During the Elizabethan era, woman’s roles were still very limited, and the society was patriarchal. Men were supposed to be the breadwinners, while woman were expected to be housewives. It was estimated that a woman gave birth every two years, but children died from sickness, so it prevented families from ever becoming large. Childbearing was considered a big honor to woman, as children were seen as blessings from God. However, many woman were highly educated. However, being highly educated didn’t help much as women weren’t allowed to enter big professions such as law, politics, or medicine. They were allowed to work in domestic services such as being a cook, maid, or a painter. They were allowed to write works of literature only if the subject
“Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper” This repetition exposed that as a woman in thet Elizabethan era must conform to her gender’s expectations, obliging to anything that men do, as she as a woman does not have the right to be in charge of herself and must need a man to guide her as a woman couldn’t do it
“Her domain was the household, the garden, and the henhouse, and her days were spent processing the raw materials her husband produced into usable items such as food, clothing, candles, and soap (page6).” As known by many, women during the 17th century were to maintain their households for their husbands. By the 18th century they were expected to not only maintain a household, but to take care of their families and be proper women. Then by the late 18th century women's roles changed completely to having to be a surrogate father, and main provider. The roles of women during this time period changed drastically in such short periods of times.
They were seen as a housewife to their husbands, and only had to focus on their children and husband. Secondly, since women were seen as less, their education was limited. Yes, they were able to learn the basics, but when it came to more
During this time, people believed that women were only good at cooking, cleaning, or nurturing their children and couldn’t do much else. Because people thought this way, women were uneducated unless they were in the upper class. Wealthy women would sometimes have private tutors that would teach them.
The societal and political atmosphere for women was severely limited; women were expected to be homemakers and were frowned upon for working outside of the home if they were married1. They could
Men believed women did not need an education because women were to work at home and tend to the children. Wives of the wealthy had very different lives
Jobs in the Elizabethan era A variety of jobs existed during the Elizabethan era. There were some people who worked for the queen, others who worked with their hands, and lastly people who worked for royalty. These jobs that people did were really important out of the elizabethan era. Some people had the job were they were responsible for the queen.
There were high standards for women in society as well as in the home, as their main job was to be
While Desdemona is a remarkably strong character, Emilia also displays independence unmatched by any other female in Othello, and there are multiple details of Shakespeare and his time that may have prompted such a portrayal. In Elizabethan England, many women worked behind the scenes of productions, like Shakespeare’s, as uncredited authors and editors (Crowley). Due to their anonymity, nobody can be sure that women were involved in Shakespeare’s plays nor Othello in particular, but there is a genuine possibility that female writers did have leverage. This may have had to do with how Emilia was portrayed as resilient from the time of Desdemona’s death all the way until her own, standing up for herself regardless of the ridicule it caused her (Iyasere). In fact, it even killed her in the end.
During medieval times, women were expected to be mothers, wives, and peace weavers, none other than that. They were required to be pure, good, and attractive in order to be portrayed as the “greatest gift to mankind.” Otherwise they would be looked upon as evil, witch-like, and monstrous. Women were expected to be adorned in jewels, well-liked, and respected by all. They shall cause no conflicts and should bow to their male authorities.
Although the perspective of women in the Elizabethan era was much different from the perspective of manhood, it was also similar in a sense that manhood and womanhood both played an essential role during their era. The thought of men being the ones to do things such as commit murder and be ambitious is still prevalent today. In our society we view women as people who are soft and not quite as ambitious as the opposite sex. The notion that women are incapable of committing murder is obscure as they are physically capable of doing harm to any human body as well as being able to have ambition such as
Introduction Women in the Middle ages were treated as the second class members within their social class. They were taught to be obedient to their husbands and were expected to run the household and raise children. Their role in the society, however, was much more complex, while some medieval women achieved a high level of equality with men. In the Middle Ages women had a secondary role, coming second after men.
During the Elizabethan period, the role of women in society was very different from what it is today. According to the system of patriarchal society that dictated that women were inferior to men, they had to obey the male figures in their lives. The woman was seen as the weaker sex either physically or emotionally which meant that it was entirely dependent on her husband if married and members of his family if single. Moreover, in the Elizabethan theater, women were not allowed to play because of this hierarchy. Therefore, they were replaced by men disguised as women.
The concept of a woman working and earning her own money was rarely spoken of. Education was giving to men as a priority over women. There was also certain rules and regulations woven into society which depicted how a woman should behave. Their mannerisms, the way they spoke, the hobbies they enjoyed and how they presented themselves physically, were all monitored by society. For many families, a daughters’ purpose was to marry a man who could sustain their family with financial security.
Despite the government having a rather equal relationship in terms of class since the commoners are involved, the Elizabethan society was patriarchal; men were superior to women because they were the weaker sex, physically and emotionally. Regardless of social class, women were not allowed to vote, not allowed to go to a university, not allowed to have professions such as being lawyers or doctors; only domestic service, not allowed to act in theatres, and most certainly not allowed to inherit any of her father’s titles, except for the crown of course, and if the woman is the only heir of her father. Aside from all these limitations, women are expected to be fully obedient to their husbands, meaning never to question them; only obedience, for disobedience would mean punishment, to be dependent on their male relatives especially if they were single, to bear children as much as possible to keep the lineage alive, to maintain the household and manage everything, and still be presentable in terms of appearance, especially the women of the high social class. But, compared to the women of other societies, Elizabethan women exercise far more freedom than any women in world history. Especially those of the noble class, women were allowed education (from tutors) in subjects other than housewifery.