Final answer:
The exchange reflects the Elizabethan era best through the practice of rulers gaining power by surrounding themselves with loyal officers, reflecting the societal and cultural values of Shakespeare's time related to power structure and loyalty.
Step-by-step explanation:
This exchange reflects Shakespeare's time for several reasons, but the most likely one that corresponds to the choices is the way rulers of the era gained power and maintained it. In the Tudor period, the monarchy was the principal political force in England, and monarchs often surrounded themselves with loyal officers and nobility to ensure their own security and effective governance. The aristocratic culture focused on grand feasts and displays of loyalty, courage, and honor. The wealthy supported entourages of fighters, which formed the military forces of the era, emphasizing the virtues of loyalty.
Option C, stating that rulers gained power by surrounding themselves with loyal officers, best reflects the practices and societal norms of the Elizabethan period. The importance of having a loyal retinue was paramount to a ruler's success and security, aligning well with the societal structure and cultural values of Shakespeare's time.