Upon receiving her husbands letter about the witches prophesies, she attempts to be like a man in order to exude the strength needed to gain additional social status as royalty. Feminist and gender study approaches to shakespeare criticism made significant gains after 1980. In these works, smith exhorts a powerful feminist theory of what she calls relations of ruling, and she sets out her own approach, which she calls insti tutional ethnography, as a means for building knowledge as to how the relations of ruling operate from the standpoints of the people participating in them. Clare mcmanus explores gender in the history of shakespeare performance. These are the sources and citations used to research shakespeare and gender. Part of theother feminist, gender, and sexuality studies commons, and thewomens studies commons. During the time of shakespeare, there was a social construct of gender and sexuality norms just as. Pierre ruffin, mary church terrell and anna julia cooper. For many centuries women were considered the property of men and a key cog in the capitalist machine from a commodities perspective. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on monday, august 3, 2015. Silence, speech and gender in shakespeares othello. Ecofeminism has been an important field of theory in philosophy and environmental studies for decades.
Often his heroines are the ones keeping it together while the men run around being emotional wrecks. William shakespeare feminist criticism and gender studies. Shakespeare was, in essence, a humanist, who explored the best and worst qualities of both sexes. Before we examine gender and feminism in much ado about nothing, it is worthwhile to mention that shakespeare portrays gender in interesting ways in his general body. This play, of course, has been celebrated by all kinds of critics through the ages. A butlerian reading of william shakespeare s the tragedy of othello, the moor of venice except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in this thesis is my own or was done in collaboration with my advisory committee. Mar 15, 2016 in shakespeare s day, female parts were played by male actors, while more recently, actresses have taken on some of his most famous male roles such as hamlet and julius caesar. Feminist thematics and shakespearean tragedy f eminist criticism of shakespeare appeared on the scene as an identifiable movement a little over ten years ago, with the publication of juliet dusinberres shakespeare and the nature of women in 1975 and the first modern language association special session on the subject in 1976. Shakespeare a feminist, some critics feel that his audience influenced avhat. A feminist reading william shakespeare s othello can be read from a feminist perspective. The item shakespeare, feminism and gender, edited by kate chedgzoy represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in old colony library network. Depending on the genre of the play, sexuality and gender are used as either a tool of manipulation, a form of propaganda or sometimes both.
For example, the study of the individual women characters in shakespeares king lear has become an increasingly important part of the plays scholarship. Feminist theory analyzes the gender inequality that women have faced throughout the years due to a patriarchal society. Gender and sexual identity theme in twelfth night litcharts. Shakespeare, feminism and gender, in the series new casebooks, edited by kate chedgzoy 2001. Shakespeare without women representing gender and race on the renaissance stage. This lens on feminism incorporates perspectives of social justice as well as socioeconomic differences. Feminist perspective, shakespeare, misogyny, submissive women, cross dressing.
Justin borrow sexuality and gender are prominent themes in shakespeare s plays. Sixteenth century feminist virgina bateman college of dupage. King lear and measure for measure 24 kathleen mcluskie 2. Shakespeare macbeth feminism women in shakespeare in shakespeare s play macbeth, he presents the conflicting character of lady macbeth. Oct 23, 2019 according to feminist scholars, the canonical texts of western literature represent the voices of those who have been given the power to speak in western culture. Shakespeare and ecofeminist theory shakespeare and theory. Feminism as a concept goes back to the beginning of creation when the creator made male and female the basic components of living. He contends that shakespeare sacrificed psychological consistency to theatrical effect. A feminist reading of shakespearean tragedies 230 and coherence. This introduction offers a map of the current state of feminism in shakespeare studies by inquiring into its key terms, concepts, and critical values.
National association of coloured women in america 1896 elizabeth cady stanton. This year, 2014, marks the 450th anniversary of shakespeare s birth and this issue if gender forum will focus on how gender is addressed in works of shakespeare in honor of this event. On a more serious note, however, violas transformation into cesario, and olivias impossible love for himher, also. Disguise, gender roles, and goal setting shakespeare is perhaps the greatest playwright that ever lived. Willa v5 revisiting shakespeare and gender virginia. Pdf on mar 1, 2010, esther bautista naranjo and others published the two sides of. The conceptual investigations of shakespeares sonnets pretty rooms. Bassanio shakespeare compares a traditional marriage in which jessica is submissive with an untraditional marriage in which portia not subordinate. Gender and gender roles in macbeth by william shakespeare. A feminist companion to shakespeare wiley online books. Feminist criticism of shakespeare s othello 1959 words. Womens alternative shakespeares and womens alternatives to shakespeare in contemporary british theatre 70 lizbeth goodman \ 4. Shakespeares commitment to feminist concerns over patriarchal ones is depicted through the reversal of gender roles. The taming of the shrew revisited 49 ann thompson 3.
