...Gender inequality is present in any given society, whether it is in a 16h century society or the 21st, human interactions are guided by gender. As seen in the 16th century play, Othello, women have lower social status than men causing them to be treated with less respect. Today, even though the world has made progress, women face similar problems to women 400 years ago, as women still suffer the wrath of being inferior to men. William Shakespeare play, Othello reveals that in in Venetian society men are superior to women guiding the interactions of characters. However, Shakespeare argues men are no different than women as he questions the legitimacy of gender inequality that guides interaction between people can be extended and applied...
Words: 1238 - Pages: 5
...Shakespearean Women (Analysis on the treatment of women by Shakespeare) The role of women in society has changed drastically over time. The expectations and responsibilities varied depending upon the culture and area you lived. An analysis of the majority of women's roles globally around the time of Shakespeare was that similar to a slave. A woman belonged to her husband, and most times she was actually bought from her father by her newly betrothed. A woman's job was to do as her husband bid her and fill the house with children. Women had different duties depending on which class they were in, but overall women had little to no rights no matter what class they were in. Educating women on matters outside the home was a frightening idea, and...
Words: 1456 - Pages: 6
...Engaging in this journal assignment enabled the steadfast dedication of creative efforts to be geared toward creating three play summaries based on contemporary stereotypes that exist. I. Introduction: Stereotypes and comedy A. Historical comedy B. Stereotypes as a tradition C. Stereotypes and the Shakespearean Experience II. Body: Three Play Summaries A. “Marriage, Rings, and Things” B. “Run the World” C. “Dear Curl-ella” III. Conclusion: Stereotypes, roles, and Society A. Humor and the Audience B. Effects of Stereotypes C. Stereotypes Thrive Adrianne Council Dr. Harkins-Pierre Introduction to Humanities 115 October 24, 2011 Journal # Contemporary Stereotypes Contemporary Stereotypes: Three Play Summaries There is a trivial tradition in comedy which dates back to both Shakespearean plays and literature. This tradition involves the usage of a coined blend of comedy and stereotyped characters. These characters are often for comical entertainment and laughter. Shakespeare always uses fools or stereotypical characters that are thought to have a diminished sense of intellect by the other characters. More interesting, however, these stereotyped characters are often actually...
Words: 1600 - Pages: 7
...Redeeming Comedy William Shakespeare is one of the first people we think of when theater comes to mind. He made a name for himself in the world by becoming a playwright and writing comedies as well as tragedies for people’s entertainment that are still used today. However, Shakespeare is not one of the names that immediately come to mind when we consider the world of theology and religion. Yet the basic themes of Christianity play a foundational role in many of the classic scenes found in Shakespeare’s most famous works. We can examine this through the Shakespearian element of redemption, a view of taking kindness on humanity that academics believe was his own. Shakespeare’s plays still have relevance today because of his redemptive view of the world and of human experiences, particularly in the comedies The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, and All’s Well That Ends Well. Much has been made of Shakespeare’s religious and theological grounding. The issues have been centered primarily on whether Shakespeare was Protestant or Catholic. Many prominent Roman Catholic scholars, including the Rev. David Beauregard, have gone to great lengths to assert that Shakespeare was in fact Roman Catholic. Beauregard says a now-lost eighteenth-century document suggested that Shakespeare’s father, John, was a devout Catholics and his mother, Mary, was a member of the staunchly Catholic Arden family of Park Hall. Beauregard points to very Catholic theological concepts found in Shakespeare’s...
Words: 2390 - Pages: 10
...The notion that the works of Shakespeare are still relevant to modern audiences is put to the test in Andy Fickman’s 2006 film, She’s the Man. Amanda Bynes plays the lead role of Viola in this present-day adaptation of the seventeenth-century Shakespearean play Twelfth Night. Similar to most adaptations of previous works, the film retains certain elements from the original narrative while introducing elements to present the story in a new way. Most of the characters from Twelfth Night are represented in She’s the Man. Additionally, the focus on humor and commentary on gender stereotypes remain constant between the two works. Despite retaining these core aspects, She’s the Man takes questionable measures in an attempt to appeal to younger audiences and loses a lot of its meaning along the way. While it is a good idea in theory, the fumbled execution of She’s the Man causes it to horribly miss the mark as an adaption to Twelfth Night....
