The play The Shoemaker’s Holiday by Thomas Dekker was a very popular play during its times.  It is a play that gave the audience a taste of city life, a city comedy, a look inside the lives of its inhabitants.  It appealed to the public and its citizens, it is a play that is lighthearted and fun yet it addressed the various conflicts that Londoners faced during the 1500’s.  It gave the audience a look into the lives of everyday citizens as well as aristocratic lives.  The influx of immigrants that caused the population of the city of  London to quadruple within a span of fifty years came with its pros and cons.  On one hand, London was getting the benefit of trading with other countries as well as within England itself, it open the doors to commerce and gave London a better financial standing and an exposure to different languages and traditions.  Yet the city became very busy and it had to adjust to the sudden change in the population, those that lived in the city had to adjust to the population change.

The play appealed to an array of audiences because of its flexibility of its language and plot.  It’s full of stories of everyday people that were entertaining without ignoring any of the social classes and professions within the city, portraying them with their everyday  troubles, adventures and thoughts.  The fairytale of a nobleman falling in love with an average citizen is also very charming and a crowd pleaser.  The story of the impossible between the two families, although they may be comparable in the financial side, the major difference is that one family is an aristocratic family ( Rowland Lacy), he is the nephew of a Earl of Lincoln which is an appointed title given by the King, owning a piece of land.  While Rose’s father (Oatley)  although a very rich man is the Mayor of London which is only a temporary position is still considered a citizen because he is without title.  He needs to be elected to stay in that position.

The play pokes at the difficult issues about aristocrats and citizens and their never ending struggles against each other. As well as the sudden rise to riches by Simon Eyre with the help of Hans/Lacy when a mysterious cargo shows up.  Then the disguise of Lacy as a Dutch shoemaker, all for the love he has for Rose in hopes of one day meeting her.  It’s very magical yet real , about the everyday lives these people. The rise in immigration to London helped London develop and mature into a very busy and interesting city.  The happenings of the plays are a just a peek into the lives of its inhabitant.  Every person fighting for their own space and others trying to adjust to life with people with a different language and lifestyle there is bound to be conflicts with this way of life.