Portrayal Of Women In Ben Jonson's Volpone Essay

  The Victorian era in England marked a period of unprecedented technological, scientific, political, and economic advancement.  By the 1840s, the English had witnessed remarkable industrial achievements including the advent of the railways and the photographic negative.  They had witnessed the expansion of the Empire, and, as a result, were living in a time of great economic stability.  Yet they had also seen thousands of people starving-and dying-due to the Irish potato famine and poor conditions and benefits in British factories and witnessed the entire order of society questioned as the working classes began to demand representation in Parliament.    The English also experienced biological

When she sees Marry Warren sewing a poppet at court, she seizes the opportunity to persuade more villagers and later pretends she is stabbed by Goody Proctor's familiar spirit. At the Proctor's house, Cheever tells John Proctor and his wife, "And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out." This quote describes a moment in the play when the other characters, particularly John Proctor and his wife, realize just how successful Abigail Williams has been in deceiving the other villagers. Even though Abigail is barely present in Act II, Miller uses quotes like this to show how Abigail covers her deceit with partial-truths so that it appears more realistic and palatable to a bystander. When John Proctor demands that Marry Warren tell the court where the poppet came from and how Mary, and not his wife, stuck a needle in it, Marry Warren cries, "She'll kill me for sayin' that! Abby'll charge lechery on you, Mr. Proctor!" This quote once again shows Abigail's influence in the court and the power she holds over many people. Even the thought of going against Abigail, a girl who Mary Warren was friends with, scares Mary Warren because she knows that Abigail will easily deny the charges as she has come up with an diabolically clever

Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th century, at a time where the role of the woman was to be subservient to men and act as a wife to their husband and a mother to their children. Women were expected to conform to the expectations of society, and were seen as possessions by their fathers and husbands. Fathers arranged their daughters’ marriages, usually for financial or social gain for the family. In Romeo and Juliet, the unfair treatment of women is conveyed through characters such as Juliet, a young girl who is growing into the expectations of society, and Lady Capulet, who represents a traditional side of love and values social position rather than men themselves.

Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in the 16th century, at a time when the role of the woman was to be subservient to men and act as a wife to their husband and a mother to their children. Women were expected to conform to the expectations of society, and were seen as possessions by their fathers and husbands. Fathers arranged their daughters’ marriages, usually for financial or social gain for the family. In Romeo and Juliet, the unfair treatment of women is conveyed through characters such as Juliet, a young girl who is growing up within the expectations of society, and Lady Capulet, who represents a traditional side of love, and values social position rather than men themselves.

Mary Warren and Mercy Lewis enter the house and Abigail tells them do not reveal that they were casting spells. Betty wakens and Abigail threatens the girls if they speak that she drank blood and casted a spell on Goody Proctor. John Proctor and Abigail talk about their relationship before the opening of the play. Abigail expresses her feelings toward Proctor, but he refuses to believe her. Abigail then becomes angry with him.

As the perception of women changes constantly, society is the only factor in creating their ideal image. These societal views are the basis of their treatment, with the expectation that it is beneficial for them. However, societal expectations of women in the Elizabethan and Victorian eras severely limit their freedoms and rights. William Shakespeare’s Othello and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein portray most women in their typical roles. Both authors depict the level of injustice in society’s treatment of women through the passivity of women causing their deaths, the silencing of vulnerable women and the portrayal of women as more humane than men.

Abigail lies in order to save herself from being executed and passes the blame to many others. After Abigail ‘confesses’ about what she was doing in the woods one night, Betty approaches her and tell her that she “drank blood”

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.

Abigail starts holding all the attention again, and is questioned on her credibility. Abigail is acting offended and begins threatening to leave if she is going to be treated with disrespect. Abby and the other girls begin faking an incident that brings negative attention to Mary. Mary turns her back on Proctor then, fearing what Abby will do to her. Proctor understands what Abigail is doing. In an effort to spare his wife and catch Abigail in the act, Proctor confesses to lechery pleading “I have known her, sir. I have known her” (Miller Act Three Line 842) alluding to the sexual relationship he and Abigail shared. Abigail denies it over and over. Proctor believes that Elizabeth will shed light on all of this by confirming his confession. He is repeatedly stating, “In her life, sir, she have never lied… My wife cannot lie” (Miller Act 3 Line 891-893) Based on this Danforth brings in Elizabeth and asks her if it’s true. Not knowing the current situation Elizabeth hesitates and replies with a no. In a final ditch effort to get the attention off of her, Abigail accuses Proctor of witchcraft. She doesn’t even stick around for execution day. Knowing that she’s close to getting caught, Abby steals all of her uncle’s money and flees. Proctor, trying to hold onto one last shred of goodness, choses against confession and hangs for his alleged

