Enviromental Factors Flashcards
(7 cards)
Elizabethan Attitudes to Women ( Patriarchal Society)
*The Elizabethan society was patriarcahl which meant that men held the power in society.
* This meant that women were seen as inferior and as the property of men.
*Women were expected to obey men, especially fathers and husbands.
Attitudes to Marriage
*Marriage was not about love in Elizabethan society , it was a way to create alliances between powerful families to create wealth.
*Daughters were expected to obey their fathers’ decisions about marriage.
*Marriage was more about alliances, status, and wealth than love.
Aristocratic Family
*Relationships between parents and children were typically distant as they were raised by nurses who took on a maternal role
*The father had all the power and the family was expected to fulfil their duty otherwise it would bring shame to the family
*Their high social status gives them power, pride, and influence.
*Fathers had absolute authority, and family reputation was everything.
Male Code of Honour
*Aristocratic families were expected to defend their name and reputation. This leads to duels, revenge, and violence.
*A man’s honour and reputation were central to his identity. Duelling and revenge were expected responses to disrespect.
*Losing honour was considered worse than death.
*Men were expected to defend their family name and masculinity and reject anything seen as weakness
*Violence was a way for men to preserve there honour and their family’s reputation
Courtly Love
- Courtly love was a traditional, idealised way of loving from medieval literature, especially among the nobility. It was usually secret, intense, and often forbidden
*A courtly lover would suffer from unrequited love as he loves from afar (Romeo and Rosaline)
*Would idealize her as he falls in love with a vision of perfection rather than the person. They fall in love with the idea of love
*Would idolize her and turn the lover into an idol who is put on a pedestal and worshipped from afar
The Tragic Form
Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher who defined the structure of tragedy, outlining key elements:
* Tragic Hero - A central character of high status or importance. Has a fatal flaw (hamartia) and makes mistakes that lead to their downfall.
*Fatal flaw (hamartia) - A personal weakness that causes the hero’s suffering. In R+J, Romeo’s impulsiveness is a key flaw.
*Fate - Tragic events feel unavoidable, often due to fate, bad luck, or external pressures.
*Catharsis - The audience feels pity and fear, but also feels cleansed at the end due to a deeper level of understanding.
*Reversal of Fortune (Peripeteia) - A moment where the hero’s success turns to failure (e.g. Romeo’s banishment after killing Tybalt).
*Death - The hero usually dies or suffers extreme loss. In R+J the lovers’ deaths finally bring peace
Elizabethan ideas about Fate
- The belief in fate, fortune and power of stars was common in Elizabethan Society
*Elizabethans saw Fortuna as blind and unpredictable, meaning that luck could either reward or punish people at random. This reflects how uncontrollable forces affected one’s life.
*This concept of fate eliminated a person’s ability to control his own destiny
