Women in William Shakespeare’s Plays Essay - 2376 Words

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today. The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture. Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil. When one considers Shakespeare’s female characters, one has to remember that the plays were written in a time when women were considered weak-minded creatures who were apt to make bad choices if given the freedom. Shakespeare, for the most†¦show more content†¦Orsino, as the frustrated suitor laments â€Å"that women are very inconstant in their love, and could have a feeling as deep as the love that he has for Olivia† (Bates 10). Shakespeare also plays with the role of strong women as undesirable, even evil. As we see throughout many of his plays â€Å"it is common in Shakespeare’s plays†¦ for the good characters to easily fall victim to their evil counterparts† (Peterson 12). This is particularly true of Cordelia and King Lear in the play, King Lear, as both become victims of Regan’s and Goneril’s plotting (Shakespeare V.iii.276-280). â€Å"Women as the most evil of characters is not a new experiment for Shakespeare† (Peterson 8). In Elizabethan life â€Å"a dominant woman was unnatural, a symptom of disorder† (Order in the sexes 1). Particularly in King Lear, we see the unnaturalness of dominant women and how they are evil. Regan and Goneril, who begin the play with false declarations of love for their father, soon become dominant women who show little regard for the values of their society (Shakespeare I.ii.54-61, 69-76). Regan, in particular, becomes a target. â€Å"[Lear] notes that humanity is in danger because of people like her† (Peterson 22). Even Albany, Regan’s husband, is appalled at what his wife has become through her thirst for power. â€Å"The woman form she takes, Albany proclaims, disguises the fiend which exists beneath and if it were not for this cover, he would wish to destroy her†Show MoreRelated Portrayal of Women in William Shakespeares Plays Essay3560 Words   |  15 PagesWilliam Shakespeares characterization of women varies immensely from one comedy to another. In his works, Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing, he portrays both dominant and submissive women. Ultimately, Shakespeare examines the complexity of women by displaying the vast array of attitudes, emotions, and their treatment and reaction to men as well as refuting the typical subservient wife role. In Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew, the difficultiesRead More The Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Essay2041 Words   |  9 PagesThe Role of Women in Hamlet in William Shakespeares Play Gertrude and Ophelia, the only two women in Hamlet, reflect the general status of women in Elizabethan Times. Women were suppressed by the males in their lives (brothers, fathers, and partners) and were always inferior. Ophelia and Gertrude have little or no power due to restricted legal, social and economic rights that were found in Elizabethan society. The male characters in Hamlet reflect this sexist view pointRead MoreEssay about The Life of William Shakespeare1274 Words   |  6 Pages William Shakespeare was a very talented man known for his various works of literature. His works include poems, plays, and sonnets. His works are then broken down into tragedies, comedies, and histories. Shakespeare left this world centuries ago, but his writings continue to live throughout the world today. He has greatly impacted the world of literature and his existence will forever be remembered. In 1564, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Hazell 32). It seems thatRead MoreRole of Women in Shakespeares Plays - a Case Study of Macbeth and the Merchant of Venice1499 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction William Shakespeare (baptized 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet William Shakespeare and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the â€Å"Bard of Avon† (or simply â€Å"The Bard†).His surviving work consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performedRead MoreEssay on The Globe Theatre and The Elizabethan Audience 1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre in London , where William Shakespeares most famous plays premiered; Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night, was built in 1599 in Southwark on the south bank of London’s River Thames by Richard Burbage. It was co-owned by Shakespeare, with a share of 12.5%. The Globe was a large, open-aired, three-tiered theater made out of timber taken from the Theatre-– a former theatre owned by Richard Burbage’s father. The Globe Theatre burned to the groundRead MoreThe Impervious Perception of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night1631 Words   |  7 PagesIllyria (fantasy world), Twelfth Night was supposedly originally written for the entertainment of Queen Elizabeth I. William Shakespeare’s comedy associates with the Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) and was means for entertainment in the seventeenth century. It contains some aspects that can be thought of as a successful comedy when compared to the standards of today’s society. The play incorporates some of the very same devices that are used in modern comedies today, such as topsy-turvy romance, fooleryRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew889 Words   |  4 PagesIn many accounts, William Shakespeare’s Taming Of The Shrew, is often criticized for its seemingly misogynistic themes; such as the thought of â€Å"taming† a woman, thus making her completely submissive to her husband. While in the opening of the play, Katharine, ill-tempered but seemingly impenetrable, gets pulverized by Petruchio’s contradicting her words, and also saying disgusting jokes in an intense verbal arguement. In another example, one of the other main characters, Bianca, was bet on by severalRead MoreWomen s Tragedy : Hamlet And King Lear1185 Words   |  5 PagesDr. Pitchford ENGL 4037 24 November 2015 Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies: Hamlet and King Lear While William Shakespeare’s Tragedies are well known for their violence, tragic heroes, and fatal flaws, the method in which Shakespeare portrays his female characters in a negative light is seldom expressed. The women of Shakespeare’s Tragedies are represented unfavorably, no matter if they are virtuous or evil. â€Å"Shakespeare’s plays are not lacking in women with positive human qualities, and some ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare And Domestic Violence .During High1006 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare and Domestic Violence During high school, students will tend to read multiple plays written by William Shakespeare in school. In fact, part of the English Language Arts (ELA) Standards set by Common Core included William Shakespeare’s plays. For ninth and tenth grade students, standard CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9 expected them to be able to examine how an author draws on and transforms source materials in a specific work (Common Core State Standards, 2017). The examplesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individuals