Gender Roles In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Since being strong is an expected characteristic of men, Romeo feels that the absence of his bravery is to blame for the tragedy. In another instance to showcase the problems caused when the perfect traits are not exhibited, Lord Capulet has a bad reaction to Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris. At the start of Paris’ courtship, Lord Capulet has a particularly relaxed outlook on the marriage, and insists that Paris woos her and she wants to go into the marriage. After fleeting days of

Although Laertes, Ophelia’s brother may not straight-out ignore women, he unconsciously treats them as an inferior being to men. When Ophelia has to part with Laertes, who is leaving for France, he says, “Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, and keep within the rear of your affection, out of the shot and danger of desire.” (I.iii

When Juliet sees Paris, he is asking all these questions about loving him, Juliet never tells him she is married causing him to want to still marry her. "That may be, sir, when I may be a wife" (IV.1.19). Juliet will not tell Paris how she feels causing him to want to marry her, if she just told him the truth about her feelings and wasn’t arrogant about it, she would still be alive. During this all Friar Laurence is there listening to Juliet talk to Paris and he never jumps in to tell Paris that she is married. "The correlation between the behaviors of the friar and of other characters indicates that accepting Paris, defiance of conventional expectation is wholesale.

He tries to make all his decisions revolve around her. Capulet has a suitor, Paris, ready for Juliet, but Juliet does not find anything in Paris and instead finds another man she loves, Romeo. Juliet knows that Capulet would not approve of Romeo because he is a Montague, so she keeps it a secret. At the beginning of the play, Capulet makes thoughtful and rational choices, but the play progresses, his decisions become more fueled by emotions and impulsive. Capulet is capable of thinking objectively and analytically as shown in the beginning of the play.

William Shakespeare takes an unconventional turn on gender roles in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. It has been a historical and social trend for society to be predominantly ruled by males. In addition, females are expected to be subservient and responsive to all of her husband’s needs and are viewed as weak and feeble. This trend is seen at the beginning of the play. Ultimately, the play seeks and attempts to define what it means to be considered masculine and feminine in society’s standards.

The play commences with the courtship of multiple individuals. First, Shakespeare challenged the policies of the day was through examining the role of courtship using the single women of the play, Helena and Hermia. One way was through the belief that women should have the right to reject men. Hermia says: “I do entreat your grace to pardon me/I know not by what power I am made bold/Nor how it may concern my modesty In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;/But I beseech your grace that I may know/The worst that may befall me in this case/If I refuse to wed

He is exerting his paternal control by demanding Juliet marry Paris, threatening to never acknowledge again if she does not obey him. By reason of his ability to turn any situation around, he is partially to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. “Alone, in company, still my care hath been; To have her matched. And having now provided; a gentleman of noble parentage” (Shakespeare 3.5.178-180). Lord Capulet fails in the sense that he rushes Juliet into a marriage solely because he is of noble upbringing- “Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly trained” (Shakespeare 3.5.181).

After Hamlet questions Gertrude’s purity and virtue as a wife, she claims that his words have “cleft” her “heart in twain” (3.4.177). Hamlet says to her, ”Good night. But go not to my uncle’s bed” (3.4.179-180). These words displays that the amount of respect Hamlet has for his mother is little to none. He thinks that by marrying Claudius, Gertrude has betrayed his father and is no longer virtuous.

The transgressive depictions of the two female protagonists as willing prostitutes is especially noteworthy, seeing as they challenge socially-established moral codes that place great value on female chastity. Moreover, the two female protagonists’ control over their sexuality seems to grant them a unique form of ‘power’ in relationships with men who are sexually attracted to them. It is hence obvious that there is a direct relationship between female sexuality and power that is portrayed in the two

They are not the stereotypical husband and wife. Shakespeare intended to illustrate that your gender does not define how you are or how you should act. That not all men have the capability of murdering easily and not all women are innocent. In Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan. She says “Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty” (1.5.47-50).