In my opinion, the most interesting thing about Elizabethan women is that they have come to be represented by Queen Elizabeth I.  The irony is that Elizabeth I broke many of the traditional rules for women of the time.  In fact, she used her single status and, indeed, her sexuality to obtain further power for the British empire.  However, the life of Elizabeth I was vastly different from a peasant or even an upper class Elizabethan woman.  Here are twelve facts about Elizabethan women that might interest you:

1. They weren't allowed to perform in plays.
2. They were treated as second class citizens, especially if they were single.
3. They couldn't inherit any titles passed down in the family (except for royalty).
4. They were considered beneath their husbands.
5. They were always dependent of relatives.
6. They were considered criminals if they were disobedient to their husbands.
7. They were tutored at home and not allowed to go to university.
8. They were not allowed to be either lawyers or doctors.
9. They could not vote, enter politics, or the military.
10. They were expected to be housewives and mothers.
11. They often submitted to arranged marriages in order to attain security.
12. They were expected to bring a dowry to a marriage.