Social Class In The Elizabethan Age

Social class played a key role in the Elizabethan Age; without social hierarchy society would have fallen apart, the people did not know of anything else other than the role of classes. Each class had different situations of life, some were wealthy and had nice homes while others were poor and living off of the streets. The class rankings were given to each individual by situations such as birth, fame, wealth, and known skills(“Elizabethan Era.”). One could only move up a class by the Queen's approval, obtaining sudden wealth, going into debt, losing your job, and many other specific conditions(“Elizabethan Era - The Lost Colony.”). For instance, marriage between two people from separate classes could alter social class and was often frowned upon. In the Elizabethan age, social class structure was paramount. The class ranking dictated how the people of each level could dress, the diet and food available, and career standing.

Social hierarchy classes consisted of a monarch, nobility, gentry, merchants, yeomanry, and laborer. The monarch was the highest and most superior class ranking, it was based off of bloodline only and the oldest monarch would take the throne and become the most powerful(“Elizabethan Era.”). Nobility was considered to be in the class by being born into the hierarchy or becoming

This was the base of almost all meals for the lower class and the meals were very bland and tasteless. For the upper class presentation was what was most important, the more food and choices that was laid out on the table the more impressive that person or family looked(“Elizabethan Daily Meals.”). The upper classes were allowed to eat white bread and specially prepared meals made by that individual's servant. The upper classes drank a lot of ale and wine and those privileged in the upper structures almost all had their own