The symbolic representation of cultural and social factors through jewelry is defined as a semiotic in contrast with clothing, where form is dictated by function; once the requirement for adornment is satisfied, jewelry is available to convey profound social and cultural meanings that can be grasped by analyzing literal and figurative terms that refer to it. A symbolic, microcosmic reflection of William Shakespeare's perception of his world is obtained by an examination of the process of foregrounding as it applies to the semiome or semiotic world momentarily constructed by a play, selecting for interpretation passages that exemplify 11 nouns denoting jewelry in metaphoric and/or nonmetaphoric contexts. Statements extruded from partially realized meanings conveyed by jewelry references and metaphors fortify a perspective on the Elizabethan culture as one profoundly concerned with socioeconomic, professional, and sociogeographic status. (J. Hitchcock)