... and, by extension, will comply with traditional gender roles, which dictated that a woman should marry to either preserve or advance social ties and familial goals, not to gratify her own romantic or sexual needs or desires. Egeus is so insistent about the importance of maintaining the dominant gender paradigm that he entreats Theseus to use the full weight and penalty of ... curry her favor. The fact that Olivia uses her power as the lady of the house to compel a servant to lie on her behalf so that she can make her romantic and sexual decisions for herself is an affirmation of her age...

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