ipl-logo

Gender Roles During The Elizabethan Era

1077 Words5 Pages

English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare, existed during the late 1500’s and into the early 1600’s, a period often referred to as the Elizabethan Era. The societal norms and ideas differ significantly to that of today’s society, particularly that of gender roles and association to power. During the Elizabethan Era, it was an expectation for men to possess brave and heroic qualities, unafraid to commit acts of violence. On the contrast, women were often subservient to the dominant male figures, stereotyped as weak, dependent and emotional. Shakespeare’s infamous tragedy, ‘Macbeth’ challenges the traditional gender roles of the Elizabethan era by incorporating various characters that possess qualities not normally associated with their biological gender. Through various bodies of …show more content…

Many of his characters often adopt opposite societal gender roles, represented by the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the witches, enforcing the idea that gender is not a defining aspect of an individual. The incorporation of various characters throughout the play of ‘Macbeth’ disrupt the conventional gender roles. One particular character, who has crucial significance in the play, is the wife of Macbeth. Despite being a woman, Lady Macbeth is perceived as a relatively inhumane and cruel individual, who lacks any sort of compassion or emotion. Toward the beginning of the play, it is apparent that Lady Macbeth holds great dominance over the relationship between her and her husband, highlighted by her ability to manipulate and provoke him into committing acts of murder and treason. The influence Lady Macbeth has is most prominent in Act 1 Scene 5, following the receiving of Macbeth’s crowning as Thane of Cawdor. Although receiving a

Show More
Related

What Are Gender Roles In The Elizabethan Era

652 Words | 3 Pages

The expected gender roles during the Renaissance are not exactly depicted same way in the the play Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare. Gender roles during that time period consisted of men having complete power within the family, government, as well as everyday life. The lives of women were limited and were stereotyped to be the classic housewife that did the dirty work at home and provided the needs of her husband. While this was the status quo during the Renaissance along with the Elizabethan era, the gender roles between characters in Macbeth were portrayed in a different way. Shakespeare made his play more original by verging from the expectations by Lady Macbeth having say in her husband’s actions, the comedic tone often used to depict Macbeth’s female feelings and actions, in addition to the diction used by Lady Macbeth that has a sense of androgyny.

Read More

Gender And Gender Stereotypes In Shakespeare's Macbeth

1514 Words | 7 Pages

This study will focus on the way in which Shakespeare crafts his play and uses dramatic devices in his portrayal of Lady Macbeth in order to confront the gender stereotypes of the time, femininity and the natural order of society. During the early 17th century there was a substantial fear that if women were liberated from their domestic, maternal roles, the historically patriarchal society would unravel. With prevailing challenges of gender such as “When you durst do it, then you were a man” Shakespeare uses the character of Lady Macbeth to transgress the natural limits concomitant with her sex. In order to be able to answer the research question, it is vital to concretely establish the contemporary gender roles and the context of the play.

Read More

Stereotypes In Hamlet

540 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout history, stereotypical profiles of what a man or woman should be have determined how they are perceived by others. Men dominate their marriage, prove themselves courageous in the line of battle, and do whatever they need to do in order to achieve their goals. Shakespeare's representation of women, and the ways in which his female roles are interpreted and enacted, have become a topic interest. In one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Hamlet, a female character by the name, Ophelia, is portrayed as an immensely weak character.

Read More

Rebellion Against Femininity In Macbeth

787 Words | 4 Pages

It’s no surprise, that Shakespeare’s Macbeth was clearly constructed as a rebellion against femininity roles of the time. During the Elizabethan era, women were raised to believe they were inferior to men since men obtained desired masculine qualities such as strength, and loyalty, whereas women were viewed as figures of hospitality (1; 6; 28-31). Obviously, not being tempted by the luxury of subservient women, William Shakespeare rebuked this twisted belief, applying that women deserve more respect than their kitchen tables.

Read More

Macbeth Gender Roles Essay

1476 Words | 6 Pages

Men were supposed to act as strong fighters, while women were locked in the domestic sphere. These gender roles are prominent in the character developments of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At first, Macbeth is a strong, heroic solider that shows unbounded courage in battle and loyalty to his king. As the play progresses, he becomes cold, ruthless, and miserable. Lady Macbeth takes on a “manly” role, which is surprising because of how patriarchal the society is.

Read More

Lady Macbeth Diction Analysis

1318 Words | 6 Pages

Shakespeare’s portrayal of Lady Macbeth is distant to the role that a Jacobean audience would be comfortable with women being in. In a time where “the repetition in a woman’s ear/would murder as it fell”; a woman readily savage and merciless caused a disturbance to their ideas of how a woman should behave. This makes Lady Macbeth one of the most striking villains in Shakespeare’s plays. Lady Macbeth’s entrance is her reaction to the letter sent by Macbeth in which he discloses the Witches’ prophecies.