Poetics of feminine subjectivity in shakespeares sonnets and. The root of this belief is the women in hamlet, gertrude and ophelia. William shakespeare is a rich and suggestive author in terms of alerting students to issues in womens studies and gender ideology. Pdf the two sides of the feminist evidence in shakespeares.
Gender roles in macbeth by william shakespeare essay 1292 words 6 pages. Feminism has always had its defenders and foes, especially in literature. The poetics of feminine subjectivity in shakespeares sonnets and a lovers complaint poetry and compassion in shakespeares a lovers complaint. Gender ambiguity and desire in twelfth night dialnet. King lear and measure for measure kathleen mcluskie feminist theory and the editing of shakespeare. Jonathan dollimore 1990 critiques various feminist approaches to shakespearean studies. That miranda can make such moves thus depicts feminisms desire to end sexism, oppression and sexist exploitation even though miranda is still subject to her colonizing father. Feminist theory and gender inequality 1731 words bartleby. Feminists, like new historicists, were interested in contextualizing shakespeare s writings rather than subjecting them to ahistorical formalist analysis.
That viola has disguised herself as a man, and that her disguise fools olivia into falling in love with her, is genuinely funny. Winfried schleiner, renaissance and reformation the strength of crossing gender in shakespeare is its close readings and attention to intersections of language and gender. Female characters in shakespeares plays othello and hamlet sara. Shakespeare, feminism and gender old colony library network. Feminist criticism under the umbrella of feminist criticism there is a wide range of critical practices and approaches to. In 1975 the feminist critic, juliet dusinberre, offered an optimistic view of the shakespearean female characters. Shakespeare and gender gender studies bibliographies cite. Feminist history, theory, and practice in the shakespeare classroom. A presentist, palestinian perspective this paper follows the critical lines of feminism and psychoanalysis to argue that othello is a conflict between female characters moral voices and male figures treacherous voices. Yet shakespeare does provide a contrast to richards villainy. The new folger editions of shakespeares plays, which are the basis for the texts realized here in digital form, are special because of their origin. But the long answer to the question, was shakespeare a feminist. His plays were fascinating and brilliantly written. Kate chedgzoy 2001 abstract this article has no associated abstract.
Marxist feminists argue that the path to gender equality is led by the. Pdf on gender and identity in three shakespearean texts. While shakespeare had a deep sensitivity toward women, we cannot say that he was a feminist as we define the term today. It takes as its primary concern the way the relationship between the human and nonhuman is both material and cultural, but it also investigates how this relationship is inherently entangled with questions of gender equity and social justice. Feminist and genderstudy approaches to shakespeare criticism made significant gains after 1980. Shakespeare s representation of women, and the ways in which his female roles are interpreted and enacted, have become topics of scholarly interest. The portrayal of shakespeares female characters and the plots surrounding them are considered as antifeminist due to either the role that the women play or how they were referred to within the text. There is no original or primary gender a drag imitates, but gender is a kind of.
Women were expected to fit the traditional female and conform to the gender norms that society has constructed. Within the gallery of female characters, shakespeare. Shakespeare s heroines encompass a wide range of characterizations and types. Gender and performance in shakespeare s problem comedies. A butlerian reading of william shakespeares the tragedy of othello, the moor of venice jeri lynn peters permission is granted to auburn university to make copies of this thesis at its discretion, upon request of individuals or institutions and at their expense. Feminism is a form of collective movements that aim to define, establish and defend the equal political, economic and social rights as well as equal opportunities for women. Shakespeare within the framework of gender studies. The story of adam and eve at eden is a clear evidence that god has created both sexes to be equal human beings.
In shakespeares plays, one notable character wears a literal disguise to accomplish a goal, while others use figurative disguises markels 63. Shakespeare hides prowoman philosophies especially in his comedies, writing in a time period when speech was heavily censored. According to a brief introduction to critical theory, feminism. Whether shakespeare would have shared in this reaction, or whether the play endorses this misogyny is somewhat more up for debate, but in any case reading the play offers just as much of an opportunity to critique misogyny and traditional gender roles as it does to reinforce them. After describing four theoretical propositions that orient much feminist scholarship and providing a brief genealogy of feminist shakespeare criticism, i explore the tensions in the field between gender and sexuality studies and gender and. The authors of the western canon are predominately white men, which means that their perspective is given the most representation, and many critics consider their voices to be domineering, exclusionary, and biased in favor of a male. Although shakespeare reflects and at times supports the english renaissance stereotypes of women and men and their various roles and responsibilities in society, he is also a writer who questions, challenges, and.
Feminism in shakespeares the winters tale english literature essay. In conclusion, feminism applies to the tempest in the sense that the play has only one female character, miranda, who plays an active role. William shakespeare william shakespeare feminist criticism and gender studies. A similar argument regarding shakespeare s partiality for theatrical or poetical effect is presented by stoll. The impact of feminist critics over the last twenty. Gender identity issues relating to gender in shakespeares dramas have inspired critical interest for centuries, but in the late. Further, summing up, feminism reveals and challenges the cultural shaping of gender roles in all. For more than 30 years, other different interpretations of the play have been found. Key concepts queer theory heterosexual matrix performativity.
