Marrying Shakespeare And Gender Analysis

The story of Romeo and Juliet is based on the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues thus it is not surprising that Verona is dominated by masculine tension. As well as masculine tension is also sexual domination and violence a part of the life in Verona.(cf.https://underthefallenleaves.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/romeo-and-juliet-an-exploration-of-gender-roles/)

Shakespeare's famous play of the two star crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet arouses many debates in the literary world; among them belongs the question of who Shakespeare portrays as the culprit responsible for the couples death: foolish young love, societal norms and customs or simply fate?The plot of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare unfolds in Verona, where the protagonists, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, each belong to powerful feuding Verona families. Juliet, who is only 14 years of age, has been promised by her father to a man named Paris without her consent, as was common for women at the time. In Verona, expectations and societal norms for men and women diverge. Men are portrayed as sexual, violent, strong characters who fight for honor while women are portrayed as inferior, weaker and represent possessions and conquests of men. Although, Juliet does not conform to these expectations and defies them throughout the play by her actions and behavior until she meets a tragic and untimely death with her lover Romeo. William Shakespeare uses Juliet, an unconventional protagonist compared to the society’s gender roles, and her tragic downfall to criticize the patriarchal society he lived in during the Elizabethan era.

In William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”, Shakespeare defies most traditional gender roles by allowing his characters to exceed the stereotypical expectations and allowing them to be true to themselves. Society in Verona is clearly portrayed as the expectations for beliefs, values, and behaviours in both men and women. Women are thought of as inferior, weak, and objects to possess while men are driven by power, bravery, and sexual domination. The character of Romeo, however, challenges these ideas about men and incorporates very feminine traits into the way he presents himself. He is repeatedly associated with failure to stand, weakness and weeping, as well as privacy. Romeo’s inability to conform to society’s expectations of men brings him and Juliet together, however his later attempts to re-conform lead to their ill-fated tragedy.

Throughout Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, there is an overlaying presence of the typical roles that men and women were supposed to play. During Elizabethan times there was a major difference between the way men and women were supposed to act. Men typically were supposed to be masculine and powerful, and defend the honor. Women, on the other hand, were supposed to be subservient to their men in their lives and do as ever they wished. In Romeo and Juliet the typical gender roles that men and women were supposed to play had an influence on the fate of their lives.

Within the play titled Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare the character Juliet of the Capulet family changes her attitude toward love and marriage. Shakespeare's play displays that Juliet’s attitude adjusts throughout the play; she goes from being an independent woman who does not seek marriage, to having a cautious love, to eventually hopelessly in love. At the beginning of the play Juliet’s mother speaks with her about marriage, which Juliet answers to her mother "It is an honor I dream not of,” showing that she has no interest in love. Then when the play moves to the balcony scene Juliet shows change of where she feels that Romeo is her first love, yet she still displays no intent to marry. Eventually after Juliet does decide

Written by the world-renowned playwright William Shakespeare during the Elizabethan era, Romeo and Juliet explores the tragic demise of an ill-fated couple. During the Elizabethan era, patriarchy was dominant in the Elizabethan society and it was common for fathers to arrange marriages for their children. Shakespeare references the consequences of families forcing young women to marry men for status rather than love with Juliet’s cautionary tale.

Some critics and other readers of Shakespeare's plays argue that he treats women with disrespect. However, he actually treats them with a great amount of respect. Shakespeare has been criticized by many modern writers for his portrayal of women.

Juliet's parents over protect her which drives her to madness. Juliet’s life is strongly controlled by her parents. After Juliet and Romeo’s death, Friar Laurence explains to the crowd that, “Oh, in this love, you love your child so ill.” The importance of this passage is shown throughout the story. The Capulet family is forcing their beloved daughter to marry Paris, whom Juliet is not interested in. This push from her parents made Juliet anger. Juliet would rather marry the “villain” Romeo. These star-crossed lovers are in a relationship that cannot be broken. Juliet poisons herself so she will not have

A typical man for the 16th century time period in which Shakespeare set his play “Romeo and Juliet” would consist of men having high class jobs such as being a priest or being the head of the household. Anything that needed to be done has to have the man or the head of the family approval,  and then it would be put into motion. On the other hand, women were supposed to be obedient and subservient to the men in their lives and follow all the

    Othello represents a prime example of Shakespeare's ability to develop relationships between the sexes so as to demonstrate those relationships' weaknesses. In Othello, the sexes are divided by misconceptions and ego- centric views of the opposite gender. The men of the play, in particular Othello, maintain a patriarchal, chivalric notion of the sexes, while the women of the play yearn for more involvement in their husbands' affairs. So it is that the thrust of the play emerges from "the opposition of attitudes, viewpoints, and sexes." (Neely 214)

Secondly, Juliet allows her grief to overpower her thinking and control her gest. Prior to the star-crossed encounter with Romeo at the Capulet party, Lady Capulet discusses marriage with Juliet and asks her would she try to like Paris and see him as a suitable husband. At the time, Juliet had a very neutral, obedient attitude towards her mother’s idea: “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move; but no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly” (1,3, 98-100). This quote illustrates Juliet’s typical, obedient behaviour and her will to pursue their plan regarding her marriage. However, Juliet meets and falls in love with Romeo at the Capulet party, which results in their secret marriage and subsequently leads towards a complete shift in Juliet’s attitude towards marrying Paris. When her father tells her she will get married to Paris, she doesn’t react in a way common to her obedient behaviour and rejects the marriage, which angers her father. Devastated at her father’s waspish words, Juliet

Chayton O’Brien 11-12-15 Shakespeare Gender Portrayals in Shakespeare During the Elizabethan Era, women had no rights, and men controlled their lives. This can be shown through Taming Of The Shrew, a play by William Shakespeare. The play starts out where a trick is played by someone of Lordship on a drunkard Christopher Sly who arranges a play called The Taming of the Shrew.

By examining Shakespeare’s treatment of familial ties in his plays The Life and Death of King John and The Winter’s Tale, we can see how his attitudes and opinions towards family relationships evolved. In King John (written between 1594 and 1596), Shakespeare adopts what was then a fairly conventional attitude towards family relationships: his characters never question the highly patriarchal family hierarchy. They also assume that the majority of wives will be unfaithful, simply because they are female—however, they take the charge of adultery rather lightly. By contrast, in The Winter’s Tale (written between 1610 and 1611), he adopts a much more progressive, feminist view of family

     Throughout history, men and women have been assigned specific roles to which society prescribes standards and qualifications. There are certain tasks that have been traditionally completed only by men, and others that have been assigned to women; most of which are separated by the realm of the domestic sphere. During the period of the Renaissance, men and women were assigned very different roles within society. The value, social expectations, legal status, and rights of citizenship differed greatly between the sexes as well as among the classes. Many of these gender roles can be identified through careful readings of the literature produced throughout the Renaissance.

Shakespeare and the members of the Elizabethan era would be appalled at the freedoms women experience today.  The docility of Elizabethan women is almost a forgotten way of life. What we see throughout Shakespeare’s plays is an insight into the female character as perceived by Elizabethan culture.  Shakespeare’s female characters reflect the Elizabethan era’s image of women; they were to be virtuous and obedient and those that were not were portrayed as undesirable and even evil.