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The Role Of Crime And Punishment In The Elizabethan Era

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Was there ever a time when people did not go against the law? The Elizabethan Era is one of the most known periods of the English history. Known for its great success in change and discovery. It is also remembered for its violent and brutal times. A subject that many people are interested in from this era is the crime and punishment. After many books and research on Elizabethan crime, punishment, and people, researchers discovered that the crime and punishment during the era was certainly not ordinary and sometimes far from human. There were various types of crime committed in the era. Common crimes of Elizabethan England were treason, blasphemy, murder, and witchcraft("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1). Many times murder and witchcraft were the result of jealousy and thirst for greater power. Although these crimes were taken …show more content…

These crimes were theft, begging, adultery, and poaching ("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1). Not all crimes were big and bad like these. Traveling was a crime if a person did not have a license to travel. These crimes were more serious because of the people who committed them(“William Shakespeare Site-Map”). Types of crime depended on the person committing them. The interesting thing about punishment in the Elizabethan Era was all crime was specifically punished("Elizabethan Crime and Punishment" 1).
England during the Elizabethan Era was split into two classes: the Upper class and the Commoners. Crime varied according to class. Because the Upper class consisted of wealthy and educated people, they would often be involved in political scheme and matter of religion. Common crimes of the

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