Words: 1221 - Pages: 5
...genealogists, Lady Macbeth and Duncan's wife were sisters or cousins, where Lady Macbeth had a stronger claim to the throne then Duncan's wife. It was this that incited her jealousy and hatred of Duncan. The character's origins lie of the accounts of Kings Duff and Duncan in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), a history of Britain familiar to Shakespeare. Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth appears to be a composite of two separate and distinct personages in Holinshed's work: Donwald's nagging, murderous wife in the account of King Duff, and Macbeth's ambitious wife Gruoch of Scotland in the account of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth is a powerful presence in the play, most notably in the first two acts. Following the murder of King Duncan, however, her role in the plot diminishes. She becomes an uninvolved spectator to Macbeth's plotting, and a nervous hostess at a banquet dominated by her husband's hallucinations. Her fifth act sleepwalking scene is a turning point in the play, and her line, "Out, damned spot!," has become a phrase familiar to many speakers of the English language. The report of her death late in the fifth act provides the inspiration for Macbeth's "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech. Analysts see in the character of Lady Macbeth the conflict between femininity and masculinity, as they are impressed in cultural norms. Lady Macbeth suppresses her instincts toward compassion, motherhood, and fragility — associated with femininity — in favour of ambition, ruthlessness...
Words: 2317 - Pages: 10
...Lady Macbeth found via Google - not my own work In typical Shakespearean tragedies, female main characters aren't always treated brilliantly. In Hamlet, Ophelia goes down the "I shall obey, my lord" route. In Othello, Desdemona goes down the "To you I am bound" route. Yet in Macbeth, this isn't quite the case. The most important female figure is Lady Macbeth, a cunning and manipulative woman who is associated with the supernatural. Instantly it can be argued that Lady Macbeth fits in with the later idea of certain Gothic women being 'sinister predators', or 'femme fatales'. | Dame Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth has been the subject of much debate for hundreds of years. Her role in the play is incredibly important and she is the subject of various interpretations. Her first appearance in the play is in act one, scene five. She opens by reading Macbeth's letter; instantly this seems to present her as a typical Shakespearean woman (when I say typical, I mean typical in terms of main female characters in tragedies being passive), since her first words are that of her husband's, as though she is bound to him. Then she stops reading the letter, and we start to realise that she isn't at all typical. She instantly states that Macbeth will be "what thou art promised", which shows a determination and strength of will that we may not have been expecting. She goes on to criticise her husband's nature, since he is "too full o'th'milk of human kindness". A wife...
Words: 2312 - Pages: 10
...the men and women of great power in Macbeth, we get a glimpse into how easily susceptible they are to the corruptibility of power. They suffer the same feelings as us, especially the unrelenting ambition of men, and now women have become victims to in contemporary society. It is against this backdrop, that I will produce a modern rendition of Macbeth that will challenge the audience to contemplate the ever-growing feminist society of the present day. To accomplish this, I will be shifting the focus of my directorial debut away from the many linear adaptations of Macbeth littered throughout the film industry with revisions featuring little to no deviation to its original source by producing a character that brings to the fore the reputable role of the puppet-master that females are renown for in contemporary society. This will be achieved through the depiction of the female’s ability to use her wit to cunningly manipulate the opposite sex, no longer mere accessories to men in this current age. Through alterations to the original play, exploitation of visual elements in my production and various other directorial changes, the film will touch on the corrupting potential of power for both males and females within the echelons of the corporate world today which will provide for an entertaining but enlightening experience to audiences. This project that I will undertake within the next year, finds its resonance with the underlying factor...
