Marriage In The Elizabethan Era

Relationships have always been a big part of society. Through the years, many customs have changed, by either adapting in the different time periods, or changing completely. During Elizabethan times, marriages were arranged so that both families would benefit from the relationship. The age at which it was deemed legal for a person to get married has drastically changed as time has passed. Love was not a huge factor in a marriage, and a bride was required to give the groom and his family a dowry. After their marriage she would have to live her life subordinate to her husband, but before the actual wedding ceremony there were a few rituals the couple had to complete. One thing that has remained constant throughout the years is how big of a celebration …show more content…
Getting married for love was not seen as a positive thing to do and was an uncommon occurrence. Marriages were often seen just as a way for a person to gain independence and leave their parents, sometimes men would be eager to get married, Despite not getting married because of love, there was still a chance that later in the marriage the couple could fall in love. After beginning to set up their new life together, couples would hope that they would soon feel more affectionate towards each …show more content…
Another aspect that is not commonly practiced today is the requirement that the bride brings a dowry to the wedding. A dowry was an amount of money, property or other goods that a woman would have to give the groom and his family (Elizabethan Marriages and Weddings). Although the bride had to pay a dowry, the groom would also give a betrothal gift to his wife which is still practiced today. It could be a variety of things, but if he chose to give her a ring, it would usually be engraved with either a message for the bride or a poem (Stewart). When a woman got married it was her husband who was in charge because women in the Elizabethan Era were not given much power. She would have to stay at home, do the housework and live her life subordinate to her husband. After marriage a woman practically became property, but in order to start her new life there was a process that had to be