Social Structure of the Elizabethan Era

The Edwardian worldview, which otherwise referred to the Elizabethan era that lasted from year 1558 to 1603. During this period, a very important factor that made up the society was religion. Devoted Protestants and Catholics of God, the ruler and creator of all mankind and creation, would uphold firm and unwavering faith and belief in the Ten Commandments as it was recorded in the Holy Bible. Thus, the emphasis on moral values in nonetheless, strong as well. William Shakespeare himself is also a follower of the religion, and he makes use of these ideas in many of his plays. An example that we can see in Macbeth is the order in society, from kingship and royalty to ordinary commoners and citizens. The king and other royalty are believed to be God chosen people that are assigned to rule over others. In this sense, the king can be said to be a representative of God. People are expected to respect the rule of the king, just like how they would obey God and respect him. In the tragedy of Macbeth, we see how Macbeth denies the kingship of King Duncan, murders him, and takes over the throne by his own hand. Portrayal of such a scene is rejected by the society of the Edwardian worldview, and considered defiance of the natural order in society. Another factor to consider is the topic of sin, and who is to be blamed. Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth, both of them have committed a treacherous sin against society and the order of nature. Their sin and their crime are to be condemned, and the punishment for their sin is death. This view is reinstated in the Holy Bible, that corruption, treason, and all other evil shall be punished by death.

The citizens in the Elizabethan era were divided into 4 classes: Noble, Gentry, Yeomanry and the Poor.

Nobility

A person became a member of the nobility in one of two ways: by birth, or by a grant from the queen or king. Noble titles were hereditary, passing on from father to oldest son.

People in other classes might lose status by wasting their fortunes and becoming poorer but it took a crime such as treason for a nobleman to lose his title.

Elizabeth created only a few noblemen during her reign like Lord Burghley, and the Earl of Leicester.

The Nobles aren’t “idle rich”.

Very often, high office brought debt rather than profit and visiting nobles to England were the responsibility of the English nobility to house and entertain at their own expense.

"The nobility had no choice but to live luxuriously. They were expected to be lavish in their dress, their houses, and their habits. They were expected to serve in an office, such as being an ambassador to a foreign country, at their own expense. Appointment to a post of foreign ambassador brought with it terrible financial burdens. The ambassador was expected to maintain a household of as many as 100 attendants.

Gantry

Wealth was the key to becoming part of the gentry. They were people not of noble birth but by acquiring large amounts of property, became wealthy landowners. A man might marry the daughter of a lesser knight or noble and gain land through his wife's inheritance. So

The upper gentry lived like nobles, building huge houses, and employing hundreds of servants. They could not buy their way into the nobility.

Yeomantry

Between the two extremes of rich and poor are the yeomen, who have saved enough to be comfortable but who could at any moment, through illness or bad luck, be plunged into poverty.

Poor

At the bottom were the poor

To refuse to work for wages was an offense punishable by law. When vagrants were caught, they were whipped and returned to the parishes, church areas, of their birth.

If the vagrant refused work or escaped from a workhouse and was caught, he was "burned through the gristle of the right ear with a hot iron of the compass of an inch about." If, for a third time, a vagrant was found to be unemployed, the punishment was death.