Words: 1842 - Pages: 8
...How far can the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice in acts 1 and 2 in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ be seen as comedic? Comedy is firstly created in Act 1 when witty banter is exchanged between Beatrice and Benedick, this is first shown when Beatrice refers to Benedick as ‘Signor Mountanto.’ The use of the appellation ‘Mountanto’ implies that Beatrice sees Benedick as a farce, being over the top and flashy. At this point in the play the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick can be seen as comedic as before they have even met Beatrice is insulting him. Comedy is created by the use of the term ‘Mounanto’ not only by the obvious use of sarcasm, showing a clear dislike for Benedick, but also by the subversion of gender roles as in Shakespearean times it was very rare for a women to be so outspoken as they were usually under the notion to be ‘seen and not heard.’ The relationship between Benedick and Beatrice can also be portrayed as light hearted in act 1 when the pair speak and Benedick refers to himself as having ‘hard heart’ to which Beatrice replies, referring to herself as having ‘cold blood.’ By these comments the audience becomes aware of the parallel structure between the two, this is seen as comedic because of the fact that they are so alike and mirror images of one another yet insult each other so much shows a slight edge of humour as they are basically the same person so in effect can be seen as insulting themselves. Comedy is also shown in act 2 of ‘Much...
Words: 569 - Pages: 3
...o art is apolitical. Whether it’s the quintessential teen movie: “Ten Things I hate about You” or one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays (“who, despite being a dead white guy, knew his shit”) “The Taming of The Shrew”. All mediums mirror the social, historical, and cultural context that they were conceived in. Subsequently, changes in time and setting usher in a reconstruction of the mores and values the relevant society holds. This is evident when comparing “The Taming Of The Shrew” and it’s teen film appropriation, “Ten Things I Hate About You”, made to appeal to the 1990’s teenage audience. The theme of individuality is explored throughout both “Ten Things” and “The Taming”, in very different ways. Kat, the protagonist of “Ten Things”...
Words: 1327 - Pages: 6
...especially Italy. We will discuss two main texts, the first one will be one of his problem plays – the comedy All’s Well That Ends Well, and an extract from Roger Ascham’s The Schoolmaster which focusses on Italy and how Italy is seen from England. From these two texts, we will venture into the depths and complications of the idea of gender in the play. Giovani Boccacio’s The Decameron will also be taken into consideration. All’s Well That Ends Well, believed to be written between 1605 and 1606, is one of Shakespeare’s four problem plays. These have this name because of their confusing tone and development. In this case, All’s Well has the tone...
Words: 2014 - Pages: 9
...The Manipulation of Gender Performance and the Gendered Body by Shakespeare’s Volumnia and Lady Macbeth In both Coriolanus and Macbeth, powerful women exploit their power over important male figures through their manipulation of gender roles and performance. In “Identity-Formation and the Breastfeeding Mother in Renaissance Generative Discourses and Shakespeare’s Coriolanus,” Victoria Sparey compares the symbolic relevance of breast milk and blood in Shakespearean literature to explain the immense power Volumnia holds over her son Coriolanus. Ralph Berry argues the sexual motivation behind Volumnia’s control in his article “Sexual Imagery in Coriolanus.” Berry states that “from Volumnia, we derive a strong impression of the interlinked impulses of sex and power” (316). Lady Macbeth’s character and influence over her husband is explored thoroughly in William T. Liston’s "Male and Female Created He Them": Sex and Gender in "Macbeth." Liston outlines the ways Lady Macbeth manipulates both her husband’s masculinity and her own femininity to achieve her personal ambitions. Although Sparey and Berry examine the motives and character of Volumnia and Liston recounts the ambitious incentives of Lady Macbeth, this paper will focus on the performance of gender and how it is used to manipulate the masculine body, the feminine body, and to overcome the societal boundaries set out for individuals at the time of Shakespeare’s writing. Using Judith Butlers concept of gender performativity, Volumnia...
