Female Sexuality in Shakespeare - 4830 Words

Question Compare and contrast the representation of female sexuality in Cymbeline, the Sonnets, and one of the plays: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard II, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure or King Lear. Both Cymbeline and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (AMND) are both set in a patriarchal environment where both genders grapple for control. Valerie Traub defines the distinction between gender sex and gender behavior as â€Å"Sex refers to the . . . biological distinctions between male and female bodies. Gender refers to those meanings derived from the division of male and female . . . the attributes considered appropriate to each: ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine.’† (Valerie Traub, â€Å"Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare† p129)†¦show more content†¦Peter Holland understanding of the play’s imagery of the moon as signifying Diana’s change from â€Å"the goddess of the ‘cold fruitless moon’ . . . into the goddess of married chastity,† (Peter Holland, â€Å"Introduction† to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, P33.) a transformation is carried out through the dissolution of the reaction to of Cupidâ€⠄¢s flower by Dian’s bud, which in turn, reflects Hermia and Helena’s path toward chaste marriage and motherhood. However, Titania’s enraged moon metaphorically enacts Theseus’ previous fear of an uncontainable femininity, a understanding highlighted in the production by Peter Brook (1970) who cast the same actors in the roles of Theseus/Oberon and Hippolyta/Titania to express â€Å"repressed emotional turbulence† (Penny Rixon, â€Å"A Midsummer Nights Dream,† in Shakespeare: Texts and Contexts,P38)in the Athenian relationship. Critics contend that the part of male lover establishes â€Å"a ‘feminized’ position insofar as it separates men from . . . military pursuits,† (Valerie Traub, â€Å"Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare† p137) and undeniably Helena views their conduct as deficient masculinity, stating that, â€Å"If you were men, as men you are in show, / You would not use a gentle lady so† (AMSND 3.2.152–3). In contrast, other critics claim that the consequence of the drug overstates the â€Å"normal male practice .Show MoreRelatedFemale Sexuality Throughout Shakespeare s Hamlet 1713 Words   |  7 Pagestragic play written by Shakespeare in the 1600s, portrays the struggle of young Hamlet in the face of avenging his father’s death. While major themes throughout this tragedy include death, loss, madness, revenge, and morality, another important theme to include in discussion is the theme of womanhood. The only two female characters in a cast of thirt y-five include Queen Gertrude and Ophelia, both of whom die unfortunate deaths. The importance of womanhood and female sexuality is shown through severalRead MoreTheme Of Manipulation In Richard III1095 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.†: Manipulation in Shakespeare Shakespeare uses sexuality and gender roles as a tool of manipulation; those with the power use their sex, gender, and sexuality to make those around them act the way they want them to. Richard III is a wonderful example of this idea being used prominently in Shakespeare’s work. After killing her husband and her father-in-law in battle, Richard attempts to seduce Anne, saying the only reason he killed them was because he is inRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare And Carol Ann Duffys Subvert Traditional Roles Of Gender And Sexuality1740 Words   |  7 Pagesbibliography - 1,733 words. W/out the above - 1,361 words. Candidate number: 12610 How do William Shakespeare and Carol Ann Duffy subvert traditional roles of gender and sexuality in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and â€Å"Sonnet 20†? Both Carol Ann Duffy in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and William Shakespeare in â€Å"Sonnet 20† subvert male gender roles by presenting the male protagonists with physical female traits. Both Shakespeare and Duffy manipulate the reader’s expectations, using familiar poetic forms and imagery – theRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1543 Words   |  7 Pagesfeelings and emotions out. Similarly, Shakespeare utilizes the theme of disguise in countless plays, specifically in As you like it and Twelfth Night. Although many may postulate that he has disguised certain characters as the opposite gender solely for comedic purposes, the reason behind it is significantly deeper and complex. By disguising the actors as the opposite gender, also known as cross-dressing, Shakespeare introduces incipient views on femininity and sexuality, views that were unmentionable inRead MoreGender Stereotypes : Macbeth And The Wife Of Bath1515 Words   |  7 Pagesportrayed women as a weak stereotypical female, some authors such as William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer challenged this by describing the female characters as strong and ambitious characters. Not only challenging the sexual stereotypes that existed in both time periods, Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare also enabled the female characters both in Macbeth and The Wife of Bath exploit their sexuality to obtain the balance of power. Female characters in Macbeth and The Wife ofRead MoreHow William Shakespeare And Carol Ann Duffys Subverting The Gender Roles Of Gender And Feminism1430 Words   |  6 Pages12HG T.S Eliot Prize Essay 14 October 2017 How do William Shakespeare and Carol Ann Duffy subvert traditional roles of gender and sexuality in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and â€Å"Sonnet 20†? Both Carol Ann Duffy in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† and William Shakespeare in â€Å"Sonnet 20† subvert male gender roles by presenting the male protagonists with physical female traits. Both poets differ in their presentation of traditional gender roles and sexuality. In â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias†, Carol Ann Duffy subverts the genderRead MoreSilence is One of the Greatest Arts of Conversation655 Words   |  3 Pagesquoted by Marcus Cicero, silence is one of the greatest arts of conversation and Shakespeare exercises this art of conversation by manipulating the quantity of language in his play Titus Andronicus. Accordingly, by incorporating the absences of speech, Shakespeare moves past the convention of language, which is to act as a device for communication and he employs silence as an independent agent. In this way, Shakespeare reframes the customary use of language in his play and as a result, he underpinsRead MoreGender Relations During The Jacobean Period864 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferently than gender in the 18th century. One can use the Jacobean period play Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare and the 18th century play The Beaux Stratagem by George Farquhar to examine gender relations during the two periods. The plays demonstr ate how women were represented in society and what societal expectations were at the time. The way women navigated their own sexuality, finances, and power relation’s improved noticeably from the Jacobean Period to the 18th century. During theRead MoreShakespeare s Twelfth Night : Gift Exchange, Debt And The Early Modern Matrimonial Economy1321 Words   |  6 Pagesthroughout the ages depicted different sexual orientation and gender identification. The play Twelfth Night made produced by William Shakespeare discusses the topics of sexuality during the early 17th century. The articles Gender Trouble in ‘Twelfth Night by Casey Charles agrees that the main central theme of this play is associated with gender identification and sexuality. However,the article â€Å"Rings and Things† in Twelfth Night:Gift Exchange, Debt and the Early Modern Matrimonial Economy by StephanieRead MorePower Struggle In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1373 Words   |  6 PagesRenowned playwright William Shakespeare, and contemporary novelist Margaret Atwood both explore power struggle from a feminist perspective. Shakespeare in ‘King Lear’ and Atwood in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ explor e varying power struggles and their correlation to gender through their respective texts. Shakespeare and Atwood use the genders of their central characters to focus on power in historical and dystopian settings. Both authors explore religious frameworks, the types of power in a patriarchal