Shakespeare's Women by Literature Tutor
Complexities about the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s plays that students need to be aware of
Shakespeare’s women demonstrate self-sufficiency, evade stereotypes, and assert their opinions.
Think of Juliet Capulet, a feisty, sassy 14-year-old in Romeo & Juliet, think of Portia, a confident, wealthy heiress, educated, clever and witty in The Merchant of Venice, think of Viola, the highly adaptable, quick-thinking upper-class survivor of a shipwreck in Twelve Night, think of Rosalind, the sensible, confident and quick-thinking daughter of a deposed Duke in As You Like It… The list goes on.
When we explore the portrayal of women during the Jacobean period, we need to look at the social contexts where there is a heady mix of middle class concerns, existing norms, the influence of the Puritans and the court and the response of women during that period.
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