Women vs. Men

The women's role in Elizabethan times depended on their age and marital status, but the men’s roles at the time depended on social position or occupation.("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 317). Women were seen as property of men and had to to what they say. Along with obeying men, the woman had to preserve their virginity until marriage or they would be looked down upon and belittled ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 317). Men could do whatever they want in their life, including having affairs, with no problem or question at all. If women were raped, they were punished instead of the rapist. ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 318). The women managed the household economy, along with supervising the servants and nursing household members(Blackwell 1). Jobs for women were very limited and scarce. Men had jobs like merchants, knights, priests, and barrel makers. ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 318)

Who looked after the women?

The women in these times were expected to be looked after by their husband or male relative because men were dominant and controlled what happens("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 317). Women could also be looked after by the older women of the house who were mentors. They had to be skilled in categories such as weaving and being elegant(Blackwell 1), which the older women of the house would teach them at a young age (video).

Women's jobs

Many and most of the jobs that women could have would be done inside the house and have to do with the family ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 319). Some of these jobs would include being a mother, weaving and managing the household ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 317). If women had been raped or left by a man they could resort to prostitution("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 319).

Multimedia

Citation: Emilynlovesmarcus. YouTube. YouTube, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Women's Rights then and now

• In Elizabethan times, women didn’t have the right to vote("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 318) while in America they do.
• Women didn’t make as much nor did they not have equal opportunity to get good jobs in Elizabethan times ("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 319)and in America men and women are are paid the exact same and can get any job they work for.
• Women during Elizabethan times could not leave or divorce their husbands, but husbands could leave wives("Encyclopedia of the Renaissance" 320). In America women could leave whoever they want.

Works Cited

Grendler, Paul F. Encyclopedia of the Renaissance. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. Print.

Emilynlovesmarcus. YouTube. YouTube, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Blackwell, Amy. "Elizabethan Age." World History: The Modern Era, ABC-CLIO, 2017, worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/309353. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017.