A 'Golden Age'

• The Great Chain of Being

  • Elizabethan society was based on the idea of 'The Great Chain of Being'
  • God is aat the top, followed by his angels and any other residents of Heaven
  • Human beings are beneath, folllowed by animals and plants
  • There were further subdivisions for humans, with the monarch at the top, followed by the nobility, gentry and then the peasants
  • It was almost impossible to move between the human divisions
• The population of England

  Increased from 2.8 million to 4 million between 1558 and 1603
• What were common sources of money for the wealthy?

  • If someone made money through trade or some other means, they would buy land
  • Land could provide a source of income from rent or growing crops to eat or wool to trade
  • Land made money and raised social status
• Who were the nobility?

  • The nobility was made up of the most respected members of society, second only to the queen
  • Their average income was £6,000 per year, (equivalent to about £1 million today)
• How did the nobility hold influence?

  • A member of this group was born into it or awarded the titles by the queen (which was very rare)
  • Nobles had special privileges, including protection from torture- a noble who committed treason would always be beheaded and never hanged, avoiding public humiliation
  • Most nobles had large amounts of land, which was passed down from father to son
  • Any influence they had was the queen's to give and take away
• Who were the gentry?

  • The gentry were the landlords of the countryside
  • They lived on the rents of their tenants and did no manual labour themselves
  • The income of a member of this group could vary between £10 and £200 per year (around £1,700 and £34,000 in today's money)
• How did the gentry's influence grow?

  • Some members were wealthier than the poorer nobles
  • They had significant influence and power over their lands, with many filling important roles such as Justice of the Peace, and serving in Parliament
  • Some were given the title of knight and others had the title esquire
  • As the country was more stable and secure after the unpredictable years of Elizabeth's predecessors, people were able to settle and make money from trade- the gentry grew as a result
• How did Elizabethans show off their wealth?

  • Rich Elizbethans were proud to show off their wealth
  • They often built fine houses in the countryside
  • One area in which the gentry could show their wealth was through food
  • Rich Elizabethans tended to have meals made up almost entirely of meat and drank mainly wine
  • For the richest, banquets were an important way to show off the fact that they could afford lots of the very best produce
• How did Elizabethans show off their wealth through fashion?

  • Women often paired fine clothes with whitened faces to show that they did not have to work outside and get a tanned face
  • This effect was often created using lead-based makeup
  • A key element of both men's and women's fashion was the elaborate ruff worn around the neck
• What was the Elizabethan 'golden age'?

  The wealthy, Protestant or Catholic, were free to live their lives and enjoy their success while the country was secure and stable
• The popularity of theatre

  • During Elizabeth's reign, rich and poor alike visited public theatres
  • Playwrights, including William Shakespeare, produced many new plays every year, and their work was performed by theatre companies such as the Lord Chamberlain's Men and the Admiral's Men
  • The companies were usually named after the person who provided their funding: the patron
  • Women were not allowed to act on stage, so acting was an entirely male profession with the female roles performed by boys
• What was theatre like in the Elizabethan time?

  • At the beginning of Elizabeths reign, a visit to the theatre generally meant visiting an inn and watching a performance inside or out in the yard
  • By the end of Elizabeth's reign, a number of purpose-built theatres existed and visiting one became a popular way to spend an afternoon
  • The performance was often more like a circus than what we might expect at a modern theatre
  • Audience members would push and shove to try to get a better view, and heckling was not uncommon
• How did theatre affect society?

  • The theatre became an important part of life during Elizabeth's reign, particularly among the nobility
  • Being the patron of a theatre company was an important way to show how cultured you were and also a good way to please the queen
  • For ordinary people, a trip to the theatre offered a cheap afternoon's entertainment
  • Although they occupied very different parts of the theater building, the rich and the poor watched and enjoyed the same performances
• Opposition to theatre

  • Theatres were seen as dangerous places where drunkenness, crime, and other immoral behaviour took place, and many were concerned that such large gatherings of people might spread disease
  • Puritans wanted the theatres closed down completely as they saw them as a distraction, as they believed that people should be spending their free time praying and studying the Bible rather than watching plays
  • Although restrictions were put in place at various times, the theatre's popularity continued, largely due to Elizabeth I's enjoyment of it
• Elizabethan accomplishments - art

  • Portraits became very popular and were much more than just representations of the sitters
  • They often included a lot of symbolism; for example, Elizabeth was painted with her hand on a globe to show her power
  • These were very small, detailed paintings intended for personal possession rather than public display
  • Other forms of art included included decorative silverware and highly detailed textile patterns
• Elizabethan accomplishments - exploration


  • Europeans travelled to new lands, and England started to become a major power at this time
• Elizabethan accomplishments - theatre

  • Theatre was hugely popular during the Elizabethan era
  • Many theatres were built and the period produced plays that are still performed and studied today
• Elizabethan accomplishments - buildings

  • The Elizabethans built many of the stately homes that still stand today
  • These houses were built to impress the queen and other nobles
  • For the first time, houses were not designed specifically with defence in mind
• Elizabethan accomplishments - literature

  • In addition to the great plays written during Elizabeth's reign, poetry became very popular
  • Shakespeare wrote many sonnets, but several respected nobles also wrote poems
  • A lot of Elizabethan poetry made references to stories of Ancient Greece and Rome
• Elizabethan accomplishments - education

  • Education was seen as increasingly important during Elizabeth's reign
  • Although still focused on wealthy boys, some girls also received a limited education
• Elizabethan accomplishments - science and technology

  • There were some significant breakthroughs in navigation and astronomy and a growing understanding of how magnetism worked
  • Elizabeth's reign also saw more effective printing presses, which produced books and pamphlets
  • These allowed ideas to spread much faster
• Elizabethan accomplishments - peace, power, and pride

  • Before Henry VII became king, England had spent many years in chaos with different men claiming the throne
  • Elizabeth's long reign established peace and order, while military success and the country's growing wealth also made people proud to be English
• Was Elizabethan England really a golden age?

  • Blood sports like dog fighting and bear baiting remained popular, and cruel torture and punishments continued to be used
  • The population was very much divided in wealth - a small minority lived in luxury, while most people were very poor
  • Life expectancy was low, and illnesses that would not kill us today were lethal
  • While it was a time of scientific experimentation, much of it was questionable, as alchemy and astrology were very popular
• How did Elizabeth use the idea of the golden age to her advantage?

  • There was a deliberate attempt to spread the idea of great success and advancement as a way of securing Elizabeth's position on the throne
  • This way of presenting the Elizabethan age was known as 'Gloriana' and was achieved through plays and festivals as well as the printing of special pamphlet