Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
gender roles and women in elizabethan era
social expectations for women in the elizabethan era
social expectations for women in the elizabethan era
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: gender roles and women in elizabethan era
Introduction
Gender expectations limited personal choice to a great extent during the Elizabethan Era. The Elizabethan Era was the period in which Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558-1603. There was a strong view on women should be the property of men and must obey them. William Shakespeare influenced this time period massively and incorporated the different gender roles and expectations into his plays. Personal is defined as something concerning one's private life, relationships, and emotions rather than one's career or public life. Choice is defined as an act of choosing between two or more possibilities. Therefore personal choice can be seen as how someone chooses to life their personal life; whether that be the relationships formed or lifestyle. Women were greatly disadvantaged as they had little legal rights and had no choice in lifestyle. The main clashing differences between men and women during the Elizabethan Era were: legal status and marriage. These differences between men and women limited women to a great extent which in turn resulted in a lack of personal choice for women; in contrast men could choose how to live their life freely.
Legal Status
The legal status of a woman completely differed from a man as it completely limited her to have no personal choice in her career and lifestyle. There was also a difference between a married woman and a single mature woman- a single woman could administer and inherit land;make a will and contract; and sue – once married a woman lost all her rights. A woman was owned by her father and then passed on to her husband. Olivia, a single, rebellious woman in 'The Twelfth Night' lost all her rights once she married. At the start of the Duke Orisino and Sir Andrew actually feel thr...
... middle of paper ...
...e revolting against the inequality between men and women. Even Queen Elizabeth was reluctant to marry as she would have to obey her husband. Also, marrying was not always a girls dream during the Elizabethan Era. Having to marry was not all ways a girl's dream during the Elizabethan era, having to have a baby every two years and 'dishonour' of the man results in serious punishment for the woman and her father. This was shown when Hero from 'Much Ado About Nothing' was framed for having an affair with another when she was meant to marry Claudio. However she could not defend herself as that was against social customs. 'Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust' is a notation used in 'Much Ado About Nothing'-meaning that everyone is equal-however this was not the case in the Elizabethan era due to contrasting expectations of the different genders that would limit personal choice.
Medieval England was considered to be a Patriarchy, due to the serious gender roles which cast men as superior to women. Margery Kempe attempted time and time again to break the boundaries of the gender roles put in place by society. The men in her life tried to stop her, and bring her back to the social norms of what it meant to be a women living in the time period: John Kempe, her priest, Christ etc. To analyze Kempe, it is first important to note what was expected of medieval women; “the classical females are portrayed as vessels of chastity, purity, and goodness” (O’Pry-Reynolds, 37). She was not your typical female; she wanted to break free from the strict expectations of women; “Men and women of the medieval period and medieval literature
In Shakespearean time and even up to the turn of the 20th Century men were expected to be the sole provider of the family, entailing them to be either well educated or hard working. They were also expected to be good with the handling of finances and property. It was also acceptable for them to be barbaric, boisterous and socially well connected. This has given the men of this time an overwhelming sense of power, respect and freedom; rights which were not given to women at this time. Far from what was socially acceptable in regards to men, the gender identity of women was of a somewhat weaker nature. Women during Shakespearean time were regarded as docile, quiet and non-opinionated. Their socially acceptable role in many cases was to be domestic, entailing them to spend countless hours in the home, tending to basic familial needs, such as cooking and cleaning. This position prevented many women to receive an education or to socialize outside of the home. As a result of their inferior social status, they were expected to be submissive and to cater to her husband’s needs at all times. Women in Shakespearean time were also treated as property, either by their husbands or fathers, which diminished any sense of self-worth they may have possessed. This gender ideology ultimately paralyzed women, as the majority were helpless to alter their social standing or designated familial role.
What if women never established rights? The world would not be the place it is today if that was the case. Women are able to do just as much as men are and even more. What if men were treated the same way as women were one thousand years ago? They would have felt just as the women did, hurt because the treatment between men and women was unfair. The fact that men and women were not treated equally was wrong in many ways, but that was the way of life during those times. In the British culture, from the Anglo-Saxon to the Renaissance time period, the men were respected on a higher level than women, and women were to always be subservient to men, which were demonstrated throughout many works of literature.
