Customs Of The Elizabethan Wedding Customs

This emphasised the ideas of a patrilineal society because these families were coming directly from England and brought the same customs with them. These ideals also lead to marriages that were usually arranged by the betrotheds parents, and the woman's family would have to supply a

The argument has been put forth that Elizabeth failed to marry due to her council’s attitude. While her council played a vital role, they weren’t the only contributing factor; unsuitable candidates and the political advantage that came with negotiations also resulted in her failure to marry. Elizabeth was ultimately in control of the matches, however relied on the support provided by her councillors.

Although the wife brought materialistic items to the marriage, the husband was the one that had authority over it. A dowry was an amount of money, goods, and property that the bride will bring to the marriage. With the husband providing money for the home, “It was referred to as her marriage portion,” (Alchin, Linda. “Elizabethan Wedding Customs.¨) The husband was supposedly the ruler of the household and the wife was at a lower rank than him, causing her to face inequalities and religious customs at the time supported this treatment, (“Daily Life.”) The wife’s responsibilities were to run the household and care for the children, becoming the husband's property. When the dowry was brought into the marriage the husband automatically managed

We notice that both the bride and groom did not make any arrangement. They did not have any choice but to follow their parents’ will. Once married, women had to serve their husband and their family. They often became a sort of servant to their mother-in-law, to whom they had the obligation to obey. Families were omnipresent in the marriage; it was a very strict marriage where women had no other choice but to listen to men of her family.

Women had great social pressure on them to marry. Young girls were often married by the age of 13 or 14 . It was socially unacceptable if women were not married by the age of 25 . Marriage was mostly for economic benefits, not romantic situations. A wedding, rather than a religious ceremony, was a civil contract that set the responsibilities and duties of husband and wife . Once married, they legally became one with their husbands. Married women had no control of their earnings, inheritance, property, and also could not appear in court as a witness nor vote . Their husbands, therefore, were responsible for all aspects of their wife including discipline .

Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled England for nearly half a century, is remembered in present-day for her political accomplishments, such as, providing economic prosperity, defeating the Spanish Armada, returning England to Protestantism, and clearing debt. Elizabeth is also remembered as being the only queen of England to never marry. As a result of this, Elizabeth received the label, ‘The Virgin Queen’. The reason behind Elizabeth’s refusal to marry has been frequently debated since the beginning of her reign. The most notable arguments in this debate have been, because of the gender expectations and limitations enforced upon women during the 16th century, as a way of establishing and maintaining control and power over her kingdom and its people, and devotion and loyalty to her country rather than a husband and family.

In the Tudor era (when Shakespeare was writing), the upper class married for political agendas, family advancement, and to secure the family status, if it could not be furthered. Most women did not have a choice in the matter of who they married, and by their mid-twenties, they were indeed married off to a suitable husband. Another quotation to show the importance of, and the view of marriage in the sixteenth-century (not long before Shakespeare wrote) comes from Alison Sim in The Tudor Housewife:

Dowries are extremely important to consider when it comes to arranged marriages. A dowry is a gift that could be goods, money, or land that a bride’s family will give to the groom to marry the bride. Dowries could be used to bring two powerful families together by having their children marry, for example, royal arranged marriages. In the Biblical sense, a girl who is still a virgin is more of prize than one who is not. In a way dowries make the daughter or son feel as property as told by Sara Smolinsky, “to [my father] I was nothing but his last unmarried daughter to be bought and sold” (205). Mr. Smolinsky stated, “It’s not enough to take my Bessie without a dowry. You must pay me yet” (47). Mr. Smolinsky, being the stubborn man he is, decided when Berel Bernstein asked for Bessie’s hand in marriage without the need of a dowry, that Mr. Smolinsky should get a bride price as well. A bride price

The Elizabethan age regarded women’s sexuality as a form of currency. In England’s social structure currency was a means to power. A woman’s virginity was something to be bargained for, and when the time was right, sold to the highest bidder. In modern day, this slightly resembles prostitution, but during Elizabethan times selling a daughter’s virginity was the quickest way up the social ladder. During this time, the sacrifice of virginity implies marriage. Young women rarely married on the idea of love alone, due to the father’s interests in finding an ideal husband that will strengthen the family’s position within the community. Author of Shakespeare’s Women, Angela Pitt states “if for some reason it was impractical for a girl to marry she was encouraged to enter a nunnery,” (15). English women were predominantly ignored outside of the matrimonial and spiritual world.

England has always had a rich history of interesting cultural traditions but arguably none as prevalent as marriage. Marriage, the union of two people with emotional ideals and expectations, are brought on by many different factors that include: for love, for money, for climbing social status, escapism, survival, etc. In Jane Austen’s novels, she focuses on the importance of marriage in her world because she wanted to emphasize how marriage is the most important life event of a woman as this would determine her place in society. Persuasion shows readers good and bad examples of marriage: the amiable Crofts and other couples such as Sir Walter & Lady Elliot and the Smiths. Jane Austen uses the Crofts to support the importance of marriage

Before the eighteenth century, marriage was far less complicated. Verbal consent and consumation constituted legal marriage: "once the knot was tied by such verbal exchanges it could not be

“Just as today a woman’s wedding was one of the most important days of her life” (William Shakespeare info). During the Elizabethan Era, most marriages were arranged, and some couples would be introduced to each other on their wedding day itself! (William Shakespeare info) Many of times marriages were done so that both families could “benefit” in some way, such as status or wealth ( Linda Alchin). Even though there are some differences from then to now, weddings today have some of the same aspects as Elizabethan weddings did, because a wedding is still one of the biggest days of a person’s life. There were many customs, preparations, and important ceremonies done during these times, and some of them are

Marriage at this time was a way of securing a happy livelihood and relative

The Regency time period was an era of great wealth. Both men and women worked vigorously to become part of the upper class. Marrying for upper class women was the only way to gain a source of income (Hall). Women would even change their way of life to be able to marry into wealth. A truth universally acknowledged, that a single main possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, said Mrs. Bennett (Hall). In the Regency time period, wealth played a huge role in both men and women’s lives

In the Victorian era, marriage was not as romanticized or fairytale-like as depicted in many novels of the time. On the contrary, love actually played a very minor role in the majority of matrimonies that took place. An engagement was entered into as one would approach a business deal, and there were some generally accepted rules and guidelines to follow.