The nineteenth century Victorian era woman needed wealth or position to avoid a life of drudgery.  Women were viewed as trophies or possessions men owned.  They were not permitted to develop nor expected to, and even venturing out on their own was considered inappropriate.  During the era in which Jane Eyre was published the home and family were seen as the basic unit of stability in society.  At the middle of this foundation stood a wife and mother representing the sum total of all morality - a Madonna-like image.  This image was reinforced by social institutions such as mainstream religious and political beliefs.  Women were steered away from independence, confidence, and

It is true that the majority of women in the 17th century were housewives (Lambert). However, in Shakespeare’s eyes, this did not translate to inferiority of women. Instead, he believed that society’s flawed thinking was both unjust and dangerous. He saw women for what they were worth: humans capable of performing and becoming something everyone else could. Regardless of their genders, woman could be just as assiduous, shrewd, and vindictive as their male

With puppy water, beauty’s help, distilled from Tripsy’s darling whelp” (29-33). This statement depicts that women will go to the extent of applying urine from an animal to hide their imperfections. From a man's point of view, this is nauseating and absurd to find such a repugnant fluid masking the face of every beautiful woman. As Strephon’s curiosity leads him forward, his fear of the unknown prepares him for another sight, “Hard by a filthy basin stands, fouled with the scouring of her hands; the basin takes whatever comes, the scrapings of her teeth and gums. A nasty compound of all hues, for here she spits and here she spews” (37-41). The image of Celia’s white teeth after seeing the compound created by them is tarnished. Strephon cannot believe that such white teeth were actually the colour of the paste he found. Thus adding to his point that women are not what they seem or of the same value. Next, he goes to see her chamber pot and is shocked with the contents he saw, “When frightened Strephon cast his eye on’t, it showed a visage of a giant. A glass that can to sight disclose the smallest worm in Celia’s nose. And faithfully directed her nail to squeeze it out from head to tail; for catch it nicely by the head, it must come out alive or dead” (61-68). Such a sight led Strephon to see all the blemishes that once covered beautiful Celia’s face. Men would not have thought of Celia the same way if all those ‘worms’ that covered her were still

In the Middle Age literature, women are often presented or meant to come off as an unimportant character; which can also reflect on how the author wants the women character represent. Women are usually shunned, have no say or control in what they do; due to what men desire; like Ophelia and Gertrude did in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. But these female characters that I will discuss are women with power, control, and a voice. Majority of the female character’s appearances are made to represent wickedness, evil, or a seducer who challenges a man belief; and does not symbolize perfect women.

Equity between men and women is a deeply rooted battle. As the modern culture shifts further from patriarchal rule, it is interesting to question why females remained the submissive sex for so many centuries. When examining the play Twelfth Night, it becomes apparent that Shakespeare considered such an issue and used the character Viola and her interaction with Orsino as a vessel for gender equality.

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman,” Virginia Woolf once boldly stated. Though she was from a privileged background and was well educated, Woolf still felt she was faced with the oppression that women have been treated with for as far as history goes back. Her education allowed her to explore the works of the most celebrated authors, but one who she had a long and complicated relationship with was the Bard of Avon himself, William Shakespeare. As one of the most highly regarded and well studied authors of all time, Shakespeare has been elevated from mere playwright to a pillar of the British Empire, instrumental to the institutions that boasted British superiority. It is evident throughout Woolf’s writing that Shakespeare’s works were highly influential. Her novels frequently allude to his plays, most notably Orlando, Mrs. Dalloway, and also in her famous essay, A Room of One’s Own. Though Woolf admires Shakespeare’s androgyny (specifically in A Room of One’s Own), she also makes the case that his treatment of female characters does not allow for the women to be three-dimensional, therefore leaving them flat and lacking in depth. Even though for the most part Woolf’s assertion is correct, there are several examples in Shakespeare’s plays that suggest otherwise, namely in the play Othello. Additionally, in a similar vain, one could explore Shakespeare’s treatment of other minority groups in his works, such as Jews and anyone who is not English. Though it is easy to