Throughout the eight plays we have read in this class (Othello, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Shakespeare uses many different scenarios to display the treatment of women during the Elizabethan era. While each play offers a realistic portrayal of how women were considered inferior to men, one questions till remains: what was Shakespeare’s personal opinion about the treatment of women?
This question interests me because Shakespeare often uses a comedic approach to portraying the norms of society on stage. In each case, Shakespeare never fails to poke fun at the society in which he lives. For example, in The Taming of the Shrew, Kate and her sister Bianca are obviously just two pieces of property. Neither of them have any say over their futures. Their father basically negotiates their marriages like a business contract. Then, when they are sold off to their new husbands, they (especially Kate) are forced to conform to the will and lifestyle of their husbands. In example, Petruchio uses starvation and sleep deprivation among other tactics to “tame” Kate. In this case, the treatment of women is clearly displayed as animal-like and inhumane.
In the play Othello, the treatment of women is similar. First, Iago and Emilia demonstrate that women are to be used by men, as if women were some sort of convenience for men. On the other hand, the relationship between Desdemona and Othello reveals that women, although they may be faithful and obedient, are at the mercy of their husbands who can decide to dispose of them as they please like some filthy piece of trash. Since the play ends tragically, it shows how screwed up this type of treatment is.
In my opinion, Shakespeare used his plays to shed some light on the evils of society.
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