Victims. Time and time again women have been victims of misogyny, commodification, and social obligation. Women are forced to squeeze into an idealistic mold and confrom to society’s standards. They have been stripped of their right to have a say in what is being done to them, and are sold off as property to their husbands who treat them as inferior. These husbands seem to have no regard for the opinion of their wives; as if being male brings superiority. In Romeo and Juliet, “Cultural production of the female body”, and Abigail Adams’ letter, women are degraded and objectified as well as are prohibited from exercising their freewill, especially in marital relationships.
Women are often put in situations where their free will is compromised due to male superiority and social obligation. In Romeo and Juliet, conflict between social obligation and free will repeatedly occurs when it comes to marriage. In Act 2.4, Capulet states “But fettle your fine joints’ gainst Thursday next, To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church, Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. Out, you green-sickness carion! out, you baggage.” (Shakespeare 84) Tybalt has just passed away, bringing much sorrow upon
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On page 83, it reads “(Capulet) ‘How now, wife!’...(Lady Capulet) ‘Ay, sir;’ ” Lady Capulet refers to her husband as “sir” showing her respect for him. During this time and era, women were considered inferior to their male partners and were socially obligated to respect them. Lady Capulet is respectful towards Capulet showing a power imbalance in their relationship. Capulet refers to Lady Capulet as “wife.” These two terms being used instead of each other's names show a lack of comfort with each other. Conflict between social obligation and free will repeatedly occurs in Romeo and Juliet as the female characters opinions are undermined and considered