Words: 2146 - Pages: 9
...Cleopatra. Your study should refer to relevant contextual material and also include appropriate readings of the plays by other critics: The Duchess of Malfi (Main Text) In Jacobean England (1603-25) the theatre enjoyed enthusiastic royal support and the period was notable for some of the greatest plays ever written. Webster was already part of the ‘second generation’ and Shakespeare was already one of the most revered dramatists of his time. Both Webster and Shakespeare produced remarkable plays in this period, which gave dramatic prominence to complex tragic women. The Duchess of Malfi (1612) and Antony and Cleopatra (1607) are two plays that explore the contradictions of social and sexual relations in a patriarchal and misogynistic period of England as seen through the presentation of there two heroines The Duchess and Cleopatra, and also through the different forms of linguistical and structural methods employed by both writers that ultimately highlight the two women’s similar yet opposing natures. Essentially both plays are Jacobean tragedies of gender politics where the Duchess and Cleopatra seek freedom of action and desire but are defined and shaped by patriarchal oppression and thereby doomed for their perceived subversive sexuality. Through language both writers present their two heroines’ as powerful women who challenge the traditional male restrictions. The Duchess is representative of purity and goodness throughout the play and immediately her virtue is seen through...
Words: 3036 - Pages: 13
... Yet many facts of his life remain a mystery. Some have been acquired from painstaking looks at the records of the time, so that this summary is based on generally agreed facts. It has been said that we only know three things about Shakespeare: that he was born, married and died. He was baptised on April 26, 1564; we do not know his birth date, but many scholars believe it was April 23, 1564. His father was John Shakespeare (who was a glover and leather merchant) and his mother Mary Arden (who was a landed local heiress). John had a remarkable run of success as a merchant, alderman, and high bailiff of Stratford, during William's early childhood. His fortunes declined, however, in the late 1570s. William lived for most of his early life in Stratford-upon-Avon. We do not know exactly when he went to London but he is said to have arrived in 1592. There is great conjecture about Shakespeare's childhood years, especially regarding his education. It is surmised by scholars that Shakespeare attended the free grammar school in Stratford, which at the time had a reputation to rival that of Eton. While there are no records extant to prove this claim, Shakespeare's knowledge of Latin and Classical Greek would tend to support this theory. In addition, Shakespeare's first biographer, Nicholas Rowe, wrote that John Shakespeare had placed William "for some time in a free school." John Shakespeare, as a Stratford official, would have been granted a waiver of tuition for his son...
Words: 6999 - Pages: 28
...the continuing significance of gender roles, religion and personal behaviour in shaping ones identities and relationships. In Shakespeare’s times, as Queen Elizabeth’s reign passed to James 1st and the courts were changing to a Machiavellian system based on expediency for political gain, loyalties began to be questioned and a corresponding uncertainty was created. This uncertainty is also common within our own changing modern society. Shakespeare’s uncertainty and concern about the relationships between men and women remains relevant today, allowing me to empathise with the female characters, Gertrude and Ophelia. Though society’s treatment of women has improved, some inequality still remains, enabling us as modern responders to understand Shakespeare’s portrayal of women’s experiences and their loyalty towards their patriarchal figures. Hamlets mistreatment of Ophelia, “God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another,” uses ploce to highlight his hypocrisy considering the “antic disposition” he puts on. Similarly, the vulgar comment, “nothing ... between maids' legs,” goes unchallenged, emphasising how Ophelia’s expected obedience prevents her defying a male’s authority. This portrayal represents Shakespeare’s patriarchal values, emphasising the seemingly eternal struggle for gender equality. Though gender dichotomies remains, changing times allow modern responders to view the characters actions differently to Shakespearean audiences. Gertrude’s hasty marriage...
Words: 1193 - Pages: 5
