The Role of Women in Shakespeares Plays

Women played many different roles in Shakespeare’s plays; they could play a weak character or a strong character. In Shakespeare’s plays women were portrayed as being inferior to men, the males in their lives overpowered most of the women in these plays. Most of the women in these plays didn’t have an impact on the outcome of the story. Each of the women in these plays are in different situations, but are treated the same way. The male characters overpower all the women, because in those days that’s how the women were treated. Shakespeare either “ uses women to influence or to be influenced upon.” Although Shakespeare wrote for “ the male entertainment”, he was considered to be a feminist.

William Shakespeare lived during the Elizabethan era and wrote all his works based on the society of that time. The Elizabethan era was a time where women were portrayed to be weaker then men. During this time it was said that “ women are to be seen, and not heard.” Marriages at this time were usually arranged by your parents, and you were to marry whomever they’ve set you up with without even seeing them first. At this time people married for wealth and the well being of th

In Shakespeare’s play, “ Hamlet”, Ophelia, a main character, is controlled by her father and the king. Ophelia fits the stereotype of women of he times, because she’s easily controlled by the men in her life. Ophelia cannot express her feelings for Hamlet because her father has forbidden her to see him. If the Ophelia was independent and didn’t allow her father to control her life, she would have been able to be with the man she loves.

An example of the typical stereotype of women of these times is, Miranda in “ The Tempest”, Miranda doesn’t have much of a voice throughout this play. Miranda was simply there “ to be seen and not heard.” Miranda is royalty, being that she is the daughter of the king, but she is treated the same as a servant is rather than being treated like her father. In this play Shakespeare’s gives a great display of sexism, which was influenced upon him by the society in which he lived in.

Another example of Shakespeare’s portrayal of women of his time through his plays is the role of Desdemona, in “Othello”. Desdemona, like Katherine in “ The Taming of the Shrew”, is a rebellious girl. Desdemona decides to marry Othello without her father’s permission. At this period in time for a girl to deny her father the right to choose your husband was not common. The men in their lives, especially their fathers and husbands, easily overpowered most women of Desdemona’s time. Then again Othello, Desdemona’s husband, raised his voice to her and hit her and she had no protection from him. As you know during these times if

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