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Gender Expectations Of Women During The Elizabethan Era

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The profound Shakespeare’s birthday is unknown but it was recorded that he got baptized in Stratford, United Kingdom, on April 26th, 1564. Back then, babies were normally baptized 3 days after birth, so people assume he was born on April 23rd of 1564 (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust). The people who gave birth to Shakespeare, or his parents, were named Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. Growing up, Shakespeare spent time outside in Stratford, fishing, gardening, working around the house, and being with friends. Something that continued his imagination and creativity was school, as he went to a local grammar school in Stratford until about the age of 15. According to the article “Shakespeare’s Life,” “its curriculum consisted of an intense emphasis …show more content…

In the manner of the article “Elizabethan Women Women in Tudor History,” “The Elizabethans had very clear expectations of men and women, and in general, men were expected to be the breadwinners and women to be housewives and mothers.” This displays the unfairness between the genders as the men were expected to make all the money by the term of “breadwinners” and the women were supposed to provide for the family at home all day. Furthermore, this connects to the unjust expectations and laws placed upon women as they could also not pursue certain jobs. Women were prohibited from higher-status careers like medicine, law, and politics. Although they were allowed to work as cooks, painters, maids, and even pursue writing, which all relate to the stay-at-home, housewife lifestyle that creates boundaries around their aspirations. Another profession women were not allowed to take part in was acting, as it “was considered dishonorable for women and women did not appear on the stage in England until the seventeenth century.” It was forbidden for women to perform on the public stage or to compose works for the public stage. Young boys were also frequently cast to play the female characters in Shakespeare's plays (Shanette). In summary, the Elizabethan period was marked by important and strict gender expectations that extremely influenced the opportunities of men and women, which helped maintain the social

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