A Man's World

932 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: THe role of Women in RIchard II by shakespeare

Traditionally, men are recognized for their achievements and women recognized for their man’s achievements. Society has always given different roles to the two genders but with men receiving the position of authority almost every time. In King Richard III, Shakespeare publicizes this idea of male supremacy through his misogynistic and demeaning portrayal of women. Firstly, he introduces female characters in terms of their relation to important male figures and being noble solely because of these affiliations. Furthermore, he undermines women as mere objects for men to exploit for personal gains. Finally, he portrays women as being heavily dependent on their husbands and losing all their influence and nobility when their husbands pass away. By portraying women solely as extensions to noble male figures, Shakespeare effectively disempowers women in King Richard III and strengthens the social stigmas of women during the Elizabethan Era. When Shakespeare introduces a female character in King Richard III, he often mentions their affiliations with an important male character. This takes away from what they represent as a character, undermining them as symbols of these men. For instance, when he introduces Lady Anne, she says in her soliloquy she’s “wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughtered son” (1.2.10). Likewise, he introduces Queen Elizabeth as worrying over her husband’s sickness and Queen Margaret saying “Thou kill’dst my husband, Henry, in the Tower” (1.3.117). Here, as Madonne Miner explains, “…women must depend on men for identity”, meaning women are not ends but means of representing these men (Miner 51). In fact, when Richard decides to marry Lady Anne, he says he will “…marry Warwick’s youngest daughter” rather than sa... ... middle of paper ... ...ale relations. He portrays women, not as scheming and plotting, rather as being in the schemes and plots of others. Finally, he does not challenge the norms and beliefs of the Elizabethan Era, portraying women as reliant on their husbands. Women have been disempowered for most of history and this topic is prevalent in many works of Shakespeare. As he is famous for writing about themes that transcend time, one can only wonder whether the debate about the roles of men and women will ever be settled. Works Cited Miner, Madonne M. “‘Neither Mother, Wife, nor England’s Queen’: The Roles of Women in Richard III.” William Shakespeare’s Richard III (Modern Critical Interpretations). Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. 45-60. Shakespeare, William. King Richard III. Eds. Pat Baldwin and Tom Baldwin. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005.

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth Sexism Essay

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    Women have always been the backbone of human civilization, whether it be in ancient times or even in the modern era. However, they are oppressed and not given the same fundamental, human rights as men, like access to education, leaving this discrimination and sexism to span over prolonged periods of time. Specifically, sexism is seen during the Elizabethan Era of history when William Shakespeare writes his prominent dramatic piece, Macbeth. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, the prevalent theme of sexism is depicted in the play when Lady Macbeth, a character of strength and ambition, is shown as manipulative and inevitably weak when Shakespeare portrays her eventual downfall and suicide. Throughout the world today, the many different forms of sexism

    Read More

  • Taming Of The Shrew Research Paper

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    In most societies, women are seen as subordinates to men. During the Elizabethan period of England, men were superior to women, because women were looked upon as less valuable during this period of time. Occasionally, women gained recognition from men. However, men took responsibilities, and were seen as more important. In the Shakespearean comedy, Taming of the Shrew, author William Shakespeare displays disrespect towards women by including sexist remarks. He also portrays women as being obedient to men, who are more significant in that time. Shakespeare portrays women being obedient to their husbands and the men being more appreciated and significant in his play Taming of the Shrew.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Defiance of Gender Roles in Macbeth

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gender roles are one of the most controversial topics in the history of humanity. Some people approve of them, while others disagree with them. Gender roles are defined as “the behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms”. There are times throughout history where gender roles were very unfair. However, some individuals still defied them in both open and discreet ways. One of these individuals was the famous literary figure, William Shakespeare. Although Shakespeare may have defied gender roles in some of his other literary works, the scope of this essay will be limited to his stellar play, Macbeth. In Macbeth, Shakespeare mostly uses three characters to defy gender roles: The Three

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Battle of the Sexes

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • hamlet

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, through the lens of Gender theory and examination, this play not only portrays women in a degrading manner, but definitely makes the male characters overshadow the female characters. As shown through two female characters whose parts are both subordinate and very compliant. Both women act like they are suppose to and do not even the slightest but challenge the male characters. Both women by the end of the play have completely lost their identities and have conformed to what society made them into, nothing but a puppet controlled by men. Hamlet is a play that has a clear distinction between male and female roles. The male roles are powerful, dominating, and controlling while the female characters are obedient, fractured and frail. "

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine a world where women were completely subservient to men. Imagine what it would be like to live in a society where women were home-schooled, and not allowed to attend any type of university. What would today’s society be like if women lawyers, doctors, actors, and military soldiers were nonexistent? It would be a modern day version of the Elizabethan era in England. This was a time period where women had little rights, but the dramatic arts flourished due to Queen Elizabeth’s appreciation for them. It was during this time period that literary genius William Shakespeare wrote his many plays including The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Living in this time period caused him to look at women in a somewhat submissive way and portray them as so.

