More handpicked essays just for you.
The role of women in Roman society
William shakespeare’s importance essay
The role of women in Roman society
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The women in Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, Tamora and Livinia, represent contrasting models of womanhood, with each following her own method in order to navigate the male-dominated world of the play. Based on popular and opposing stereotypes of women, Shakespeare contrasts the seductive and powerful force of Tamora with his portrait of Lavinia as virtuous and obedient in order to illustrate the female experience in a patriarchal culture of misogyny. Throughout Titus Andronicus, Tamora and Lavinia both intentionally and inadvertently fuel the conflict and bloodshed of the play through Tamora’s pursuit of revenge and the defense against Lavinia’s virtue and chastity. Throughout Titus Andronicus, Lavinia embodies a vision of womanly virtue …show more content…
in the Roman society. Described by Bassianus as , Lavinia’s silent obedience aids in her continued objectification throughout the play. Her submission to patriarchal authority is evident early on in Act 1, beginning with her lack of consent in the marriage proposals of Saturninus and Bassianus. While the seductive and cunning Tamora represents the opposing force to Lavinia’s virtue, Tamora too experiences a lack of agency in the opening scene of the play. Furthermore, despite the stark distinction in their characterizations, both women experience the same misogynistic treatment by Titus Andronicus in Act 1. When Titus gives Saturninus his approval to marry Lavinia, Andronicus also presents the new emperor with his prisoners of war. Speaking to Tamora, Titus explains, Indeed, by the opening scene of the play, the culture of male domination is already apparent, as Titus Andronicus treats the noble Queen of Goths, Tamora, and even his own daughter, Lavinia, as commodities to be given away and traded like property. The detached objectification of both of these women despite their opposing characters further emphasizes the culture of misogyny, implying that total obedience to the cultural values has little effect on a woman’s true value in the male-dominated society. While Lavinia is objectified as a result of her virtue and obedience, throughout the play, Tamora is characterized by her sexuality and power. One of the first signs of Tamora’s contrasting lack of submission can be found in her response to Saturninus’ proposal. After Bassianus claims Lavinia as his own, Saturninus requests Tamora’s hand in marriage. Tamora agrees to the marriage on one condition, telling the emperor, By accepting his proposal in order to advance her own powerful, Tamora’s engagement provides a glaring contrast with Lavinia’s, which is anything but consensual. Indeed, in response to his marriage to Lavinia, Bassianus defends the lack of consent, stating: Again, here is yet another example of the objectification of Lavinia as a commodity to be possessed. However, in the context of the comparison of Tamora and Lavinia as targets of misogynistic oppression in the patriarchal Roman society, Tamora provides a contrasting model of the role of women within this society by obtaining control of her own accord. Both of the women of Titus Andronicus experience adversity that encourages sympathy from the audience. While the play begins with Tamora in a largely sympathetic role as a mother pleading for mercy for her child, by the end of the play her compassion is largely unrecognizable. After Lucius requests the ritual sacrifice of her eldest son, Tamora begs Titus to be merciful of Alarbus. Relying on his Roman ethical values and honor, Tamora pleads to him, . Here, Tamora’s pleading to Titus parallels Lavinia’s pleas for Tamora’s mercy later in the play before the chaste young woman is raped and mutilated by Demetrius and Chiron. In the scene, Lavinia begs Tamora’s sons to reason with their mother, pleading, It is important to note that both of the women’s pleas for mercy start with an attempt to find common ground and end with an effort to encourage Roman ethical values. While each woman employs her own technique of functioning within the patriarchal Roman society, these two opposing characters share some similarities in their methods.
Tamora’s repeated use of asides reflects her powerful manipulation on the audience as insiders on her play within a play as she plots revenge against Titus. Even with her gradual decline from sympathetic narrative, Tamora’s manipulative powers are still very much apparent. Though Lavinia’s silence and obedience provides a contrast with the character of Tamora, the Queen of Goths occasionally relies on her own seeming submission in order to control those around her to further her plot of revenge. In moments of such manipulation, she speaks in a manner that seemingly submits to her male counterparts. Though she has an affair with Aaron the Moor, in speaking to her husband Saturninus, she refers to him as While Lavinia in chaste by her virtue, Tamora mimics such virtuous qualities in order to manipulate her husband into aiding in her revenge against Titus Adronicus. Tamora is extremely confident in her abilities to influence Titus, which she boasts about Telling Saturninus to one might surmise that hubris plays a role in Tamora’s ultimate demise. In contrast, Lavinia’s power of influence comes from her silence and subservience. As a result of her objectification, Lavinia becomes an object of desire for many of the men in the play. Aaron warns Demetrius and Chiron of the dangers of such power While Tamora …show more content…
utilizes her capacity for rhetoric in order to manipulate those around her, Lavinia’s virtue makes her highly desirable and as a result, a powerful force of the action within the play. Indeed, in the play’s opening, the death of Mutius is justified, as Titus states, Therefore, though Lavinia lacks the oratory skills of Tamora, her virtue instills power in itself. The final comparison the two women of Titus Andronicus share is each’s ultimate demise at the hands of the title character.
