Who really was Porcia Catonis? Was she just the loyal, loving wife to Brutus? Did she have more to her than what Shakespeare wrote? Going back to the history of Porcia, her family, other lovers, and reading in between the lines to discover the truth about who Porcia Catonis really was.
Climbing out of the literature books, and cracking open the books of history, researching Porcia may not be the easiest find in the books or on the internet. However, digging deep into her life and coming to realize; she was different than written in the story books. Porcia Catonis inhabited life around 43 BC, daughter of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis, a favored politician, and first wife Atilia, a housewife. Porcia persisted of youth and beautiful. She was considered full of courage and affectionate, and also addicted to philosophy. Early on in her life she was betrothed to Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, her father's political ally. Rumor has it that she and Marcus had a son together, Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus, but many historians believe this to be false by Poricas age, it stood in the way to be in the way for a child. Also, he could have been in the time period of the battle of the Philippi. Nevertheless, Porcia and Marcus’s marriage was faithful and full of life. However, in Roman times, natural marriage was not as secreade as it is now. It was not uncommon for a man to “share” their wives to other men. Subsequently, that is exactly what Quintus Hortensius had asked of Marcus. This, did not sit well with Marcus. He endured too much love and passion with Porcia to let her go. Not even an alliance with Quintius, just for his heir would take Porcia away from him. As humble, and caring Marcus was for his wife, he obtained a strong and fierce status as...
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... In the play, Porcia, was a kind, gentle, faithful, and loving wife. Many would have read that she was a fierce, head strong, strong willed, woman who would fight for her husbands trust at any given cost. No one would have ever thought that Porcia could have been more than what meets the eyes. No one would have thought that she could have been something more than a name on the pages of history. Porcia was more than a pretty, faithful woman, she was exciting, brave, heartfelt, and an underestimated woman that not many people get the chance of knowing. While times changes, Shakespeares plays become less, not many will ever know who Porcia was, where she came from, who she loved, or even how she died. But, for few who will read Shakespeare, and develop a mystery taste for Porcia, as I have, they shall see she had more between the lines of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
Men are to represent both the man and the women in the social realm and are the “breadwinners” and women are to be the domestic housewives. This difference in roles is especially prevalent in Thucydides’s text. He asserts that citizenship in Athens was closely tied to the honor of battle and the political sphere. Citizens were expected to be active in the social and political sphere, as well as die with honor in battle. Because women could not defend themselves and represent themselves, they could not obtain citizenship, and it is precisely because they did not have citizenship that they could not represent themselves. This allowed for men to look down on women because they could not perform the civic duty that they were not even allowed to do. Therefore, there was this confusing cycle that women were trapped in. Christine de Pizan, however, challenges this notion that women have no say in the social sphere. She does this personally in her life when she manages her own land, and writes her own books. Again, her case is extremely rare in that influence and background as the wife of a nobleman allowed for this. Her education also was a great asset and in normal circumstances, had she been a woman with no social standing, this would not have been possible. Pizan also challenges the cultural role set in place; she is on one hand, still a mother who takes care of her children, but on the other hand she is also the “breadwinner” of the house. It is precisely because she is able to do both of these things, that she is able to stress the equality of both genders in both spheres of
MacKay, L. A. "The Person of Penelope." Greece & Rome 2nd ser. 5.2 (1958): 123-27. JSTOR. Web. .
...the horrific incident of his murder to his dearest Porphyria. Finally, the employment of the clever use of irony serves in proving the persona’s inner madness, as what he thinks and does is contrary to what Porphyria has done earlier prior to her death. Though the persona’s execution of his late lover was done to keep his everlasting moment of intimacy with her, the act was still malevolent and evil, and was a poor and foolish attempt in displaying his own affection for his love. In the end, it greatly epitomized his greediness over keeping Porphyria to himself, and his cruelty by taking away her life for his own benefit.
In Shakespeare’s “Othello”, the role of women is deeply emphasized; the significant characters of the play Othello, Iago, and Casio, each have a lady that stands behind him. These women each have commitment to remain faithful and respect their husband's needs, especially Desdemona and Emilia.
