Wheel of Fortune/ Great chain of being.
Elizabethan life theories There were 3 positions in life: Clerk (Cleric) Knight Serf. Each “estate” had potential vices: Clerk: wealth, gluttony, sexual proclivity Knight: Cowardice or abuse of peasants Serf: Laziness and greed
Progress: A mercantile class grew due to trade as serfs gained wealth. Knights were given land for allegiance. This land and the service which went with it were hereditary.
The supernatural
clerks
knights
family
Rules The position is pre-ordained. Anyone who tries to usurp another’s spot, gets knocked down. To leave ones place is to cause disruption or rebellion and will upset the natural order of things.