    Read More

  • Power Of Women In Othello

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Elizabethan era women had a status of subordination towards men. They had a role to marry and oblige to their husband’s wishes. Shakespearean literature, especially illustrates how a woman is psychologically and physically lesser to their male counterpart. The play, Othello, uses that aspect in many different ways. From a Feminist lens others are able to vividly examine how women were subjected to blatant inferiority. Being displayed as tools for men to abuse, women were characterized as possessions and submissive; only during the last portion of the play did the power of women take heed.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Machiavelli's The Prince

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    While neither Machiavelli’s The Prince nor Shakespeare’s Henry V focus explicitly on gender roles, they both make assumptions and implications sufficient to illustrate their opinions about the nature and place of women in relation to men. In Machiavelli’s The Prince, men and women are depicted in traditional gender roles with women as tricky and unreliable, but ultimately yielding to men who are portrayed as tough and immovable. Shakespeare’s Henry V acknowledges these ideas, but also portrays women as able to influence events within the small domain they are given.

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream - The Feminist Subtext

    1900 Words  | 4 Pages

    The general public may also have preferred strength in female characters as a reflection of pride for their beloved monarch who was one of the few highly competent English rulers in spite of her gender and the sexism of the time in which she lived. Regardless of his reasoning for scripting women the way he did, Shakespeare was most certainly an advocate for feminism when he wrote A Midsummer Night's Dream. From the feminist perspective, liberal thinking and open-mindedness like William Shakespeare are welcome to invade our modern literature and lives for the next four hundred years. Works Cited Greene, Lenz, Neely, eds., pp. 113-117

    Read More

  • Feminism In Othello Essay

    1641 Words  | 4 Pages

    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 relationships were so often represented, as his female characters demonstrate their capacities to rise to power and how women can be courageous in a male dominated society.... ... middle of paper ... ... Shakespeare uses both Desdemona and Emilia as symbols of defiance against the Elizabethan era, as he develops their characters to function with adjusted roles in culture.

    Read More

  • Gender In Macbeth Essay

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    The concept and perception of gender has changed radically from Shakespeare’s time to now, yet the perceptions of women and the limitations placed on them remain shockingly similar. William Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, Macbeth, addresses gender concerns and the role of women in power positions. The play was written for King James VI of Scotland and I of England as he took the throne during a transitional period in the country’s history. The succession of King James marked the long-desired transition from a matriarchy to a patriarchy. Considering the historical context and Shakespeare’s affinity for King James, some Shakespearean critics hold Lady Macbeth responsible for the political, moral, and personal destruction in the play, as well

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Richard II

    2164 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the historical literary periods, many writers underrepresented and undervalued the role of women in society, even more, they did not choose to yield the benefits of the numerous uses of the female character concerning the roles which women could accomplish as plot devices and literary tools. William Shakespeare was one playwright who found several uses for female characters in his works. Despite the fact that in Shakespeare's history play, Richard II, he did not use women in order to implement the facts regarding the historical events. Instead, he focused the use of women roles by making it clear that female characters significantly enriched the literary and theatrical facets of his work. Furthermore in Shakespeare’s history play, King Richard II, many critics have debated the role that women play, especially the queen. One of the arguments is that Shakespeare uses the queen’s role as every women’s role to show domestic life and emotion. Jo McMurtry explains the role of all women in his book, Understanding Shakespeare’s England A Companion for the American Reader, he states, “Women were seen, legally and socially, as wives. Marriage was a permanent state” (5). McMurtry argues that every woman’s role in the Elizabethan society is understood to be a legal permanent state that is socially correct as wives and mothers. Other critics believe that the role of the queen was to soften King Richard II’s personality for the nobles and commoners opinion of him. Shakespeare gives the queen only a few speaking scenes with limited lines in Acts two, four, and five through-out the play. Also, she is mentioned only a few times by several other of the characters of the play and is in multiple scenes wit...

    Read More

  • Gender Inequality In Hamlet

    2145 Words  | 5 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s famed tragic, Hamlet, is a story centered around sin, suffering, and death. This popular piece is a highly controversial work of interest for critics concerned in regards to gender rights. Hamlet is a play, written from a male-centered viewpoint, and that which primarily stresses the male characters and their experiences as a replacement instead of assimilating the views and impacts of the women as well. Gender inequality is a dominant theme in Hamlet, in which women are considered and labeled as feeble and submissive because control and manipulation use them, by male dominance.

    Read More

  • Sexist Towards Women In Othello

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare has written some of the most outstanding pieces of literature throughout history that have lasted through out the ages. But, critics often criticize Shakespeare as being sexist towards women in his work. He often portrays them as weak minded, evil, or as sexual objects. Ophelia, Queen Gertrude, Lady Macbeth, and Juliet Capulet are just a few female heroines that are accused of being feeble or heinous. Shakespeare's Othello represents Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca as weak characters that do not become triumphant by the end of the play.

    Read More

  • The Portaryal of Gender in Othello by William Shakespeare

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    The portrayal of gender roles in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, demonstrates the inferior treatment of women and the certain stereotypes of men placed on them by society. Both the male and female characters in the play have these certain gender expectations placed on them. In a society dominated by men, it is understood that the women are to be seen rather than heard. The women are referred to and treated much like property. If indeed they do speak up, they are quickly silenced. One woman’s attempt to be the perfect wife is what ultimately led to her demise. The expectations of men are equally stereotypical. Men are to be leaders and to be in control and dominant especially over the women. The male characters compete for position and use the female characters in the play as leverage to manipulate each other. Shakespeare provides insight in understanding the outcomes of the men and women who are faced with the pressures of trying to live up to society’s expectations, not only in the workplace, but also in the home. The pressure creates jealousy issues amongst the men and they become blind to the voice of reason and are overtaken by jealous rage, leads to the death of many of the characters.

    Read More

More about A Man's World

Open Document