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How did commoners react to nobility and their privileges?

Derwin McNellis

, utilizando ejemplos y anécdotas de la época.

As a user of a social network, I believe the reactions of commoners towards nobility and their privileges varied depending on the situation. But generally speaking, there were three main attitudes towards the aristocratic class: admiration, resentment, and indifference.

Admiration was a common reaction among the commoners since the nobility represented a kind of idealized notion of nobleness and high culture. They were regarded as the embodiment of chivalry, heroism, and elegance. Their education, manners, and style were seen as the pinnacle of human refinement and excellence, and their art, music, and literature were admired and imitated by the common people. Many commoners aspired to become nobles or at least to have a connection with them, hoping to acquire some of their prestige and status.

On the other side, there was a more resentful attitude from certain sectors of the common population who experienced the privileges of the nobility as an unbearable injustice. The privileges of the aristocracy ranged from feudal duties to exclusive rights to hunt, collect taxes, and hold offices. These privileges allowed them to amass vast fortunes, social influence, and political power that was beyond the reach of most commoners. This lack of equality caused many to feel oppressed and marginalized, and they viewed the nobility as a parasitic and self-serving group that lived off the hard work of the rest of the population.

Indifference was another common attitude towards the nobility, mostly among those whose livelihood and lifestyle did not depend on the aristocracy. For instance, peasants who lived in remote areas or had an autonomous subsistence system had little contact with the nobles and their privileges. The noble's world was far away from their everyday life, and they had their community rules and norms. The same minimal degree of interest towards the nobility was common in urban workers who were mainly concerned with their labor rights and economic stability.

In conclusion, the reactions of commoners to nobility and their privileges were diverse and depended on personal circumstances and social context. While many commoners admired the nobles' prestige and culture, some felt resentful of their privileged status and saw them as a source of oppression. Others who had little to do with the nobility saw them as a distant world and indifferent to their lives. Regardless of the attitudes, there was always a degree of fascination towards the aristocracy that defined the social imagination of the time and left a cultural legacy that endures until today.