Elizabethan Era Social Structures

Monarch

- passed through family

- Queen Elizabeth I

- Golden Age in English History

Monarch

https://bit.ly/2G06T0Z

Nobility

- Rich and Powerful

- Large Households

- Titles given through birth or by monarch

Nobility

http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id206.html

Gentry

- Did not work with hands

- Need wealth

- Land

- "Backbone"

Gentry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landed_gentry

Merchant

- Income from wool trade

- Trade around Europe and American

Merchant

https://bit.ly/2MBkm0r

Yeomanry

- enough money to live comfortably

- farmers, tradesmen, craft workers,

- very religious

- Read and Write

Yeomanry

benpaterson.wordpress.com%2Fshakespeare-elizabethan-time-social-classes&CAT

Laborers

- Laborers, poor farmers, land sellers, artisans, shoemakers, carpenters, brick masons

- beggars and serving men

- First government sponsored welfare program from Queen Elizabeth I

Laborers

http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/jobs/best-websites-agricultural-labourers

Monarch

- pampered

- had people to cook and clean

- finest jewels

- only ladies with higher titles could wear purple silk

Monarch

pixabay.com%2Fen%2Fjewels-jewelry-necklace-broach-396441&CAT

Nobles

- similar privileges to monarch

- less because no royal blood

- ladies allowed to wear purple silk

Nobles

https://www.contrado.co.uk/blog/what-is-satin-a-fashion-lovers-guide-to-satin-fabric/

Gentry

- defined by amount of money or land possessed

- not much known about privileges, but generally treated with respect as a person of higher status

Gentry

https://www.rt.com/business/437051-south-africas-ruling-anc-says/

Merchant

- depended on state of business

- played important role in the economy

- treated with respect

Merchant

https://www.kanopy.com/product/merchant-venice-comedy-or-tragedy

Yeomanry & Laborers

- very nonexistent privileges

- concerned with sustaining themselves

Yeomanry & Laborers

www.123rf.com%2Fphoto_47713326_painted-x-mark-isolated-on-white.html&CAT

Movement of Classes

• Being disowned by your family
• A Monarch could appoint you to Nobility
• A Nobleman could loose his title through crimes such as treason
• Banishmen through Monarch
• gain enough wealth to move up
• loose a great amount of money and move down
• Marriage

Movement of Classes Through Marriage

• usually you stayed in your social class
• arranged marriages often happened within noble or monarchy classes (in order to maintain the wealth within the family)
• Lower classes were freer to make make their own choices with marriage matters (marrying someone of a lower class was considered bad or unacceptable)

On rare occasions people from different classes would marry….

Ex: A noble might marry a famous, rich merchant because their status is almost equal

Ex:A parent might force their child to marry someone from a different class for financial security

http://shakespeare.mit.edu/

Class at Birth

- yeoman (father was a successful Glover and leather worker)

- Father married Mary Arden, daughter of a landowner, increased family wealth

- 1596, family got Coat of Arms, officially joining Gentry class

- became Master Shakespeare

Class at Birth

www.pinterest.com%2Fbarbaradessalee%2Fearly-american-trades-and-crafts&CAT

Class at Death

- socially ambitious

- bought mansion in Stratford-upon-avon

- throughout life made more purchases of land

- died one of the richest men in Stratford-upon-avon

Class at Death

http://americanfriendsofsbt.org/about-the-shakespeare-birthplace-trust/

Classes in Plays

- characters came from all social classes

- usually major parts were given to actors of a higher class

- minor parts were usually given to people of lower classes

Classes in Shakespeare's Plays

https://www.britannica.com/art/commedia-dellarte

Classes of Attendees

- had to pay to go to theater

- generally were mingling with the other classes (many people were not happy with this)

- had a very bad reputation

- despite this Queen Elizabeth I loved theater and supported it

Classes of People at the Theater

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84988/queen-elizabeth-viewing-the-performance-painting-scott-david/