Social Status in Shakespeares Plays - 2035 Words

In Shakespeares time, the English lived with a strong sense of social class -- of belonging to a particular group because of occupation, wealth, and ancestry. Elizabethan Society had a very strict social code at the time that Shakespeare was writing his plays. Social class could determine all sorts of things, from what a person could wear to where he could live to what jobs his children could get. Some families moved from one class to another, but most people were born into a particular class and stayed there. There was a chance of being granted a title by the crown. This was uncommon at the time and a relatively new thing for Europe where ancestry always defined nobility. Shakespeares plays show the different social statuses throughout†¦show more content†¦The fact that the people were born into what social class they had to live in leaves them from exploring themselves and potential. They are only allowed to aspire so high, and that defeats the purpose of find oneself beca use they are told what they are going to be. Shakespeare questions the rigidity of social class in the play, Alls Well That Ends Well, because he portrays Helen as being equal to Bertram because of deed and not birth. The King sees nothing wrong with Helen picking someone to marry that is high above her in social standing. Hes even willing to grant her a title to make her equal to Bertram. The King says it is just Helens status that Bertram disdains, but Im not sure if it is. I think in this case that Bertram is more worried about tainted blood entering his family. The nobility only married the nobility because of the fact that their blood was considered to be more pure and clean. In the case of Helen she was of the working class which meant her blood wasnt of the pure and clean type that she was a base commoner. Nobility didnt like to think that their blood should be mixed with that of the commoners and the lower classes. At least not in the case of the first born sons or the daugh ters of the nobility. In the case of social identities being formed in Shakespeares plays I feel as though hesShow MoreRelatedThemes Of Social Mobility Through Marriage1655 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper critically analyses the theme of social mobility through marriage in Shakespeare’s play ‘Twelfth Night’. In addition, the paper highlights how different characters in the play got into higher social classes or desired to be in higher social classes through marriage. This paper holds that in a highly stratified society such as that presented in the Shakespeare’s play; marriage plays a significant role in in social class mobility. 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