Read More

Traditional Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Macbeth

973 Words | 4 Pages

Traditional gender roles in today’s society are very different from what they once were. Shakespeare had progressive views on gender and gender roles in his time period, which he expressed through his writing. In MacBeth, Shakespeare showcases both his views and unusual roles through Macbeth and Lady MacBeth, MacDuff and the witches. Gender roles in the relationship of MacBeth and Lady MacBeth are probably the most obvious correlation between masculine traits expressed through female characters. Lady MacBeth belittles MacBeth and frequently challenges his manhood.

Read More

What Are Gender Roles In Lady Macbeth

477 Words | 2 Pages

In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the subversion of gender roles to reinforce Elizabethan notions of female and male behavior through the characters of Lady Macbeth, the three witches, and Macbeth. The ideal woman in Shakespearean times was submissive and docile. She is expected to be a mother and hostess, and little else. However, Lady Macbeth is the exact opposite of this notion. She constantly challenges and manipulates her husband to feed her ever-growing ambition.

Read More

Women During The Elizabethan Era Essay

1300 Words | 6 Pages

In brief, women were obedient possessions of their husbands and if they were opinionated or outspoken, they were unwanted and looked down on. Women were always told what to do and what to say by a man and could never express their thoughts and emotions, irrespective of the class they belonged to. How Shakespearean women defy their stereotype The stereotypical women during the Elizabethan era were mere possessions of their husbands, and had no rights, whatsoever. During this period, the ruler Queen Elizabeth I, thwarted the norms and ruled over England without getting married as she did not want to lose her dignity to a man.

Read More

Gender Roles In A Midsummer Night's Dream

1898 Words | 8 Pages

“And though she be but little, she is fierce” -William Shakespeare. In today’s day and age, one of the greatest topics of debate is gender roles. It is evident everywhere, from cyberspace to the streets of home, from online petitions to marches across the country such as the Women’s March. Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan Era of England, where Queen Elizabeth I, the virgin queen ruled.

Read More

Men's Roles In The Elizabethan Era

1721 Words | 7 Pages

The Elizabethan Era was a time where men were in charge and women and children were expected to obey. Nowadays, men and women have equal roles in society and one gender is not better or smarter than the other. During the Elizabethan Era, men, women, and children all had specific and defining roles. Men had a dominant role in society during the Elizabethan Era. Men could do many things that women were not allowed to do.

Read More

Women In Elizabethan England Essay

573 Words | 3 Pages

Women in Elizabethan England, were not treated with as much respect as they should have been, but they were not treated as if they were not human beings. They were typically seen to be the weaker sex, mentally and physically and were thought to need a male figure constantly watching over them. If a woman was single, she was usually watched after by a father or an older brother, but if the woman was married it would be her husband’s job to take after her. Men were the ones that brought home the money. They were the head of the home and in charge of most decisions that took place.

Read More

Power And Ambition In Macbeth

954 Words | 4 Pages

In the world of politics, the war over power often occurs between men, this world is a masculine world. A world that from beginning of the history linked men with war, fight, bloodshed and greatness, but women with softness, weakness and incapability; especially in the old times of Shakespeare. In spite of this, Shakespeare introduces us to an interesting female character called “Lady Macbeth”. A powerful woman with ambition and courage. Lady Macbeth played by “Amanda Billing” at Pop Up Globe, is so tough that even the loss of her child doesn’t leave her devastated.

Read More

Gender Stereotypes In Shakespeare's Macbeth

1183 Words | 5 Pages

In the popular play Macbeth, Shakespeare compares the gender stereotypes portrayed to those different pre-existing ideas from other generations such as the 1900’s, the 50’s, and even today 's society. Macbeth has plenty of examples of the exaggeration of gender roles that clearly differentiate male and female by construing their proper roles as polar opposite or complementary. Examples proving that there are gender stereotypes in Macbeth pertain to characters such as Lady Macbeth, The Witches, and Macbeth himself. In Macbeth, the many different stereotypes of gender roles from throughout the century to today’s society have been displayed in many aspects of the play. With examples of the exaggeration of gender constructs pertaining to the male

Read More

Gender Roles During The Elizabethan Era

800 Words | 4 Pages

In the Elizabethan era the relationship between the roles of each gender was highlighted in literature because of how the characteristics in one gender would contrast the opposite gender, showing a clear distinction between the two. Referring to “How to Write About Shakespeare's Histories,” a reader can ask look at how women were defined by their social classes as seen in literature, and

Read More

More about Gender Roles During The Elizabethan Era

Related Topics

Open Document