Over the last quartercentury, feminist criticism of shak. Silence, speech and gender in shakespeare s othello. Shakespeare, feminism and gender by kate chedgzoy, paperback. Feminism is a form of collective movements that aim to define.
Characteristically it weaves between past and present, driven by a. For bloom, the greatest of the canonical authors is shakespeare, and one of the works bloom most celebrates in the western canon is hamlet. Stones crossing gender in shakespeare is the most recent of the routledge studies in shakespeare series. Feminists, like new historicists, were interested in contextualizing shakespeares writings rather than subjecting them to ahistorical formalist analysis. Willa v5 revisiting shakespeare and gender virginia tech. Women may not have had equal rights in shakespeares world, but in his plays theyre free to be just as witty, or brave, or lovesick as men. This is the explicitly political approach taken in the dynamic and newly updated edition of a feminist companion to shakespeare.
Barker and ivo kamps23 and shakespeare, feminism and gender edited by kate chedgzoy. An unparalleled collection of early modern books, manuscripts, and. Characteristically it weaves between past and present, driven by a commitment both to intervene in contemporary cultural politics and to recover a fuller sense of the. In shakespeare s plays, one notable character wears a literal disguise to accomplish a goal, while others use figurative disguises markels 63. A machiavellian who delights in governing through fear and force, his evil is only offset by his ready and cutting wit. Nancy lindheim rethinking sexuality and class in twelfth. Feminist criticism and gender studies feminist and genderstudy approaches to shakespeare criticism made significant gains after 1980. A feminist analysis of the play othello allows us to judge the different social values and status of women in the elizabethan society. Anticipations of modernity in the second tetralogy 93 jean e. The question is not whether shakespeare studies needs feminism, but whether feminism needs shakespeare. Shakespeares sonnets, elizabethan architecture, and early modern visual design. Revisiting shakespeare and gender jeanne gerlach, rudolph almasy, and rebecca daniel william shakespeare is a rich and suggestive author in terms of alerting students to issues in womens studies and gender ideology. Essays and criticism on william shakespeare gender identity. The women of richard iii the character of king richard iii of england is perhaps shakespeare s most evil creation.
The folger shakespeare library in washington, dc, is the single greatest documentary source of shakespeares works. Essays and criticism on william shakespeare feminist criticism. The title of this book was tantalizing and i looked forward to being enlightened on many subjects that interest me generally and connected to shakespeare. Elizabeths reign in history proves her to be quite the opposite of queen gertrude in many ways.
Responding to the predominance of historicizing criticism over the past decade, stone seeks to revitalize the psychoanalytic and gender criticism of the last decades of the twentieth century by offering a close reading of gendered subjectivity xiii that focuses on. Sketching the approaches feminist criticism has taken, this article goes on to highlight the importance now attached to stage performance and the role of the female actor. Shakespeares representation of women in his tragedies. Shakespeare shakespeare, feminism and gender macmillan. Key concepts hegemonic masculinity patriarchal dividend. In connection with the themes of deception, disguise, and performance, twelfth night raises questions about the nature of gender and sexual identity. Justin borrow sexuality and gender are prominent themes in shakespeares plays. Dec 15, 2005 the impact of feminist critics over the last twenty. Feminist critics of shakespeares works are often the subject of critiquesthis is due in part to the tension that exists between feminist critics and critics of other branches of criticism. Assistant phd mircea cel batran naval academy constanta. Gender swaps in shakespeare plays thirteen new york. Over the last quartercentury, feminist criticism of shakespeare has greatly expanded and enriched the range of interpretations of the shakespearean texts, their original historical location, and subsequent reinterpretation. Gender roles in macbeth by william shakespeare although at the time of shakespeare, women were thought of as lesser beings, he still manages to portray them as strong, and influential people in his play macbeth.
Voicing women gender and sexuality in early modern writing. Yet, portia is portrayed as the ideal woman by blending old renaissance and puritan ideas of what a woman should be. We can therefore assume that men were supposed to be the pillar of the community, both physically and mentally stronger than women. Feminism in shakespeares the winters tale english literature. He wasnt a feminist as we define the term today, and he certainly wasnt a intersectional.
Feminists fight for the equality of women and argue that women should share equally in societys opportunities and scare resources. Shakespeare s choice to portray queen gertrude as an ignorant and foolish woman leads the viewer to question why he would do this, when he himself grew up in a period of time ruled by the powerful queen elizabeth i. Accepted a feminist reading of shakespearean tragedies jajja. Provides the definitive feminist statement on shakespeare for the 21st century. To demonstrate the importance of women to reveal that historically women have been subordinate to men to bring about gender equity.
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