to get the crown.
In Shakespeare’s play the attire that Hamlet wears are likely from the 16th century. The clothes can be described as Elizabethan. Hamlet would most likely be seen in hosen. Hosen is a 16th century term for tights or hose. Men would also wear round hose. Round hose are pants cut above the knee. The hose is puffy or round, making the hip and thighs look full. Nobles would also be seen sporting doublets. This fashionable piece of garment is a tight fitting vest that laces up. On top of doublets noblemen, princes in Hamlet's ’case would wear a gown. The gown for a man is like a doublet; it just adds an extra layer. For an added piece Hamlet could wear a ruff. Ruffs are pleated white collars worn under their tops. Hamlet’s clothing in Shakespeare's version sets up his character. The moment hamlet enters the audience knows who he is. His apparel speaks for him. Unlike in Almereyda’s Hamlet where Hamlet could be anyone of the characters.
The ladies dresses of the early Middle Ages were influenced by the classical styles of the Greek and Roman women. Their dresses were tight to display the elegance of their figure. Dresses were embroidered and luxuriously decorated. Some dresses consisted of two tunics and of a veil or drapery. The veil was thrown...
The costumes were multifunctional and were kept simple, white with stains of red and brown, whilst looking worn. The costumes were kept basic as it allowed for the performance to have no set date or time period, unlike the original performance conditions. Hats were used so that the actors could change from character to character easily without leaving the stage. For example, in IV.i; Mark Bernie, who played Duncan, transitioned from a servant into the infant ghost embodiment of Banquo by placing a baby grow, which was also used as his hat, under his chin. Alternatively, the costumes worn by Shakespeare's actors were nonspecific and numbered, as what they had, was all they had. Whilst deprived of costumed, companies were gifted with items of clothing that royalty discarded. Royal figures in Shakespeare's productions would be dressed in colours prominent with British royalty, for example, Cleopatra, in Antony and Cleopatra (1607), would not have been dressed in traditional Egyptian wear, but in a gown passed down from royalty. In modern performances this would distract the audience from the performance and would be seen as careless; though the costumes were basic in the modern performance, modern audiences have a higher
...ctated what each class wore, every class in Shakespeare’s plays wore elaborate, upper-class dress (“Elizabethan Theater” 1). Lastly, the seating in the Globe Theater was also divided, each section with a different pricing for each class (“Elizabethan Theater” 1). These social aspects of the era all affected the writing and performing of Shakespeare’s plays.
“For as long as men and women have been wearing clothing, there has been a hierarchy based on garments. The clearest example arose when the sexes were segregated into skirts and pants: women would only wear dresses (a symbol of submission) and men would only wear trousers (proof of domination). Women’s clothing was created to impede and hamper movement (through tight or many layered skirts), while men enjoyed the ease and comfort of pant legs.” (Meza, Echazarreta) Women’s fashion throughout the ages can be used to trace the history of equality between men and women. As women achieved greater independence, they claimed the right to choose what they wore, and that included women being able to wear pants. There are three things that were instrumental in making it socially acceptable for women to wear pants, they include: the invention of the bicycle, WWII, and influential women.
Since a woman was not supposed to live a life of independence, it could be considered that some women might have worn male clothing for protection. The structure of Shakespearean comedy always starts with harmony, then leads to chaos, resolution and restoration. Sean McEvoy commented that ‘critics tend to regard something as a comedy, not so much because it makes us laugh. Laughter may be evoked in tragic circumstances but because a certain set of conventions is being followed’, which is exactly how Shakespearean comedies play out.