2018031314275020180310210018women_in_one_or_two_shakespeare_plays x
The treatment of women in one or two Shakespeare plays
My outline is currently attached below
Length: Your research paper should be 4-5 pages (6 pages maximum). This does NOT include the APA formatted title page and the APA reference page. Your paper should be in the following order:
- Title page
- Body pages (a minimum of 4 full pages but do not exceed 6 pages)
- APA Style References page
NOTE: DO NOT INCLUDE AN ABSTRACT.
Research Sources: Your research paper should discuss and cite a minimum of 5 but not more than 8 credible, scholarly sources (literary criticism) obtained through academic databases of the university.
Manuscript format and length: Your paper should follow APA Style format guidelines. Be sure to follow APA Style manuscript guidelines regarding font style and size, spacing, margins, etc.
Documentation and avoiding plagiarism: Your paper should follow APA Style documentation guidelines to avoid unintentional plagiarism. Remember that whenever you use another’s words or ideas, their work must be documented in your paper; otherwise, you are plagiarizing. Please document references to the play(s)/textbook as well as all information from each of your research sources.
Running Head: WOMEN IN ONE OR TWO SHAKESPEARE
PLAYS 1
Women in One or Two Shakespeare Plays
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Formal Outline
Thesis Statement: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet it is evident that women are discriminated and
are considered as lesser beings in the society.
1. To conform to the expectations of the society. Women were to follow strictly the norms and
regulations laid down by the community or society without questioning anything. This,
therefore, forced them to be and do what the society wants instead of fulfilling their own
independent desires.
2. Considered to be so weak and inferior thus could not make any decisions on their own.
Women in this society were not given an opportunity to decide for themselves. Even in
crucial matters like a marriage where one is expected to choose her life partner before
settling, this was done for them by their fathers.
3. Seen as a possession by their fathers and husband. Their fathers choose for them partners
mainly for economic gain and interest as the valued wealth. On the other hand, they were to
be very submissive to their husbands.
4. Lady Culpet and Juliet’s nurse are the two women characters who have clearly conformed to
the patriarchal society and are in support of it.
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Introduction
Women are looked at or viewed differently according to the various societies that they come
from. Some communities or societies value women whereas there are some that look down on them.
This paper is going to focus on how women characters in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet are
treated in the society they are in. This analysis is of great importance because from the results or
findings of the research we will be in the position to compare and contrast this treatment of women
from that period to now. Women in the society are often perceived differently by the people within
their communities or societies. This is so evident in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. The
timing of this book tells it all as it was written when the main duty of a woman in the society was to
be submissive to the men in the community and the husband as well. They were therefore restricted
to a private, domestic sphere as they were considered to be wives and mothers. Shakespeare has
brought out the aspect of unfair and unequal treatment of women through various themes such as
feminism, the role of women in the society and through characters such as Juliet, Lady Capulet
among others. Typically, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet it is evident that women are discriminated
and are considered as lesser beings in the society.
To begin with, the women in the play are controlled by men. The men in this society
consider the women as very inferior that they cannot even be allowed to make decisions on their
own. This is so evident when Lord Capulet decides by himself as the father of Juliet to marry her off
to Paris without even consulting Juliet. This is illustrated in Act 1 Scene 2 where Paris asks
Capulet,” but now, my lord, what say you to my suit?” This is clear indication that marriage was set
up between men and the bride had so little said or do. This violated women’s right thus making it
very difficult for them to achieve their set dreams or goals.
In addition to this, women were considered as possession by their fathers and husband. Marriage
was considered a very important thing by both the families involved. This is mainly because both
the families looked at the economic status quo of the family they wanted their daughter to be
married to or even son to marry from. For this reason, Capulet married off her daughter to Paris for
the economic and financial benefit. Apart from this, the father being in possession of the daughter
had to fulfill the societal ritual by “giving” of his daughter’s hand in marriage to the husband to be.
This gave the father the chance to force Juliet with a husband she never liked as it was his right to
uphold his paternal authority over her. He says “And you be mine; I’ll give you to my friend…”
(Zimmerman & Sullivan 2007)
Women according to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, are also to conform to all the
expectations of the society. The fact that they were considered weak and inferior made it very
possible for men in the society to manipulate them. They were to follow all the rules and the
regulations to the latter. This restricted their lives to a private and domestic sphere as they were to be
very subservient to men, act as a wife and a good mother to the children. Women were to fully obey
and serve the male in the society this was actually from the father, brothers, husband and any other
male person in the society. Failure to obeying this and the other norms set by the community, one
could land herself in severe punishment. This is clear from all the names the father called her such
as headstrong, mistress minion, baggage, curse, disobedient wretch, a wretched puling fool among
many others. She is also subjected to threat of being thrown out by the father. “Hang thee, young
baggage! Disobedient wretch! (3.5.159-68) Juliet’s lack of obedience also causes misunderstanding
between the families and later on leads to a very tragic death of the three parties involved in the love
triangle that is Paris, Juliet, and Romeo.
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Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother as a character, has also been used by the author to show the
treatment women received from the men in the society. The fact that she is a victim of a patriarchal
society, she behaves the same way towards her daughter. She is very comfortable with her daughter
being married off even before she reaches the age of fifteen just because she was subjected to that
too. She supports and says that it an honor for a woman to be married…. “Here in Verona, ladies of
esteem,/are already made mothers. By my count, / I was your mother much upon these years”
(Zimmerman & Sullivan 2007 P. 70-72). Instead of standing with her daughter to help in the quest
for male dominance in the society, she joins hand in further frustrating her daughter by scolding her
and being so cruel and evil. This is evident when she says, “I would the fool were married to her
grave” ((Zimmerman & Sullivan 2007 P.140). According to her, she has accepted and
acknowledged her lesser place in the society they live in and expects the daughter to do so too.
Apart from Lady Capulet as a character, we also come across Juliet’s nurse who has also conformed
to the patriarchal society that they live in. She accepts the fact that women grow by men thus this
reflects the patriarchy and inherent dependence of women upon men for everything. She joins hand
in advising or encouraging Juliet to get married at that tender age. She goes as far as making several
references to a joke her husband made several years ago. “Thou wilt fall backward when thou
comest to age” (Phyllis, 2005) this makes it very clear to us of how comfortable she was with a
woman getting married and becoming or being considered fertile at a young age.
Conclusion
After a critical analysis of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, it is so clear that the book is
loaded with patriarchal ideologies that are not only perpetrated but also reinforced in the society. It
is indeed true that women are considered lesser human being and are considered as objects that can
be taken and returned. Apart from that, they are also restricted to societal norms and beliefs that
only end up tying them as slaves for the male in the society and tools for bearing children. Women
are also deprived of their decision-making rights thus are not able to handle serious issues and
challenges for fear of being punished and thrown out just in the case of Juliet. The women who find
themselves in the various tragedies do not have freedom and liberty because of the majority if not all
of the decisions concerning their lives are made for them by the male even without consultation. It is
therefore very crucial or essential that we try and strike a balance between male and female. We
should enhance equality and treat every person with the respect they deserve without looking at
whether they are male or female because at the end of it all everyone’s opinion matters.
References
Phyllis R., (2005). Shakespeare and Women. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
Zimmerman, S., & Sullivan, G. A. (2007). Shakespeare studies: Vol. 35. Madison, N.J: Fairleigh
Dickinson University Press.
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