The Elizabethan Era is considered to be golden age in English poetry, music, and literature. William Shakespeare uses the theater as a place to display the latest styles in clothing, poetry and music. Clothing plays an important part in Shakespeare’s plays. Clothing helped the audience understand the character and components of clothing are mentioned literally and metaphorically in several of his plays, often used as a plot device, and used in appearance versus reality. Queen Elizabeth I did not change the fashion right away; she waited until she had been queen for a while. The first changes she made were the enlargement of the corsage, farthingale, and the ruff (Covington, Sarah) Then as people became richer, their clothes became fancier: “With silken coats and caps and golden rings, with ruffs and cuffs and farthingales and things; with scarfs and fans and double change of bravery.” (Tam. Sh. IV. iii. 55-7) The tailor arrives with elegant and expensive clothes for Kate, since they are about to go to Baptista’s house in Padua. (SparkNotes: The Taming of the Shrew: Act IV, scenes iii-v) This part of the play alludes to the time when Queen Elizabeth made changes of style and wanted everyone to dress as if they were on a portrait. Everyone had to follow what the Queen Elizabeth I said, because the citizens wanted to impress the Queen with their clothes. Today cross-dressing is still used as a form of entertainment. In Twelfth Night Shakespeare uses a theatrical tradition of transvestitism in which the actor’s and character’s real identity is covered by clothes, voice, and gesture of the opposite sex, although sometimes the character remained the same gender. (“Clothing.” Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern Worl... ... middle of paper ... ... Works Cited Covington, Sarah. "Clothing." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Ed. Jonathan Dewald. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 545-549. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. Macquoid, Percy. "Clothing in Shakespeare's Time." EXPLORING Shakespeare. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. "Clothing in Macbeth." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 May 2014. "Clothing in Much Ado About Nothing." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 May 2014. "Hamlet's Costume Changes in Hamlet." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 May 2014. “SparkNote on The Taming of the Shrew.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. “SparkNote on Twelfth Night.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
McCutcheon, Marc. "Clothing and Fashions." The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life from Prohibition Through World War II. Cincinnati: Writer's Digest, 1995. 161-67. Print.
According to Bulman, some of the roles were given a male cast to the boys in the Elizabethan for the different people to have their sexual desires and imaginations raised. The writer holds that the gay culture was prevalent during that time period (Bulman 76). For those that were heterosexuals the boys would boost their imagination and grow in the story through the different uses of all-male casts. These casts were well prepared and the right amount of make-up ensured that they were set-up perfectly for the role. In Bulman’s article it is clear that he was taken by the different attributes of the society and the different productions of the plays in the Elizabethan period. The article highlights how the plays were conceptualized and acted out by the different productions (Bulman 75). It is important to note that there are different methods used with each raising its own significance and perception from a given cause of action identified by the production
People are not always whom they appear to be. Whether it’s that fierce tattooed muscle man or that sweet elderly lady smiling from a few seats away, what is perceived is not always what is true. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night portrays many a character whose identities do not align with their inner character. Olivia’s polite ladylike demeanour, Sir Toby’s guise of nobility, and Feste’s job as a fool all demonstrate how social identities don’t always align with inner character.
Lou Taylor is not only an author but also a dress historian, designer, and professor of Dress and Textile History at the University of Brighton. She is also a member of the Fashion and Textiles and Art History and Complementary Studies Boards of the Council for the National Academic Awards. Her interest
The play Twelfth Night, or What You Will by William Shakespeare is a 1601 comedy that has proven to be the source of experimentation in gender casting in the early twenty-first century due to its portrayal of gender in love and identity. The play centrally revolves around the love triangle between Orsino, Olivia, and Viola. However, Olivia and Orsino both believe Viola is a boy named Cesario. Ironically, only male actors were on the stage in Shakespeare’s time. This means that Olivia, Viola, and other female characters were played by young boys who still had voices at higher pitches than older males.
Information about fashion of the Middle Ages was obtained from an article written by Linda Alchin entitled Middle Ages Clothing and Fashion this article was dated July 16th 2006.