The first major female character introduced in this epic is Penelope. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. She is portrayed as a strong-willed widow, who even after not seeing Odysseus for twenty years, keeps her trust in her husband to return home. The main tool is the rule of law, but even before laws customs could be used” (rwaag.org).
In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, women did not have strong roles. The roles of women are not common in the play, and their appearances are very limited. In fact, there are only two female roles in the play; the subservient Calphurnia, wife of Caesar, and the daring wife of Brutus, Portia. These two contrasting characters bring an element of foreshadowing to most of the notable events that occur during the play. One example of Calphurnia being used to foreshadow events is when she tells Caesar to “not go forth today; call it my fear” (2.2.50), indicting that she believes something dreadful will happen to Caesar. Calphurnia has also seen many omens that she believes are indicators of Julius Caesar’s death.
Portrayal of Women in La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Lady of Shalott, My last Duchess, and Porphyria's Lover
In “Porphyria’s Lover”, the speaker in this monologue is living in a cottage when his lover, who seems to be from a higher social class, comes in to see him. As
Petruchio achieves his goal through witty persuasion rather than resorting to beating his wife like many a man before him has done. Though Shakespeare does not go as far as some feminists would like him to, Shakespeare does much for the fight for equality of the sexes. Katherine’s as strong, or stronger than any woman in Shakespeare’s plays. The amazing thing is that she achieves this without ulterior motives, such as Lady Macbeth. She is an honest, bright, independent woman.
is unfolded, the reader sees a wife in love with the husband who was wise enough to earn her love (and consequently her fortune!). Beware, gentle reader! Do not fall under the spell of Portia the control freak! The following scenerios must be proof that this woman is not to be trusted!
Miranda’s character in the play represents the ideal woman of Elizabethan era. She is portrayed as a goddess among the men. “Most sure, the goddess/Oh whom these airs attend!”(1.2.425-426). Fer...
The Shakespearean classic work Othello enchants the readers mind through the tragic love story of the witty and cunning soldier Othello and the charming and powerful Desdemona. The continuous reinforcement of their tragedy is molded by the gender roles present in the play, particularly those of Bianca, Desdemona, and Emilia. Although the men are important within the outcome of the play, mainly Iago and Othello, the women take a more subtle, yet effective approach in manipulating the work through their personalities. Bianca is a woman of self-esteem and sexual power while Desdemona is the keeper of Othello’s heart and handkerchief, never once denouncing him, even her death. Emilia subtly represents that women are just as powerful, if not more,
The first part of the play is structured so as the reader to sense the build-up of tension taking place before the death of Caesar, reaching its climax with the assassination of Caesar and, later, when the angry mob attacks Cinna the poet, in Act III Scene III. This increasing tension is deeply related with one of the main themes of the play, “Fate versus Free Will”, because, all along with the different omens that are revealed by different characters in the course of the play, it contributes to the idea that some things are sort of pre-established, like if there was a superior power deciding the destiny of the characters .The play seems to support a philosophy in which fate and freedom maintain a delicate coexistence. Portia and Calpurnia, representing Women, are an important part of this theme since, in the beginning of the play; they are the ones that are more frightened about what may happen to their husbands. Portia fears something terrible would be taking place because of the strange behaviour her husband was having at the time. Calpurnia, on the other hand, is a character in deep relation with this theme, due to the dreams she has foreseeing the death of her husband:
Robert Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover skillfully epitomizes the male desire to dominate women in all spheres of life during the Victorian Era. This power construct is foregrounded as the dominant reading through a range of literary devices in the poem, pertaining to gender roles. Originally, the dramatic monologue highlights Porphyria and her strong presence in contrast to her passive male lover.
Cleopatra is a name that was given to many Queens who ruled in Egypt. The most famous of these women was Cleopatra VII. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII, King of Egypt. Cleopatra VII lived from 69-30 B.C. and reigned as queen of Egypt from 51-30 B.C. (Stanly). Cleopatra is said to be far from beautiful, her picture on ancient coins made her look like she had a long hooked nose and masculine features. She is also said to be very seductive with her enchanting musical voice and exuded charisma. She was also very intelligent and a great ruler. She spoke nine different languages. She was the only Eqyptian Queen who could actually speak Egyptian (History).