My life as a Tudor Woman

I was always fascinated with the Tudor dynasty. How all six of his wives were vilified unjustly. It’s taken a long time to say it, but now we can safely say that real monster was him, the whole time. Back then, feminism was witchcraft. Kings believed themselves to be divine rulers chosen by God to create a golden age and to leave their empires with their eldest son when they pass away. Despite my deep fascination of this period, I am grateful, that I do not live in that period. Wondering how my life would have been as a Tudor woman would have depended on what kind of house I lived in.

Miscarriage, stillbirth and early death was common in Tudor England. Not even the Queens of England, those with the best doctors in the country could not be spared the heartache. Maybe I would never have been born, or I would lived a short but pure life. I could end it there, but that would be very bleak.

I know one thing for sure that if I did live in Tudor England; my name would not be Chloe. It would probably be something common to the times like Anne, Mary, Jane, Elizabeth or even Catherine. Depending on my social class, I woud not have the ability to read or write if I was a peasant. Though my lie as a peasant would be very typical. I could not imagine my life without the arts. If I was one of the rich ladies in Tudor England, I could be wearing one of those big dresses with head scarves and layers of beads and pearls.

If I am lucky, I might bathe once or twice a year. Even though the Tudor dynasty had two queens, three if you count the three days Lady Jane Grey was Queen, women were still seen as inferior to men. There are still many people who think this today. Thee were still women writers like Catherine Parr and Anne Askew, but there were far more male poets celebrated.

Let’s say I do become an established woman in Tudor England. I do all that is required of me; either become a nun, servant to a Queen or get married and produce male heirs. I’d be lucky if I survive childbirth cause the lack of hygiene could kill me. And if I do, and I get ideas and seek more knowlege outside of what we are taught. Women are bound to obey and become servants for their fathers, spouses or male relatives.

If I ever did reach adulthood in Tudor England. I would probally be executed for witchcraft. Being different would not make me a good it there. Even if I did rise to the top and become one of Henry VIII’s mistresses or wife, life wouldn’t be that much fun. I would still be a prisoner. Just one click and you could be a villian and everyone would call you one just so they could survive themselves.

Safe to say we have come a long way since then, but there is still much more that can be done. I’ve said a lot of negative things, but I do think there would have been some positive too. I can imagine I would be a part of a tight community would where we appreciated the little we had.

That being said, I think I would have loved it if I was in the Elizabethan age. Her coronation would be magnificent. Also wou have loved to have been there to celebrate the victory over the Spanish Armanda.

Thank God, I am not in Tudor England.