Shakespeare Gender Stereotypes - 1049 Words

Impact of Gender Stereotypes to Shakespeare’s Plays Imagine living in Shakespeare’s time, when expectations were held at a higher standard for both men and women. A time when what gender you were dictated what you could and could not do. Male supremacy ruled the world, and therefore women were subjected, â€Å"‘To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.’† (Othello 2.1.132) This means that the woman’s only responsibilities in life was to nurse her children and take care of her home. These kinds of gender stereotypes greatly impacted Shakespeare’s plays because it was a shared belief among the majority of the Elizabethan people. Elizabethan women were seen as inferior to the Elizabethan men. They were raised at a young age to be submissive to the†¦show more content†¦In the beginning of Othello, Othello wants to marry Desdemona, but like many of the men during this time, he sees her only as a possession that can better his reputation. By owning Desdemona, Othello would have it all; a beautiful, submissive wife, an honorable job as a general, and not to mention, he was a man of color, which is an accomplishment within itself. Another example of masculinity is in Hamlet. Hamlet is found grieving over his dead father by King Claudius and is scorned for acting like a woman. King Claudius, disgusted by Hamlet says, â€Å"Tis unmanly grief.’† (1.2.91) A shift in masculine traits can also be found in Romeo and Juliet, when Juliet begins to show strength and intelligence, both of which are traits that are associated with men. She goes against her parents’ wishes and continues to see Ro meo in secret, which consequently leads to Juliets demise. Sampson, a character in Romeo and Juliet, seems to have a particular mindset about masculinity. He believes that because he bigger and stronger he can do whatever he wants. An example of this is when Sampson and his friend plot to rape and then murder the young maids. He justifies his plot by telling Gregory that the maids are weak and already being taken advantage of why shouldn’t they be able to take advantage of them too? In many of Shakespeare’s tragic plays the male characters are continually trying to preserve their imageShow MoreRelatedIn many of his plays, Shakespeare demonstrates ideas of gender and racial stereotypes. Othello, a1100 Words   |  5 PagesIn many of his plays, Shakespeare demonstrates ideas of gender and racial stereotypes. Othello, a play in which characters are judged based on sex and appearance, is an example of these stereotypes. Othello’s non-white ethnic background provide s a platform for racial conflict. The characters of Desdemona and Emilia allow for sexism and gender conflict. These themes of Othello are closely related because of the similar prejudice and stereotypes. The sexism and racism in Othello allow for racist tonesRead MoreGender Stereotypes : Macbeth And The Wife Of Bath1515 Words   |  7 PagesThere is no doubt that gender stereotypes still exist, although many women throughout the history had put their effort to lessen it. As the matter of fact, women often faced many obstacles due to the well-known gender stereotypes. This triggered the literature authors to write a literature in a feminist view, which ultimately had led feminism to predominantly act as a common literary device throughout the medieval ages and the Renaissance. While many authors portrayed women as a weak stereotypicalRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Twelfth Night1155 Words   |  5 Pagesmade for them based on gender and social status. William Shakespeare reinforce s these ideas in his play Twelfth Night, which introduces many meaningful messages about situations that still occur in society today. He clearly develops important themes worthy of analysis. A few of these strong themes are about stereotypes and society’s expectations and rules, which he proves to be irrelevant most of the time. Many situations in the play falsify commonly held stereotypes about gender and social status byRead MoreHow William Shakespeare And Carol Ann Duffys Subverting The Gender Roles Of Gender And Feminism1430 Words   |  6 PagesOctober 2017 How do William Shakespeare and Carol Ann Duffy subvert traditional roles of gender and sexuality in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and â€Å"Sonnet 20†? Both Carol Ann Duffy in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and William Shakespeare in â€Å"Sonnet 20† subvert male gender roles by presenting the male protagonists with physical female traits. Both poets differ in their presentation of traditional gender roles and sexuality. In â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias†, Carol Ann Duffy subverts the gender role of men as strong masculineRead MoreOthello - Female Stereotypes Essay1108 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare extensively explores female stereotypes that occur during the playwright’s time. Throughout the Shakespearian era, women were seen as the inferior sex, over whom men had complete control and thus forcing women to act submissively and obediently in front of their husbands. Men believed that women were objects who just cooked meals, cleaned the house, and bore children while society just accepted these degrading roles. William Shakespeare extensively reinforces female stereotypes byRead MoreAs You Like It by William Shakespeare783 Words   |  3 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It, the protagonist, Rosalind, disguises herself as a boy for the majority of the play. Rosalind is used by Shakespeare to help divulge a portion of Shakespeare’s personal life and als o show flaws in the unique stereotypes that are expected for boys and girls. Shakespeare’s main use for Rosalind was to illustrate the unique features and characteristics that boys and girls are expected to have and how easily they can be overlooked. Even though boys and girlsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare And Carol Ann Duffys Subvert Traditional Roles Of Gender And Sexuality1740 Words   |  7 Pagesbibliography - 1,733 words. W/out the above - 1,361 words. Candidate number: 12610 How do William Shakespeare and Carol Ann Duffy subvert traditional roles of gender and sexuality in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and â€Å"Sonnet 20†? Both Carol Ann Duffy in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and William Shakespeare in â€Å"Sonnet 20† subvert male gender roles by presenting the male protagonists with physical female traits. Both Shakespeare and Duffy manipulate the reader’s expectations, using familiar poetic forms and imagery – theRead MoreEssay on Gender Stereotypes in the Merchant of Venice884 Words   |  4 PagesThemes in the Merchant of Venice Gender stereotypes are not a modern notion and as such expectations and limitations have always existed for both men and women. Fortunately women, who have formerly beared great burdens of discrimination, now have very liberated roles in society as a result of slowly shifting attitudes and values. Shakespeare was integral in challenging the subservient role expected of women in the 16th century. Throughout the play, ‘The Merchant of Venice’, women are expressed asRead MoreGender Roles In Macbeth894 Words   |  4 PagesManhood, Masculinity, and Gender Roles in Macbeth Gender stereotypes are oversimplified generalizations about the roles of each gender. In the play Macbeth, the author, William Shakespeare shows these stereotypes through the characters and their conflicts and challenges. Throughout the play, we develop an understanding about how the characters’ perspectives on what manhood and masculinity means, plays a huge part in the decisions they make. The general stereotype for men in this time periodRead MorePower Struggle In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1373 Words   |  6 PagesRenowned playwright William Shakespeare, and contemporary novelist Margaret Atwood both explore power struggle from a feminist perspective. Shakespeare in ‘King Lear’ and Atwood in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ explore varying power struggles and their correlation to gender through their respective texts. Shakespeare and Atwood use the genders of their central characters to focus on power in historical and dystopian settings. Both authors explore religious frameworks, the types of power in a patriarchal