As punishment for her vengeance of the death of her son, Titus feeds Tamora and stabs her following her realization of what she has just eaten. In her death, Tamora is represented with animal imagery, as Lucius refers to the Queen of Goths. Unlike Tamora, in Lavinia’s death is not punishment but rather a way to purge her of her shame. As Titus kills his daughter and her “shame.” These final deaths reflect the horrible violence against women in defense of the values of the misogynistic and patriarchal Roman society. The contrast of characterization in both Tamora and Lavinia, conqueror and conquered, and their shared ultimate demise reflects the paradox of choice in the role of women. Despite Lavinia’s virtue and Tamora’s powers of manipulation, neither is able to survive through the culture of
misogyny.
Pitt, Angela. "Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint of Shakespeare's Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.
In equation with the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare offers us a male dominated society in his renowned tragedy, Othello. Consequently, this definitely persuades a negative attitude and demeanor towards the women of the times. The female characters in the play: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca; play relevant roles in contributing to one’s understanding of this exhausted Elizabethan view. In contrast to the larger portion of the play, Emilia, spouse to the scandalous Iago, takes an opinionated stand for Desdemona in relation to her wholesome gone sour relationship with the Moor of Venice, Othello. I recognize Emilia’s “Betrayal lecture” as a justified outlook in accordance with today’s period and events surrounding Desdemona’s and Othello’s fatal misunderstanding.
In Rape of Lucretia, Lucretia integrity is at risk, due to her being forced into unchastity by Sextus Tarquinius(58). During this time, having one unclean act carried out by a woman, could attach the reputation of performing such acts to her, and she herself can be used to represent shame. In Rape of Lucretia, Lucretia states that no women will use her as a dishonored example(58). She then commits suicide by stabbing herself (58). Here, Lucretia is trying to erase the corruption that her name may carry in Roman society. This will result in the Roman society not being able to use her as an example of a woman being unchaste. This in turn will keep the expectations of women, which is to not be unchaste with anyone besides her
The power that Lavinia has is not like Tamora’s, which is traditionally masculine. Lavinia’s power is in her femininity. She is able to attract the attention of many men, including Demetrius and Chiron, Tamora’s sons. At one point, Chiron is begging Demetrius to let him have Lavinia saying that he will “plead my passions for Lavinia’s love” (2.1.36). It does not matter to these two men that Lavinia is married; she is still just as attractive to them. Lavinia has the power to attract these men to her by her femininity, but she is not able to ward off their attack because her power is limited to being feminine, not being strong and convincing, like
Pitt, Angela. “Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.
Pitt, Angela. "Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies." Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare's Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.
Pitt, Angela. “Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.
The portrayal of gender roles in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, demonstrates the inferior treatment of women and the certain stereotypes of men placed on them by society. Both the male and female characters in the play have these certain gender expectations placed on them. In a society dominated by men, it is understood that the women are to be seen rather than heard. The women are referred to and treated much like property. If indeed they do speak up, they are quickly silenced. One woman’s attempt to be the perfect wife is what ultimately led to her demise. The expectations of men are equally stereotypical. Men are to be leaders and to be in control and dominant especially over the women. The male characters compete for position and use the female characters in the play as leverage to manipulate each other. Shakespeare provides insight in understanding the outcomes of the men and women who are faced with the pressures of trying to live up to society’s expectations, not only in the workplace, but also in the home. The pressure creates jealousy issues amongst the men and they become blind to the voice of reason and are overtaken by jealous rage, leads to the death of many of the characters.
