The Role Of Punishment In The Elizabethan Era

Was the crime and punishment during the Elizabethan era really as harsh as it is said to be? If it was, how gruesome and inhumane were the punishments? What were even considered crimes during this Era? Were punishments and crimes different among all the different classes? During the Elizabethan Era, punishments were harsh, gruesome, and varied tremendously among the two main classes, however the crimes committed were also very different among the two classes varying from stealing a bird’s egg to murder. During the Elizabethan Era, England was mainly split into two classes, the Upper Class that usually included the nobility, and the Lower Class which included most of the population consisting of poor. The Upper Class population were well educated, wealthy and associated with the Royal family and other high members of society. The types of crimes people would preform
These were usually the result of jealousy and thirst for power. Commoners were usually known for stealing and fraud due to their poor financial states. When there are crimes there are punishments and depending on the levels of crimes, the punishment would be harsh either way. You can get punished for the slightest thing you do during the Elizabethan era like gossiping or just taking a bird’s egg! Since the Elizabethan era was a very cruel and violent time period, the best thing to do during this time period was to follow the laws to prevent punishment and humiliation. The punishments took place in public, so it was very humiliating for those who were being punished. They made sure every punishment resulted in pain. So, everybody tried to behave according to the laws that were given. Although there were punishments for everyone, they were different according to your social status. Throughout the Elizabethan Era, the Upper Class committed specific crimes, different from the Lower Class, and received punishments accordingly. The six main crimes committed