The concept of fashion has shaken societies foundation from the moment humans began wearing clothes. Today’s generation laughs at the style that came before them, and the previous generation is appalled by the clothing of today. With every new fashion cycle, and every new runway show, there is always one item that manages to stir up some controversy; the swimsuit. The swimsuit has seen some drastic changes throughout the years and has evolved from a simple cover up, to a intense fashion statement when hitting the beach. To study the history of this garment we must reach far back into our ancient ancestors past.
Not only did Viola’s disguise cause a sort of chaos with Orsino, it affected others in Illyria, mainly Countess Olivia. Though Viola’s original purpose for the ruse was to gain knowledge aiding her in her search for Sebastian, she has added other functions to the midst. One function is her job with Orsino acting as a mediator between him and Olivia. Viola never thought she would become a messenger. She was far too consumed with the thoughts and concern for her missing brother. It seems that fate intervened bring Viola to Orsino.
Tertullian. “Chapter1. Modesty in Apparel Becoming to Women, in Memory of the Introduction of Sin into the World Through a Woman.” On the Apparel of Women. Trans. S. Thelwall. Ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. Vol. 4. Buffalo,NY: Christian Literature, 1885. Print.
Elizabethan times in the 1600s was a progression for the world of the theater. A period named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, it is from this period that modern day society has its foundation for the entertainment industry. From the violence that was prevalent because of the Black Death, people turned to the theater for its poetry and romance. During this time period, there were two types of theatrical performances that were available for the people’s viewing, comedies or tragedies. These two genres were never really intertwined until the time of William Shakespeare. His play, Romeo and Juliet, is an example of both a comedy and a tragedy. It starts off as a comedy with Romeo weeping like a baby because of his love Rosaline, who did not love him back and ends as a tragedy when Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star crossed lovers, commit suicide because the lost of each other. It was also during Shakespeare’s time that writer were finally acknowledged by the people. Before this time, writers were not considered upper classman. Another group of people that began to rise into a higher social class were the actors. Actresses were not present back then because women were not allowed on stage. It was considered unladylike to have a female actor. Men played all the parts. Theater owners were dependent on actors to make them a profit. Rehearsals for the plays were fairly short, only lasting for about a week. The performances themselves would only show for three to four days.
Have you ever wondered what people in the Elizabethan Era wore? Fashion was just as important in those days as it is to some people today. What people were wearing mattered to others, and even the government. During the Elizabethan Era clothing, accessories, and cosmetics were all a part of daily life.
Logan, Thad Jenkins. "Twelfth Night: The Limits of Festivity." Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama. N.p.: Rice University, 1982. 223-38. Vol. 22 of Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. Rpt. in Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
Aldrich, Winifred. "The Impact Of Fashion On The Cutting Practices For The Woman's Tailored Jacket 1800-1927." Textile History 34.2 (2003): 134-170. Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
“For as long as men and women have been wearing clothing, there has been a hierarchy based on garments. The clearest example arose when the sexes were segregated into skirts and pants: women would only wear dresses (a symbol of submission) and men would only wear trousers (proof of domination). Women’s clothing was created to impede and hamper movement (through tight or many layered skirts), while men enjoyed the ease and comfort of pant legs.” (Meza, Echazarreta) Women’s fashion throughout the ages can be used to trace the history of equality between men and women. As women achieved greater independence, they claimed the right to choose what they wore, and that included women being able to wear pants. There are three things that were instrumental in making it socially acceptable for women to wear pants, they include: the invention of the bicycle, WWII, and influential women.
Clothing has been around for thousands of years; almost as long as the modern human has. At first, it served the practical purpose of protection from the elements; but, as life for early humans stopped being a constant struggle to survive, they started noticing how they looked and the concept of fashion began to take shape. These first few garments were typically dyed draped cloth that was pinned at the shoulder and/or waist. This was seen in many ancient civilizations around the world, Greek and Roman the most notable. Over time, clothing began to get more and more complex and formed to the body’s shape, eventually leading up to the tailored style we now have today. However, the sophisticated world of Haute Couture; or high fashion, can distinctly trace its roots to Paris during the mid-19th century. Clothing from there was thought to be superior to those from anywhere else, and women began to come from all over Europe just to buy dresses. This was probably due in part to one notable dressm...