Centuries ago in Elizabethan England there were many traditions about marriage and the treatment of women. In Shakespeare's Othello these traditions can be used to examine the play in a historical context. One strong tradition of these times was the practice of marriage between races. Interracial marriages were considered extremely taboo. (High Beam). In this era marriages were arranged by the parents with strong help from the local church. The individuals had little choice as to who they would marry. (Elizabethan England Life). Yet another example of these traditions was the respectable treatment of women. While the husband was in charge of his wife, as was the father, the husband were expected to treat the women right (Elizbethi). In spurning these traditions, Shakespeare demonstrates there may be problems with how the traditions of marriage and the treatment of women in Elizabethan England.
Gender plays an enormous role in society, it distinguishes the difference between men and women. Men and women has different role to play in society because it is what they have to do in order not to be criticized. Moreover, they have to be the head of the household and they have to provide for their family. On the other hand, women has to be the housewives and have to take care of the family. Gender roles takes place in every single era that people lived in and it always had an influence over every single individual. During the 1700-1900s, women had few rights and they never had a voice in society. They had to stay pure until marriage and men who are sexually inactive are considered less of a man. Women couldn’t divorce their husbands, or own properties. In addition, women were treated more like a property or an animal to be tamed by men. Once a baby is born, s/he has to live up to the expectation of society or
Imagine being a woman in sixteenth century Europe. Females were raised to believe that they were subservient and that men knew better on any subject. Basically, women had no rights. They were considered property, first “owned” by their fathers and then control was “transferred” to the husband chosen for them. Marriage was not about love, but in most cases, it was a business deal that was mutually beneficial to both families – an interesting fact is that like young women, most young men had no choice in the selection of their future betrothed. These traditions and the gender roles assumed by men and women at that time had an impact on Shakespeare’s writing and performances and a great example of this is evident in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Men were thought to be more powerful and smart. This limited the rights of women compared to men. Women did not have a voice. In The Solitude of Self, Elizabeth Cady Stanton first wrote, “The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul. In discussing the rights of women, we are to consider first, what belongs to her as an individual in a world of her own” (……). Elizabeth did not think women were treated as equals. She felt as if women were belittled, and men ruled over women. Elizabeth then continued to state, “Seeing then that the responsibilities of life rests equally on man and woman, that their destiny is the same, they need the same preparation for time and eternity” (…..). Elizabeth wanted everyone to see that women are equal to men, and cannot keep being discriminated. The debates on women rights soon had an impact on the world, and women slowly started to gain the same rights and freedom as men. Just like women were not being treated well, neither were
In the Elizabethan society, it was expected for women to be obedient and to be in her place.
Understanding the way women both were controllers of and controlled by social, political and cultural forces in the medieval period is a complex matter. This is due to a number of factors- the lack of documentation of medieval women, high numbers of illiteracy amongst women, especially lower class, medieval sources being viewed through a contemporary lens and the actual limitations and expectations placed upon women during the period, to name a few. The primary sources: The Treasure of The City of Ladies by Catherine of Siena and Peter of Blois’ letter to Eleanor of Aquitaine concerning her rebellion, highlight the restrictions women were expected to adhere to, and the subsequent reprimanding that occurred when they didn’t. Women were not passive victims to the blatant patriarchal standards that existed within medieval society, even though ultimately they would be vilified for rebelling.
Shakespeare was clearly ahead of his time with his view of women. He likely drew inspiration for his female characters from Elizabeth I, the English monarch at the time. Like Beatrice, Elizabeth I was a strong and very independent woman, she was the sole ruler of England during her reign as she never married. Elizabeth I was a strong ruler, defying the traditional gender roles for women, which Shakespeare would have drawn from for his characters.
