How Shakespeare and Ibsen Treated their Women

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Recommended: The portrayal of women in Shakespeare's plays

How Shakespeare and Ibsen
Treated their Women

Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and Ibsen’s A Doll’s House portray women in many ways. Both authors have strong feelings about women and weren’t afraid to express them in their writing. Shakespeare’s views about women differed greatly with those of Ibsen’s. Both Kate, from Taming of the Shrew, and Nora, from A Doll’s House, were mistreated by the men in their lives. Throughout this paper you will hear supporting details about how the two authors had contrasting ideas about the way men should treat women.
Throughout Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare portrayed women as objects or shrews that needed to be tamed. Kate was the daughter of a wealthy man named Baptista Minolta from Padua. She was the oldest sister and, under tradition of the time, had to be married first. Bianca, on the other hand, was the younger daughter and was courted by many. Due to Kate’s wild behavior, the suitors were afraid of her. Along came a man named Petruccio, who was determined to marry her and get the money that would be given to the man who marries her. Through Petruccio, Shakespeare exploited women.
With all of the male characters changing their identities, Shakespeare tried to portray the women as being ignorant and not realizing what was going on. With at least two major characters changing parts to get closer to their loved ones, the women seemed to be clueless. Shakespeare portrayed these women as being easily tricked. While it seemed like all the men were trying to suit Bianca, Petruccio was taming Kate.
With scenes such as when Petruccio denied Kate food, clothing, and gifts, women were further deprived of their dignity. That scene showed the power of the male over the female. Shakespeare also portrayed men, as being superior to women by having Petruccio seem more “cunning'; than Kate. “This is a way to kill a wife with kindness.'; This was Petruccio’s quote referring to the way he was treating Kate. He complimented her all the time and never took the answer “no';. With Petruccio’s control over Kate, Shakespeare further deprived women of their dignity.
While Shakespeare depicted women as ignorant shrews, Ibsen gave them the credit that they deserved as being human beings. In the time period that A Doll’s House was written, women’s roles were still limited to those of the “house-wife.'; Ibsen ignored these stereotypes and gave women the credit they so deserved.

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