Feminist Reading of the Tempest

Caliban's mother Sycorax however, is used in contrast with Miranda's character to enhance the representation of Miranda as the ideal woman. Unlike the other women within the play, Sycorax challenges the stereotypes of women, by being a "blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child-. Her character further enforces the desirability of chastity and beauty, by her being condemned for such qualities. Sycorax is furthermore used in contrast with the other female roles within the plays, as she is also a witch and thus possesses great power. As Sycorax's qualities are used in contrast to the ideal female, the power she possesses demonstrates the ideology that women were to be innocent and powerless, and thus submissive to males. Such characteristics expected of women of earlier times, can not only be interpreted as ideal', but also can be seen as sexist and derogatory from alternative perspectives.
             A feminist reading of The Tempest would interpret the representation of gender within the play as both sexist and as a depiction of the inferiority of women. Being a Shakespearean play, the play is written from a male's perspective from the Elizabethan era. As a result, the play acts as both a documentation of the representation of gender from this time, and serves as an insight into the male's perception of an ideal woman. Read from a feminist's point of view, as one who believes in the equality of men and women, the difference between the social expectations and stereotypes of the two gender's become apparent. The play would then represent the inferiority of women of Elizabethan times, and how sexism had become extremely prevalent within society. A feminist would identify that women were judged almost purely on their physical appearance, as Miranda, a "goddess-, is seen as ideal, whilst Sycorax, a "blue-eyed hag- enforces this ideal of physical beauty. Such a perspective would also identify that if a woman was to lose her virginity, then she was to lose her worth' as an individual.