William Shakespeare said: “Women may fall when there's no strength in men” (Romeo and Juliet). Throughout history gender role have been a big, whether someone is a feminist or someone believes there is no equality between males and females; everyone has different opinions when it comes to the matter of gender roles. The same thing can be said about William Shakespeare who was a feminist (Shakespeare of Stratford). This ideology can be seen in his play Much Ado about Nothing. In this comedy Shakespeare focuses on two pairs of lovers named Claudio and Hero who are set to be married in a week but before their marriage day, they plan to conspire with Don Pedro, the prince of Aragon to trick their friends Beatrice and Benedick to admit their love for each other. Don John, the brother of Don Pedro, meanwhile plots to prevent marriage of Claudio and Hero by accusing Hero of being unfaithful. Don John initially succeeds in his plan as Hero is accused and ashamed at the marriage ceremony, but at the end Claudio and Hero are united and marry each other. Also, Beatrice and Benedick finally declare their love for each and dance at the end of the play. Shakespeare uses a lot of sources for this comedy and one of them is “Orlando Furioso” written in 1591, which gave Shakespeare the idea of Hero and Claudio’s marriage and Don John’s plot to prevent it. Another source Shakespeare used to write the play is the courtier written in 1588, which gave him the idea of the romance between Beatrice and Benedick. And also “La Prima de la Novelle” written in 1554 by Matteo Bandello gave Shakespeare the idea of putting the setting in Messina, Italy (Shakespeare in quarto). Because Shakespeare was a feminist, some of the women appear as supporting and central...
Women in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan period lived in chains bound by the society with the leash handed first to their father and after marriage to their husbands. The higher the position in society tighter the restrictions. Women were escorted everywhere they went like Desdemona. “Good women followed the instructions of their husband and father’s.” Men did not have to explain themselves and their actions to their possessions.One of the examples of women 's role is given by Shakespeare In act 3 of Othello,when Iago’s wife Emilia says, “I know nothing but to please his fantasy”(3.3.299).
Global feminine icon Ani DiFranco once stated, “Feminism is self-determination, and it's very open-ended: every woman has the right to become herself, and do whatever she needs to do.” Commonly throughout history and in society women are viewed as inferior to their male companions, and individuals frequently say that the world functions as a male- dominated society. Over the years the idea of feminism, or the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of society, has sparked interest in the female population, and women are often found standing up for what they believe in and not falling custom to adhering to the male population. DiFranco’s quote depicts the morals of feminism, as it supports how women have evolved into an ever powerful force that has become custom to influencing society. Author William Shakespeare agreed with DiFranco’s ideals, even when residing during the Elizabethan era where society was male dominated. In his novel, Othello, he uses the courage of the women in his literature to depict how women should be treated, and to contrast from how little respect they once obtained. The society in Shakespeare’s Othello is strongly dominated by men who are the political and military leaders of their homeland during the Elizabethan era. These men are expected to stay loyal to their reputations and to uphold the strong sense of character that earned them their positions in the first place. In contrast, during the Elizabethan period of time women were viewed as weak second-class citizens and inferior to males, with their only job being to serve their men. Shakespeare’s views of these expectations are contrary to the standard view of women’s roles during his play, for he demonstrates his malaise over the way gender relationsh...
In Shakespeare’s time, women had very limited rights. They were expected to be submissive to any man no matter the relationship. Women were supposed to do domestic services while the higher-class women were taken to nunneries to like. They were not allowed in any decision-making. If a husband said no, that was the end of the conversation. Women were required to respect their husband’s word and consider it law.
In conclusion, throughout the play, Emilia remained obedient and maintained her role as a wife, yet her duty as a woman became more important when her husband deceived and destroyed innocent lives. As Emilia's outspoken behavior and passionate voice grew stronger throughout the play, so should the women of Shakespeare's time. During the time of Shakespeare's tunnel-vision Renaissance England, women progressed very slowly towards a more equal position in society. Men were frightened of strong women and thus, just as Iago killed Emilia, attempted to keep them silent and in a subordinate position meant to discourage advancement. With Shakespeare as an advocate for women's voices, Emilia is able to be looked at with pride and honor rather than ridicule and disgust.