Feminism in Shakespeare’s Plays: A Reflection of Renaissance Society

Abstract

The current study is on feminist-based comparison of women characters portrayed in Shakespearean plays [1]. Women characters represented by Shakespeare are of two kinds: one, who refuses to submit themselves to men and claim for equal rights. The second type is of submissive one, who carries out the roles of Elizabethan women who also felt that obeying the patriarchal rules does not assure cheerfulness for women. Most of the female characters though humble or not, underwent the influence of male authority as well as subjugation. This study is based on the comprehensive analysis of feminist theories and deconstructive approach of the selected plays of Shakespearean tragedies wherein the characters are often portrayed as physical and the psychological victimization. The Elizabethan period females were represented to be weaker than males and were said as "women are to be seen, and not heard." Shakespeare recognized that community boundaries towards the treatment of women were not considered fair and so the tool of cross-dressing was utilized to prove that women are as proficient as men and to hide the gender discrepancy. This also analyzes that the women as bold, independent and not submissive to men of that period. Shakespeare who lived way ahead of his time has identified the elements of feminism even before the concept of feminism emerged. Feminism is an idea that has been developed only after Shakespeare. Though the word feminism did not exist during the age of Shakespeare doesn’t mean that there were no brave women during that era, or that Shakespeare didn’t have an idea of women who were worth more than what the public allowed. Gender roles played a most important subject similar to modern day feminism that supports the study. The gender roles were implemented in the plays to reveal the spectators that a woman is competent of winning a man’s role. Some of Shakespeare’s competent female characters, who spend most of the drama as men were also discussed in this study, they include in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Portia plays the role of an advocate, Viola in ‘Twelfth Night’, in ‘As You like It’ Rosalind take up the male lead role and Julia in ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’.