Gender are characteristics differentiating between masculinity and femininity. These characteristics may include biological (i.e. the state of being male, female or intersex), sex-based social structures( gender roles and other social roles) or gender identity. Gender is a socially constructed phenomenon. When born, one is either male or female. They are not masculine or feminine. Later, depending upon their sex, masculinity or femininity is rewarded to the child. The male are expected to do the
Perfect Opposites: Settings in Midsummer Night’s Dream In Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare uses two main settings to symbolize divergent societies through the use of laws, organization, magic, and chaos. Athens is the first setting, and represents a harsh, lawful society that is reluctant to contravene its stringent rules. As a contrasting environment, the Woods makes use of magic and chaos to illustrate a society that is like a dream. Like a bridge connecting two worlds, Peter Quince’s home
stockings and garters which is ironically what Olivia loathes. When he shows up wearing the yellow stockings while constantly smiling in order to woo Olivia, she describes his behaviour by stating, “Why, this is very midsummer madness” (3.5.52). which alludes to the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream written earlier by Shakespeare. Madness of love is evident in that play with regards to the transfer of affection from Demetrius between Helena and Hermia. It is also by this madness that causes both Demetrius
Even up until today, females have been fighting for gender equality and the right to be taken seriously by society. In 2015, females still only make seventy-seven cents to every dollar that a male makes. During the Elizabethan time the fight for female equality was yet to begin and males treated women like possessions. In Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the women in the play are expected to surrender to the will of the males and are forced to forfeit the right to make their own destinies
Shakespeare’s males, King Lear included, were given heroic roles, often given more emphasis during their fall from grace and making them tragic characters. Shakespeare’s females, however, were given the comic roles, with Cordelia’s exceptionally written character given similar prominence to Lear’s fool. According to this analysis, Shakespeare’s point of view was “necessarily male,” and that there was a challenging other that was female. The gender divide among Shakespeare’s characters offer critics with
Shakespeare’s Worst Play “Titus Andronicus”, by William Shakespeare, is the first tragedy Shakespeare has ever written. This play has proven to be very controversial and usually banned in many schools because of its’ gory scenes and “over the top” deaths. It is the ultimate revenge tragedy with no decent humor, forgiveness, or redemption. This play, however, does lay a fundamental basis of the characters for the characters Shakespeare writes later on. Tamora could be seen as the early Lady Macbeth
Comedies William Shakespeare’s comedies cover an array of themes associated with sexuality, from gender reversals to the same-sex relationships. Yet, perhaps the most consistent and prominent focus of his plays is homoeroticism. Since this theme of homoeroticism proceeds from the prohibition of women on English stage, consequently young female roles were typically played by young boys, which may have played a role in the theme’s reoccurrence (Bullion 1). A suggestion made by Stephen Orgel explains that