During the Elizabethan era women had a status of subordination towards men. They had a role to marry and oblige to their husband’s wishes. Shakespearean literature, especially illustrates how a woman is psychologically and physically lesser to their male counterpart. The play, Othello, uses that aspect in many different ways. From a Feminist lens others are able to vividly examine how women were subjected to blatant inferiority. Being displayed as tools for men to abuse, women were characterized as possessions and submissive; only during the last portion of the play did the power of women take heed.
In Rape of Lucretia, Lucretia integrity is at risk, due to her being forced into unchastity by Sextus Tarquinius(58). During this time, having one unclean act carried out by a woman, could attach the reputation of performing such acts to her, and she herself can be used to represent shame. In Rape of Lucretia, Lucretia states that no women will use her as a dishonored example(58). She then commits suicide by stabbing herself (58). Here, Lucretia is trying to erase the corruption that her name may carry in Roman society. This will result in the Roman society not being able to use her as an example of a woman being unchaste. This in turn will keep the expectations of women, which is to not be unchaste with anyone besides her
Pitt, Angela. “Women in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.
William Shakespeare’s The Tempest provides dialogue that portrays the social expectations and stereotypes imposed upon women in Elizabethan times. Even though the play has only one primary female character, Miranda, the play also includes another women; Sycorax, although she does not play as large a roll. During many scenes, the play illustrates the characteristics that represent the ideal woman within Elizabethan society. These characteristics support the fact that men considered women as a mere object that they had the luxury of owning and were nowhere near equal to them. Feminists can interpret the play as a depiction of the sexist treatment of women and would disagree with many of the characteristics and expectations that make Miranda the ideal woman. From this perspective, The Tempest can be used to objectify the common expectations and treatment of women within the 16th and 17th Centuries and compare and contrast to those of today.
While she does have good intentions through out parts of the play and is a kind hearted woman, she never defends herself to her diabolical husband. Iago constantly makes hateful and degrading insults towards Emilia. "Come on, come on. You are pictures out of door, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds." (Act 2 scene 1 line 119) Not once does she ever defend herself. In fact, she is nothing but eager to please her husband to win his affection. "I nothing but to please his fantasy" (Act 3 scene 3 Line 343) She betrays her friendship with by stealing her handkerchief and gives it to Iago hoping to satisfy him. This utterly fails leaving Emilia with the desire to continue to try to please him. "Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for 't" (Act 4, Scene 3, line 85) She is a representation of an abused woman who does not have enough self respect to defend herself. It is evident she makes herself a slave to Iago by consistently trying to make him happy despite his malevolent behaviour. Emilias lack of self confidence and passiveness proves that the women in Othello are powerless and
Women were often subjects of intense focus in ancient literary works. In Sarah Pomeroy’s introduction of her text Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, she writes, “Women pervade nearly every genre of classical literature, yet often the bias of the author distorts the information” (x). It is evident in literature that the social roles of women were more restricted than the roles of men. And since the majority of early literature was written by men, misogyny tends to taint much of it. The female characters are usually given negative traits of deception, temptation, selfishness, and seduction. Women were controlled, contained, and exploited. In early literature, women are seen as objects of possession, forces deadly to men, cunning, passive, shameful, and often less honorable than men. Literature reflects the societal beliefs and attitudes of an era and the consistency of these beliefs and attitudes toward women and the roles women play has endured through the centuries in literature. Women begin at a disadvantage according to these societal definitions. In a world run by competing men, women were viewed as property—prizes of contests, booty of battle and the more power men had over these possessions the more prestigious the man. When reading ancient literature one finds that women are often not only prizes, but they were responsible for luring or seducing men into damnation by using their feminine traits.
From the expansion days of Ancient Rome to the fall of the Roman Empire, women have always succumbed to living subjacent to the status of their omnipotent and dominant male figures. After leaving her childhood home and the rule of her father, a young Roman girl would then be coerced into the dominion of her husband, often taking a plethora of roles, ranging from lover, caretaker, and best friend. It is often lightheartedly stated that, “Behind every great man is an even greater woman,” and William Shakespeare exemplifies this concept beautifully in Julius Caesar, in which he effectively used the spouses of the two main characters to add more depth, drama, and literary elements to the play, bringing it to life. Although the only two female characters in Julius Caesar, Portia and Calpurnia do not play a pivotal role in the overall plot of the story, their presence is vital in illuminating and developing the characters of their husbands, Brutus and Caesar. What they reveal about their husbands leads the reader to infer that Portia is the more admirable and redeeming character.