Oppression Of Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

In the late 14th century, females were legally dependent and authorized by their fathers. Once women were married they were handed to the husband and continued to be authorized by a male. This was normal throughout the 14th century, especially in Verona, Italy. William Shakespeare demonstrated gender roles and inequalities, in the untimely tragic love story. The pair of star-crossed lovers end their existence on behalf of the Montagues and Capulets. They endured the dreadful warfare between the two households. Romeo and Juliet, the beautiful love story, turns into a dreadful tragedy because of impetuous and strict characters, difficult times, and rules that show unfairness when it comes to gender. Shakespeare embellished that it was normalized

Thus, “A person's identity depended on his or her descent through the male line” (“Women In The Renaissance and Reformation”). That indicates that the male was always the ruler and life depended on them. In fact, this was one of the reasons why women were treated however the male desired. In addition, women were seen as having lower status and were inferior to men. Because of this,of, this men were then viewed as being leaders and having authority over women (“Gender Norms Presented In Romeo And Juliet”). Lastly, during the conversation between Benvolio and Mercutio, Mercutio confidently explainsed “Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze; I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I” (3.1.55-56). This embodies that Mercutio does not care if he gets in trouble, he just wants to show his masculinity to Tybalt since that was the way men determined who is

It was easy for men to categorize women “when the clothes a woman wore were legally dictated by her social class;” (Cloud). As a result of this. men were able to view the woman they were able to marry, the ones in the same social class. Even at the masquerade party, where faces weren’t seen, it was through fashion statements that people knew which class they were in Tybalt proclaimed “Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe, A villain that is hither come in spite To scorn at our solemnity this night.”(1.5.69-71) Revealing that Montagues weren’t allowed near the house of Capulets. The houses always assumed that one was going to start a brawl. Consequently, men from different houses were always fighting. To add onto that, Juliet met Romeo at the Capulet party. They fell in love, like a rose full of thorns. They were too stunned to speak and fell into each other's lips. Never found out each other’s names until the nurse told him she was a Capulet, freaked out in disbelief and dejection. This resembles that men and women weren’t able to marry those from different houses because of rival