Essay about Elizabethan England - 2559 Words

Bloody Painful: Crime and Punishment in Elizabethan England This article’s purpose is to express the danger of breaking the law in England. Most of the punishments of our time are deemed cruel and unusual. The death penalty can no longer be enacted in cases of theft or highway robbery. The following paragraphs will describe the various instruments of punishment (torture) of the period. One out of the ordinary punishment of this era is the drunkards cloak. It is a punishment for public drunkenness; the name of it is somewhat misleading. The flaw in the name comes from the fact that the cloak is less a cloak and more a barrel. The drunk was forced to don a barrel and wander through town while the villagers jeer at him. Holes were cut†¦show more content†¦One more odd punishment worth mentioning is the ducking stool. Like the brank, it was a punishment for women whose speech was considered too brash and brazen or too free. The ducking stool is a wooden chair attached to a large lever system. The lever allows the chair to be raised or lowered without the tipping of the chair, making it parallel to the ground at all times. The chair is then lowered into the water, dunking the loose tongued woman under the water. Based on the level of the offense and the cruelty of the deciding party the woman could be quot;duckedquot; any number of times, and in some cases of e xtreme measures, the woman could drown from the time spent under water. Some of the ducking stools were mobile and could be taken to the waters edge at the necessary time, while others were fixed into place along the coast of the water as a grim reminder to the women of the town of what free speaking could lead to. One tool that is used as punishment was the amputation saw. Much more cruel than the axe, the saw is slower and more painful than the relative quickness of the axe blade. Villagers can be considered twisted individuals because of the crowds of people that gathered for the public punishments and executions. People relished the public hangings, and the persons to be hanged were often falsely accused of treason, which calledShow MoreRelatedThe Elizabethan Era in England Essay1588 Words   |  7 PagesThe Elizabethan Era is often referred to as the Golden Age of England (A Changing View...). The Elizabethan Era, named after Queen Elizabeth I, was a time of change and discovery (Elizabethan Superstitions). Elizabeth ruled in a time of religious turmoil; both the Catholics and Protestants fought to be the official religion of England. (Elizabethan World View). Many people throughout England struggled to find the â€Å"correct† religion (Elizabethan World View). Religion was changing and so did scienceRead MoreMusic in Elizabethan England817 Words   |  3 PagesMusic in Elizabethan England This essay is aimed to thoroughly describe how the types of Music or Songs were back in the Elizabethan ages/era in England. But first, there is a minor description about the Elizabethan era and how Queen Elizabeths rule in England influenced the music back then. Minor description because the full description would be incredibly long. Shakespeare’s play the twelfth night, and the music in there will also be included in this essay. The Elizabethan era was a very importantRead MoreTransportation in Elizabethan England Research Ppr Essay1698 Words   |  7 Pagesyears ago. In Elizabethan England, travel was very basic, just feet, hooves, and wheels on cobblestone streets (Singman 86). Ships were also very important to travel and colonization, for England is an island nation (Time Life Ed. 132). Many towns were put on navigable rivers just to make travel easier because many people in this time used rivers and oceans for transportation and sometimes delivery of goods (Singman 85). The most important components of transportation in Elizabethan England were landRead MoreElizabethan Espionage And Its Impact On The Growth And Evolution Of England As A Nation1761 Words   |  8 Pagesa time in England when there was much religious conflict, there was also a need to protect the queen due to her religious beliefs. The protectors who safeguarded Queen Elizabeth I from danger were commonly thought to be her brave knights or constables. However, there was actually a clandestine group of individuals who were charged with a similar duty. Unlike England’s military intelligence forces today, a disorganized spy group engaged in espionage for the defense of Renaissance England s importantRead MoreChildren in Elizabethan England Essay966 Words   |  4 PagesWhen researching daily life in the Elizabethan Era, there were two prominent social classes throughout most of England. The upper or noble class families were akin to today’s upper class. However, the low-class families were much different from today’s low-class families. The gap between the two classes was so huge and a majority of England was impecunious. Most of the low class was orphans, abandoned wives, widows, the infirm, and the elderly. Each class, even the ones in the middle would despiseRead MoreCrime and Punishment in Elizabethan England788 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the Elizabethan Era, crime and punishment was a bru tal source of punishments towards criminals. The term â€Å"crime and punishment† was a series of punishments and penalties the government gave towards the people who broke the laws. In William Harrison’s article â€Å"Crime and Punishment in Elizabethan England†, says that â€Å"the concept of incarcerating a person as punishment for a crime was a relatively novel at the time† (1). This seemed reasonable at the time, because back then they didn’t sentenceRead MoreCulture and Society in Elizabethan England2076 Words   |  9 PagesCulture and Society in Elizabethan England Over the years, society has created and recreated different ideas of what is considered socially acceptable and what customs to follow on a daily basis. These ideas are constantly changing and renewing themselves, making even last year’s behavioral habits seem crude. For instance, life in Elizabethan England contrasted with how life is now because people acted differently, dressed differently, spoke differently, and in a general, broader sense, they livedRead MoreThe Role Of Courtship And Marriage In Elizabethan England1478 Words   |  6 Pagesupon the lives of the men and women living in Elizabethan England their traditions of love and marriage, at first glance, seems so far removed from what we know today. Their antiquated views on the roles men and women play in everyday life further alienate their culture surrounding courtships and marriages. In retrospect, from the views of today’s culture with its emphasis on true love and passion, the customs and traditions of Elizabethan England seem harsh and calculated. The complex rules andRead MoreElizabethan England - The Period Of William Shakespeare1801 Words   |  8 PagesZachary Troast Dr. Falck Shakespeare 1 15 Nov 15 OED Essay In Elizabethan England - the period of William Shakespeare - women were socially degraded and taught they were inferior to men. In his play, Hamlet, Shakespeare s perception is thoroughly displayed as women are victimized and presented as inferiors; objects that assist or hinder the action of men. Specifically, Gertrude and Ophelia are displayed as instruments of deceit, fragile-minded women with a dependence on men, and the cause forRead MoreMedicine in The Elizabethan Era Essay928 Words   |  4 Pages Did you know there was a time where infectious diseases like the common cold could kill you and your family? This was the elizabethan era probably the last time where sickness became the â€Å"grimm reaper† before modern medical advancements. With infectious diseases spreading and killing so many people doctors became desperate. Because these doctors knew very little about medicine, they were completely willing to try experimental treatments on their patients (Alchin). Sadly just about anybody with