Women

• • it was a time of strict social hierarchies and strict rules regarding women's behaviorism
  • there was a responsibility for women to uphold the honor of their families
• society was patriarchal:

  • wives and daughters weren't to go out unaccompanied
  • they weren't to wear inappropriate or sexually provocative clothing
  • they weren't to engage in public affairs or politics
  • they had to obey their fathers and behave in a dutiful way towards their husband
  • they should only concern themselves in domestic affairs
• it was essential a woman preserve her virginity until she were married

  • once married, they shouldn't have any thoughts about infidelity: this would be considered an OUTRAGEOUS crime against the husband, larger society, and God.
• An extract from the book " A Sermon against Whoredom and Uncleanness" :

  •committing "fornication" , "adultery" or " unclean acts" would be going against "God's commandment" and "abusing the gentleness and humanity" of their husbands
• The concept of social equality was a foreign in Shakespeare's day. According to the Bible:

  - Adam was created first

  - Eve was created to provide comfort to Adam, to obey him, and to accept her lesser status

  
  

  A dominant women was viewed as a symptom of SOCIAL DISORDER