Women In Julius Caesar Essay

In Williams Shakespeare Julius Caesar there were only two woman is the play. Portia and Calpurnia were both noble women during Julius Caesar's time period. Portia was married to Brutus,and Calpurnia was married to Caesar. Even though both women have a close to brief role in the play it is critical to the plot and development. Both woman were given knowledge of the crime that would be committed in the play. If given more dominance in the play would the women convince their husbands to take a different rout their lives. If they could have the story would have gone a whole other direction. The reason women are portrayed as somewhat inferior to men is because of the attitude to women in the time when shakespeare wrote the play. This time period

The marriage between Portia and Brutus was based on treating each other as equals which was uncommon is the roman period. She also goes against a typical woman in comes to plays during this time period and the roman society when it comes to the play's concern with gender dynamics. She voiced her opinions strongly even though she does not have power. When Brutus refuses to confide in Portia, she takes issue with his secrecy. By being excluded from her husband's world just because she's a woman she suggests that, when Brutus keeps things from her, he's treating her like a harlot and, not his wife. Faced with this distinction, Brutus can only choose to tell her what is happening. On the other hand, Portia contradicts herself when she degrades women including herself by talking as though women are weaker than men. Even with that believe she thinks since she's the daughter and wife of two respected men. So that makes her better than the average woman. To prove her point, she stabs herself in the thigh without flinching and demands that her husband treat her with more respect. Unfortunately for Portia, what Brutus tells her would eventually be her end. In Act II, Scene 4 Portia says she has "a man's mind, but a woman's might." signifying that the guilt, worrying and treasury was to much for a her because of her position as a woman. The knowledge is too much for her and she