Gender in Shakespeares Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and...

Becca Griffing 02/08/2012 Shakespeare in Love Analyze the representation of gender in two or more plays and/or films When reading literature from the Renaissance period, it is clear to see male and female characters were thought upon as two completely different types of people. By following what the bible told them about the opposite sexes, writers in this time were able to set specific gender norms for both men and women. However, when reading the works of William Shakespeare, one can sense a riff in the norms of either sex. With characters such as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, we can see a character that possess qualities that do not necessarily belong to their gender. However, with a character like Desdemona in Othello, we can see†¦show more content†¦Nobody--I myself. Farewell-- Commend me to my kind lord--O’ farewell! (V,ii, 122-125) Even though it is obvious that Othello was her true killer, Desdemona blames her death only on herself. Being the obedient wife that she was, Desdemona would never dare pin her death onto her husband. However, to have her die by her husbands’ hand was Shakespeares way of solidifying her dedication to him. Like any good woman in Renaissance literature, Desdemona was loyal to her husband in life, and with death, still remains loyal to his will. It is unfortunate to see a character who is as bright as Desdemona fall a victim to the classic standard of woman during this period of literature. However, not all of Shakespeare’s women give into the standards that society has laid out for them; at least not without a fight. In Twelfth Night, we see a woman who is pretending to be a man. The concept of dressing in drag is not unusual in Shakespearian comedies. By doing so, the main female character is allowed to perform heroic acts that were usually reserved for men. While she d oes eventually switch back into women’s wear and becomes a loyal wife, she is first allowed to prove herself to be brave and cunning, and is able to do so without having to face the stereotypical consequences. In this play, Viola’s cross dressing experience is important to both the central complication and resolution to the plot. In Act 1, scene 5, Viola, who isShow MoreRelatedThe Elizabethan Er A Standard Of Power, Authority, And Head Of The Family Essay2018 Words   |  9 Pagesbe her husband but if she was single then her father or brother. Gender conventions in Elizabethan Era is key to understand my argument about how women in Shakespeare’s plays break their gender conventions. I will be using parts from Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Twelfth Night, to show how women in this time period broke gender conventions. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, we see that it defies most traditional gender roles in the play by allowing his characters to surpass the stereotypicalRead MoreShakespeare s Twelfth Night ( C. 1600-01 )2907 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION Twelfth Night (c. 1600-01) is a complicated play which deals with the nature of love, gender role and the intricate comic and tragic experiences of love. The characters have multiple layers of gender roles and sexual attractions which makes the issue of gender identity more complex. For example, Viola, the heroine of the play is dressed as a male, Cesario, throughout most of the play. As a male, Viola woos Olivia for Orsino, resulting in Olivia falling in love with Viola-as-Cesario.Read MoreThe Elizabethan Er An Important Form Of Entertainment And Occupation For The Elizabethans2132 Words   |  9 Pagesplays are rich and are suggested works for pursuing women’s studies and gender ideologies. His plays depicted the social status and responsibilities of women in the society. He seemed to support the English renaissance stereotypes of men and women .He also raised questions about the conventional image of men and women, the characteristics that their gender demands, the definit ion of feminine and masculine, about how both the gender possess both masculine and feminine behaviour, the patriarchy and the