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Elizabeths Crowd

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years ago

Elizabeths Crowd

 


Theater Attire

Clothes used to be the mark of a person, social status completely evident by the clothes you wear. The apparel one person wore could tell you social and class status in one look. The difference between today and yesteryear in theatre is the outlook on the event. Going to the theatre used to be an event where those of class would dress their finest and those of low stature dressed to seem to have class.

Clothing Laws?

The Elizabethan Sumptuary Clothing Laws were used to control behaviour and to ensure that a specific class structure was maintained. The penalties for violating Sumptuary Laws could was nothing short of our law punishments today. There were fines given, the loss of property, title and even life taken. Only royalty were permitted to wear certain items of clothing while lesser Nobles held a totally different set of available outfits. Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws dictated what colors and type of clothing individuals were allowed to own and wear. It didn't matter how wealthy a person was each color, fabric or material of their clothes were dictated by their rank, status or position and this was enforced by English Law. This acted as a constant hold on social mobility.

Clothing With Meaning?

Class was everything during this time period. It dominated where the sat in the theatre to what they could wear. Clothing that used more dye was for the richer community as the lighter washed clothing was seen as peasant clothing. Colors designated many things upon the stage as well as in the audience. Colors symbolized feelings, certain events in time, and even biblical references. The color red or crimson represented fire and associated with power and importance, described as clothing for valiant men. Other times used for the color of the church or historical or biblical references. The color indigo was power, importance and wealth. While the color blue is closely related with a state of servitude and was a popular color of clothes worn by servants; while both blue and indigo tended to have Biblical meanings symbolizing heavenly grace. Each color served as a separate meaning both in everyday life and on stage.


Shakespeare

The Elizabethan Crowd of yesterdays world loved to venture to the other worlds that Shakespeare and other popular play writes of the time set for them. The immaculate costumes on stage and the outfits brought out to go to theatre were an example of the love for plays. Plays like Julius Caesar brought people to the theatre and built the crowds. The real life depiction of the Roman Culture was what they dressed up for to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

www.william-shakespeare.info

www.elizabethan-era.org

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/meaning-colors.htm

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