Renaissance women's rights - Shakespeare

1. Women’s rights in the
renaissance

2. Schooling
ost women would only get a basic education in reading & writing at
the local village school. Although some girls went on to grammar
school, many grammar schools had signs declaring they were for
Males Only.
pper class women who came from wealthy families might be taught
by tutors if their family desired it. However, much of their education
was in piety (religious devotion), chastity (sexual purity), and home
economics.
omen were expected to marry – women could have no career or
profession.
ome clergymen even debated at this time whether women had souls.

3. Legal Rights
marriage was typically arranged by the parents. To marry for love was
very rare. Typically a match was made based on monetary
considerations, and it wasn’t unusual for the bride and groom to not
see one another until the wedding.
ives were morally and legally obligated to obey their husbands in
absolutely everything. A woman was legally considered to be her
husband’s property.
wife would take her husband’s last name and she was would also
take his place in society.
omen had no control over any of their property. If she had lands from
her family, her husband had control of them. If she had any physical

4. Behavior
he ideal woman was soft-spoken, obedient, quiet, and submissive. It
was thought that a woman’s personality should mirror her outside
appearance – soft and delicate.
f a woman was outspoken, she was less desirable. She was less likely
to be married. Men did not value women’s independent thoughts or
opinions.
f a woman was angry and disagreeable, she was often referred to as a
shrew.