... meets two female characters who are different from Hermia in many ways, but who are affected similarly by the constrictions of the dominant social norms that determined how women should act and what they could reasonably expect from life. First, it is important to point out that both Olivia and Viola are women who enjoy certain social privileges relative to other ... come to his or her own conclusions. This writer concludes that the four characters who were examined here contested gender norms and opened new possibilities for themselves by appropriating destructive strategies and insist...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate