Women in

Shakespeare

Courtney Fletcher

NO WOMEN

Women characteristics: Of the

time
Gentle
Emotional
Not of equal to men
High Class Woman
Lower Class Woman

Women are in truth not

normally capable of
responding to such
familiarity and mutual
confidence as sustains
that holy bond of
friendship Nancy Lindheim,
Rethinking Sexuality and class in Twelfth
Night

How Shakespeare shows women

Shakespeare
"If they tell the truth and stay in their frocks, they're killed or
they run mad and kill themselves (Lady Macbeth), but if they
disguise themselves and go underground, they not only can
have their voices, they can organize society and it all ends up
terribly well,(Viola)" Packer
Women are complex characters

Hotspur to Lady Percy

And when I am a-horseback, I will swear I love thee infinitely. But hark you, Kate, I must not
have you henceforth question me Whither I go, nor reason whereabout. Whither I must, I
must; and to conclude, This evening must I leave you, gentle Kate. I know you wise, but yet
no farther wise Than Harry Percys wife; constant you are, But yet a woman; and for secrecy
No lady closer, for I well believe Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know, And so far will I
trust thee, gentle Kate Act 2: Scene 3

Types of Woman
The Bawdy Woman
The Tragic Innocent Woman
The Scheming Femme Fatal
The Witty, but Unmarriable Woman
The Married off Woman
Women Who Dress as Men
Falsely Accused of Adultery

Matter of Opinion
Strong

Middle Ground

Weak

Viola
Beatrice
Cordelia, King Lear
Portia, The Merchant of
Venice
Juliet, Romeo and Juliet
Desdemona, Othello
Rosalind, As You Like it

Lady Macbeth
Olivia

Hero
Bianca

Lakh

lakh

Viola- Cesario

Friendship
s occurs
between
male
equals

Female villains- Femme Fatale

TOP
FIVE

ady Macbeth
Goneril &
Regan
King Lear

Tamora
Titus Andronicus

Sycorax
The Tempest

oaf

Lady Macbeth
Masculinity

Femininity

Ambition
Suicide
Power
Cant kill
Duncan

https://youtu.be/Uxxa31bTZuE

In conclusion
Shakespeare has a complex view
of women and it is hard to tell if
he is against woman or for them.
Personally.

Work Cited
Jamieson, Lee. "7 Types of Female Characters You'll See in
Shakespeare's Plays."About.com Education. About.com, 1 Mar.
2016. Web. 15 Apr. 2016
Lindheim, Nancy. "Rethinking Sexuality And Class In "Twelfth
Night.." University Of Toronto Quarterly 76.2 (2007): 679-713.
Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Shakespeare's Top 10 Most Powerful Female Characters."No Sweat
Shakespeare. No Sweat Shakespeare, 2016. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
Google Images