Anthology Leads: Kate McPherson and Kate Moncrief.
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Early Modern England Encyclopedia
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Shakespeare’s play
During the early modern period, both church and state fought for control over how and who should regulate sexuality and impose punishment for transgression. Often, parishes had bishops or other church officials who dealt with moral offenses in the ecclesiastical court system. The lowest level of ecclesiastical court was the Archdeaconry Court, which was nicknamed the
Those accused of fornication, what the modern period might call premarital sex, could not always escape punishment by marrying. Children born too soon after a marriage could cause the parents to face punishment as it could be proven the child was conceived before the marriage took place, although couples who chose to marry usually avoided this stigma.
Punishment for sexual misconduct typically involved a fine and/or public humiliation. Parents who conceived illegitimate children could be publicly whipped until blood was drawn. Violent sexual crimes like rape were almost always a capital offense for the attacker, the harsh exception to the punishment by humiliation for most sexual crimes.
Puritan writer Richard Greenham spoke directly to handfasted or betrothed couples to keep themselves chaste until the marriage be sanctified by the public prayers of the church; for otherwise many marriages have been punished of the Lord for the uncleanness that hath been committed betwixt the contract and the marriage
. Likewise, Puritan minister William Gouge denounced the unwarrantable and dishonest practice
of couples who take liberties after a contract to know their spouse, as if they were married
.
Despite this social stigma and occasional legal consequences, up to one-third of brides in England’s early modern period may have been pregnant at the time the marriage was solemnized. Correlation between marriage dates and christening dates of a couple’s first child indicate that premarital sex was likely widespread. As an example, William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway had to obtain a special license to marry quickly due to her pregnancy, and their first child Susanna was born about six months later. Because betrothal (engagement) was considered a binding promise, many couples may have consummated their relationship.
In
Upon a true contract, I got possession of Juliet’s bed. You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Save that we do the denunciation lack Of outward order. This we came not to Only for propagation of a dower Remaining in the coffer of her friends, From whom we thought it meet to hide our love Till time had made them for us. But it chances The stealth of our most mutual entertainment With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
Claudio is sentenced to execution the morning after his imprisonment, his death an example to the city at large. Angelo has no interest in showing mercy to Claudio, even after the imprisoned man’s sister Isabella, who is on the verge of entering a convent, appeals to Angelo for her brother’s pardon. During the time that Isabella pleads to Angelo, he finds himself overcome by growing lust for her and finally agrees to pardon Claudio if she will sleep with him, then secretly leaves Claudio’s death sentence to stand rather than facing possible revenge.
Isabella, distraught, informs her brother that she cannot get a pardon granted. Although she’d be willing to die for him, she will not subject her body to shame by fornicating with Angelo. Claudio, in an act of desperation and perhaps the ultimate selfishness, asks Isabella to reconsider and to save his life because surely such a sin could be forgiven if done to save her brother’s life. Isabella is upset and denies Claudio’s request:
Although Angelo is eventually caught and punished for his political and sexual misdeeds, the story of