Shakespeare Gender Roles Essay

Patriarchy has pervaded society throughout most of human history. Through books, the idea of a male dominated society has perpetuated the social norm. This has been achieved by reinforcing gender stereotypes where men are exclusively in charge and are powerful, while women have little to no say. In “Hamlet” by Shakespeare and “The Transformation” by Kafka, the importance of conforming to the patriarchal society were demonstrated through the characters who deviate from traditional gender roles. “When individuals fail to accept the beliefs of society as their own, there is then the possibility of chaos for both individuals and society as a whole” (Rogers). Those who could not conform to gender social norms in a patriarchal society were cast aside, ultimately leading to their own demise.

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.

Born on approximately April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, William Shakespeare is considered by many to have been the greatest writer the English language has ever known. His literary legacy included 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and five major poems. Among his many plays is the notable, Twelfth Night, a romantic comedy, placed in a festive atmosphere in which three couples are brought together happily.

Gender roles play a major part in interpreting plays and poems. From the Early Modern English period to the 18th century and Enlightenment to present day gender roles and how they are viewed have changed. In the first piece woman were viewed as less than men and had to maneuver around to please men. As time progresses, the second piece shows how gender roles become more equal in life. This changes through time and is shown when you read Twelfth Night by Shakespeare and "A Nocturnal Reverie" by Anne Finch.

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.

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the role of women is greatly emphasized. The important characters of the play, Othello, Iago, and Cassio, each have a women that stands behind him. These women each have an obligation to remain loyal and respect their husband's wishes, especially Desdemona and Emilia.

    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)

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was set in a time that gender was very important to society, which ultimately leads to the tragic demise of Romeo and Juliet. While the audience is shown that the society's expectations of gender create a strong community, it is undeniable the tragedy is partly due society giving women no influence over their own fates and being seen as objects, who are hidden from the world therefore naive to society. However we cannot ignore the expectations of being brave and proud placed on the male gender that end in the demise of the lovers. The fact that women of the time are powerless and unable to contribute to the decisions made about their lives leads to the tragedy.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare both Romeo and Juliet fit into gender expectations in some ways. Gender roles are stereotypes that males and females fulfill and each of the same gender is supposed to follow by a courtesy code. Most gender roles are not being followed anymore as shown by the fact that women like sports as much as men; men can now stay at home and have the females in the family work. Although Juliet conforms to gender expectations by making irrational decisions, being childish and depending on others, but in some circumstances, she also defies them by not listening to her father. To start with, Juliet is easily swayed into rash decisions without thinking them through.

The play, Romeo and Juliet, has always been described as a tale of two “star-crossed lovers.” It is a play that is recognized by almost every one and widely read throughout one’s education. Gender roles and societal ranking in this production performed in the 21st century is different than the play in the Shakespearean time. A play once performed by only men no matter what role the character was (male or female) is now seen across the world using both males and females (Alchin). The Florida State University’s interpretation of Romeo and Juliet addresses gender roles and societal ranking throughout the play through the use of many design elements including: costuming, set design, and use of props (Romeo and Juliet).

Gender defiance from Goneril takes place in Act 1 Scene 4 Line 285 Lear says to Goneril “I am ashamed that thou hast power to shake my manhood thus; that these hot tears, which break from me perforce should make thee worth them.”

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

Author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”. When one thinks of comic books, it is very likely that the subjects that come to mind are Marvel’s Spiderman or DC’s Batman. Although comic books are stereotypically thought to be mainly about super heroes, there are a wide variety of subject matter they could be written about, such as romance. In the 1950s – 1960s, it was common for these romance comics to exploit the social norms of that time and emphasized the subject of gender roles. While the men in comic books were usually illustrated in a brave heroic manner, the women would be portrayed to be what would now be considered a stereotypical “trophy wife”. As a young child reading these comics and taking in these images, they are slowly molding their ideals to believe that what they are reading and seeing is what is accepted and normal in their society. By coding gender norms into the texts, authors are helping mold the ideology of its readers to believe that it is acceptable for both genders to follow specific rules that accommodate to the believed social norms of the time.

     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.

Gender Roles The affects of gender roles on people greatly change the way the society runs. According to the Webster's dictionary the definition of gender are the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex, and the definition of role is a character assigned or assumed. The key word in this definition is assumed; therefore, whether you are male or female, you know what role you must play in society. Traditional gender roles are beneficial to society.