Why were women hated during the Elizabethan period?

I'm not sure that women were explicitly hated in the sense that people would shout at a woman, "I hate you!" However, one could argue that the oppressive and patriarchal society which dominated Elizabethan times prevailed out of some deeply ingrained hatred of women. Much of Western culture has a history of the oppression of and disdain for women, with claims that it is punishment for Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden. The Protestant reformer John Knox wrote just before the beginning of Elizabeth's reign that women were made to serve and obey men, that they were weak and foolish, and liable to become slaves to the devil. What it really boils down to is that the men in power in Elizabethan society believed and said that this was true, and so it was taught and accepted as truth.

During the Elizabethan era, women were expected to live lives as wives and mothers and not much else. The wealthier, upper-class families could sometimes afford a tutor for their daughter, but women on the whole received minimal education. Women were expected to be entirely subservient to the men in their lives, so Queen Elizabeth herself really shook things up when she refused to marry. Elizabeth's refusal to marry inspired many women in her country to change their position-- or at least their attitudes concerning gender roles-- in society. The increase in numbers of young women forgoing marriage in favor of being like the Virgin Queen might have provoked an even harsher attitude towards women, as it would have left many men without a wife to keep their house.