Elizabethan revision resource (AQA GCSE)

Elizabethan culture: a Golden Age?

An English Renaissance:

During the 15th century, the invention of the printing press meant that ideas could be spread at speed.

As new grammar schools & university colleges were set up the English became better educated and a vigorous literary culture in drama and poetry developed.

The English theatre scene, which performed both for the court and nobility in private performances, and a very wide public in the theatres, was the most crowded in Europe, Playwrights: such as William Shakespeare and William Painter.

Musicians such as Gibbons, Tallis and Byrd met with great success.

The significant English invention was the - by the late 16th century and produced the finest work.

New architectural styles came into being - a true Renaissance style emerged, influenced far more by northern Europe than Italy.

Key figures would also emerge in science (Francis Bacon), history (William Camden) and maths (John Dee).

The rise of the gentry

Belonging to a particular occupation, wealth, and ancestry, had a huge impact on the social standing of an individual - most people were born into a particular class and stayed there. However, some families could move from one class to another. Social class could determine the whole life of a person, from what they could wear, to where they could live or even what jobs their children would get.

Only about 5% of the population was classified as gentry: knights, squires and gentlemen. Their numbers, though, were growing. The gentry the most important social class of the Elizabethan Era.

CAUSES of the rise of the gentry

The Tudor's were suspicious of the old nobility (plotting and scheming for power!)

The dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII allowed the gentry to acquire church lands (and so become wealthy)

Increased wealth. Growth in trade and exploration, together with population growth, rising prices and enclosure, all helped many gentry families to make their money. The gentry's money helped to fuel the cultural achievements of the Elizabethan era as they were often keen to sponsor theatre/music etc.

Fashion:

Driven by the wealth of the gentry, new clothing fashions developed. Then, as now, fashion was an important status symbol. Laws governed the clothes people were allowed to wear depending on their social rank e.g. only earls could wear gold cloth.

Women's Clothing - gowns, hats, corsets, underwear, collars, ruffs & shoes.

Men's Clothing - doublets, breeches, underwear, collars, ruffs, hats and shoes.

Architecture:

In contrast to her father Henry VIII, due to not having the money to be a great builder, Elizabeth commissioned no new royal palaces and very few new churches were built. However, there was a great boom in building domestic houses for the well-off (e.g. the gentry). This led to the period being known as the 'Great Rebuilding.'

The English Renaissance can be seen in the building of s - large, square, and tall houses such as, built by courtiers who hoped to attract the queen while she was on progress. Some of the most famous Elizabethan houses, such as Longleat House and Hardwick Hall were designed and built by the leading architect, Robert Smythson.

Elizabethan houses were very different from previous Gothic styles. The upper-class houses of the wealthy were heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance style architecture. Architects focused on size and symmetry. Stone and expensive bricks were used for durability and appearance, as opposed to the timber and wattle of lower-class houses.