‘Shakespeare in love shows that in Elizabethan England women

In Elizabethan England, the women portrayed in the film Shakespeare in love were shown to have virtually no control over what happens to them, especially with major decisions made to effect the rest of their lives. The difference in gender roles is astounding and the complete influence of men over women is dramatic, they are the ones who make all the decisions on behalf of their women while the women have basically no say in where their lives will lead.

The lives of the women in Shakespeare in love seemed to be more or less completely controlled by the influence of the males around them. In many instances we see that life altering decisions about the future of a women are made freely by the men with no consultation of the women to whom the effects of this decision will be the making of the rest of their lives.

In the case of Viola, one of the higher-class woman portrayed in the film, we note that she is but a pawn in her fathers, he sells her to the aristocratic

Lord Wessex to obtain a noble title for his family without consultation or even a mention to Viola about her prospective husband. We

A women’s role in Elizabethan England was to breed and to serve, be an ever pleasant wife for her husband, caring mother to her children, and to keep out of the affairs of the males around her. A desirable women was attractive, fertile, came of a good family, and kept her mouth shut. Her time should be spent tending to her children, cooking, and cleaning. These duties would, if of noble birth, be taken care mostly by the nurse, leaving the women to keep herself busy by constantly ensuring she was looking her best to please her husband.

Viola symbolizes the Queen’s courage simply by standing up to her in argument and due to Viola’s early-established courage and talent; she successfully plays the role of "Romeo." This element of the film further links Viola to the Queen, for Queen Elizabeth successfully plays a lifetime role as the male monarch.

Viola is able to fool society into thinking her a man, defy her parents by seeing Will and has the courage to challenge the Queen, but these attributes, no matter how significant in Elizabethan times, cannot steer the course of Violas future the way she would like.

Some topics in this essay:
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