Summary: |
This book offers an experiential perspective on the lives of Elizabethans, how they worked, ate, and played, with hands on examples that include authentic music, recipes, and games of the period. From the works of Shakespeare to Renaissance Fairs, the world of Elizabethan England remains perennially important in modern culture. But just what did an Elizabethan do with his or her day? What shape did their lives take? How did they relate to the people around them? How did they deal with the daily necessities of food, drink, and sleep? This volume offers a look at Elizabethan life from the perspective of the people who actually lived it. With updates based on the most current research, this second edition provides a picture of what it was like to live during this distant time. Readers will learn, for example, that Elizabethans were diligent recyclers, composting kitchen waste and collecting old rags for papermaking. They will discover that Elizabethans averaged less than 2 inches shorter than their modern British counterparts, and, in a surprising echo of our own age, that many Elizabethan city dwellers relied on carryout meals, albeit because they lacked kitchen facilities. The book is a "hands-on" approach to the past with the inclusion of actual music, games, recipes, and clothing patterns based on primary sources. |