The Role Of Marriage In The Elizabethan Era

In the comedy of errors, Shakespeare has an opposing views when it comes to marriage. On the one hand, Shakespeare 's believes in the traditional marriage roles of the Elizabethan era. On the other hand, he views marriage as a negative. Both of these views are portrayed in his characters in the comedy of errors. Adriana views marriage as a negative. While on the other hand Luciana views marriage from a biblical perspective. Then there is the Abbes who is almost a middle ground for the two opposing views on marriage.

Adriana views marriage as a negative. Adriana is a very independent character. Adriana accepts that her role in marriage is to be subordinate to her husband, but what she doesn’t understand is why her husband causes her pain. Adriana

Luciana has a positive look on marriage. Luciana’s views on marriage seem to mirror the traditional marriage roles of the Elizabethan Era. First, “Luciana: Why, headstrong liberty is lashed with woe. There’s nothing situate under heavens eye. Are their males‟ subjects, and at their controls. Man, more divine, the master of all these. Are masters to their females and their lords” (15-25). Essentially Luciana is stating that God made men “masters”. Luciana conforms to the Elizabethan stereotypical marriage roles. Women were expected to dedicate themselves to their husbands and remain easygoing. Luciana believes that the men hold all the power over the women. Luciana has come to terms that a woman’s role in society is to be a good house wife and submissive. This is why women should under their place is to be subordinate to men, because God made men masters. Second, “Luciana: Because their business still lies out o ' door” (2.1.10-11). Essentially, Luciana admits that women are only meant to take care of their homes and husbands. Luciana agrees with submitting oneself to her husband. Luciana states that when she is ready to fully submit herself to her husband that that is when she will get married. St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands" (5:22). This is Luciana’s view. Luciana sides with St. Paul in a sense that a wife’s place is to be submissive and the only reason why Luciana isn’t married is because she isn’t ready to fully submit

At the end of The Comedy Of Errors. The Abbes comes out. The Abbess is a divine powerful figure. It the Abbess that finds a middle ground between the great extremes on marriage views of Adriana and Luciana. One the one hand Adriana views marriage as a negative. She can’t understand why a wife must be subordinate to her husband. She also cannot understand why in marriage that her husband who is supposed to bring her joy and happiness causes her so much pain. On the other hand Luciana for the most part sides with traditional. The Abbes finds a middle ground to what marriage really means. “The venom commotions of a jealous woman poisons more deadly than a mad dog’s tooth,” meaning that Adriana’s “jealous fits hath scared [her] husband from the use of wits” (5.1.71–72, 5.1.88–89). The Abbes agrees with Adriana that both men and women should hold power, but also holds Adriana accountable for her jealous fits. That it is her jealous fits that cause her husband to appear less loving. Shakespeare seems to have mixed views on whether marriage is a positive or a negative. But As for Shakespeare, I believe he views marriage as a