The Women's Suffrage Movement

912 Words4 Pages
400 years ago in Shakespeare’s time, women were weak and powerless. In the 1600’s, the average woman's role in society was “to govern and direct her household” and “to look to her house and family.” (Richard Mulcaster) About 150 years ago, women in the US started to do something about this, gaining supporters for the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Today, women prove over and over again that we do not stand by unnecessary gender based discrimination. Shakespeare depicts a stereotypical image of society’s inequality towards women through the portrayal of female characters in Romeo and Juliet. Lady Capulet is a prime example of women in the Elizabethan Era who is restricted in their own household. Knowing that Juliet’s marriage arrangement is settles…show more content…
As a woman, she is even more impotent because she cannot stand up to men and their orders. Mercutio’s crude words and song to call the Nurse a prostitute and the comparison of her to an old rabbit shows how men can be so demeaning/ degrading towards women. The Nurse is unable to react aggressively because its out of the social norm to do so, unlike what men would do in this situation. Her low ranking position in society does not help her either because if she did fight back, she would have faced consequences, being a…show more content…
Chopped logic! What is this? “Proud,” and “I thank you,” and “I thank you not,” And yet “not proud”? Mistress minion you, Thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds, 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, carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow face! (3.5.154) Juliet has no say in her father’s arrangement regarding her own future. Being a woman, Juliet cannot talk back to Lord Capulet in fear of facing her father and revealing her previous marriage to Romeo. Capulet is infuriated at even the slightest mention of disobedience. Not only does this quote show how women in this time period are restricted in their actions, but it also depicts men’s dominance in 1600’s society. His threats to have Juliet dragged if he must explain the controlling nature of men and how lowly women were thought to be. Shakespeare’s portrayal of women in the 1600’s show that women were powerless and were often ordered around by men. Lady Capulet, the Nurse, and Juliet are all depicted as weak women and unable to do anything without depending on men. Readers are able to have a glimpse of life in the Elizabethan England Period through Romeo and Juliet and know what it was like to live in the common expectations of being a woman. It is ironic that women were so weak and helpless in society, while in the same time period as a neighboring country, the ruling power was Queen
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