Compared to other writers of his time, Shakespeare introduces an unusual amount of deep female characters in his comedies. His representation of women, in particular the ways in which his female roles are interpreted and put on stage, have become topics of scientific interest. Especially the young women often show vitality, great intelligence, and a strong sense of personal independence, which marks them as “queen[s] of comedy” (Palmer 72). Therefore, they are often referred to as Shakespeare’s heroines.
In the following, I want to show their importance and point out that each heroine, although they all share character traits, has distinct and unique qualities. In doing so, I will occasionally refer to a secondary literature and involve positions of different critics. Though, my attention will be focussed on the plays treated in this research paper: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night. On the basis of these romantic comedies, I will analyse how the young women are presented and subsequently compare them among one another.
In the first part I will look at each heroine individually and introduce their plays. Then I will develop possible similarities between them: Beautiful but unworldly Miranda seems to be totally controlled by her father Prospero, but she shows a strong will in planning a shared future with Ferdinand and she is aware of her superiority to the savage Caliban. Hermia’s father similarly chooses her husband. With magic help, however, she and Helena manage to come together with the right partner. Moreover, Helena reveals that she believes in the transformative power of love (MND I.2, 233-4).
Viola in Twelfth Night is in a way almost the opposite of Rosalind in As You Like It, although both plays deal with a cross-dressed heroine. Whereas Rosalind can tease Orlando, always knowing that he is in love with her and being moreover able to reveal herself to him whenever she wants, Viola feels trapped in her disguise and has to work for the man she is in love with and even woo another woman on his behalf. Beatrice may not disguise herself in order to show her power like Rosalind, but she is nevertheless a strong female character: she marries only after asserting her dislike for the traditionally minor role of women in marriage and courtship in that time.[...]
Outline
I. Introduction.
II. Main Part
A. Young women in their plays
1. Miranda.
2. Rosalind and Celia
3. Viola
4. Hermia and Helena.
5. Hero and Beatrice
B. Shakespeare’s heroines – compared and contrasted
III. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This bachelor thesis analyzes the representation of young female characters in William Shakespeare’s romantic comedies, specifically focusing on how these heroines demonstrate vitality, intelligence, and independence. It explores the unique qualities and transformative influence of these women within the plays, investigating how their actions, gender role negotiations, and personal choices contribute to the restoration of social and political harmony in the comedic plot structure.
- Analysis of key female characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
- Examination of cross-dressing as a mechanism for empowerment and conflict resolution.
- Comparison of female agency and the subversion of patriarchal authority in the context of marriage.
- Investigation of the "merry war" of wits and the significance of prose versus poetry in character development.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Rosalind and Celia
The plot of As You Like It starts with the enraged Orlando, whose father Sir Rowland de Boys recently died. Being his youngest son, Orlando is angry with his older brother, Oliver, for giving him nothing from their father's estate. Oliver furthermore denies him the education and training which is proper for a gentleman and encourages the Duke’s wrestler Charles to be merciless in the upcoming fight with Orlando. According to Oliver “there is not one so young and so villainous this day living.”(I.1, 144-5)
Through Charles the reader also gets to know that Duke Senior has been usurped of his throne by his brother, Duke Frederick, and has fled to the Forest of Arden, where he lives like Robin Hood with a group of loyal followers. His daughter Rosalind however is still at the Duke’s palace; not only because Duke Frederick loves Rosalind as though she was his own daughter, but the Duke’s daughter, Celia, has a great friendship with her cousin and cannot bear to be parted from her. In her first appearance in the play Rosalind is melancholic about her father’s banishment. Celia meanwhile tries to cheer her up and even pledges by her honour (I.2, 20-1) to give the throne to Rosalind in the case of Duke Frederick’s death. As a result, Rosalind promises to be less depressed and the two young ladies wittily discuss the role of “Nature” and “Fortune” in their lives (I. 2, 30-55). Rosalind and Celia’s characters seem to correspond to each other as Charles states that “never two ladies loved as they do” (I.1, 106) in the world of As You Like It. But their love to each other is not sexual and does not prevent them from falling in love with a man. Therefore, Celia promotes Rosalind when she and Orlando immediately fall in love with each other, while the women try to dissuade him from his effort to defeat Charles.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the research, introducing the selected Shakespearean plays and the thesis that his young female characters serve as iconic figures of vitality and independence.
II. Main Part: This section provides a detailed individual analysis of heroines—Miranda, Rosalind and Celia, Viola, Hermia and Helena, and Hero and Beatrice—followed by a comparative discussion of their roles, gender performativity, and impact on narrative order.
III. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the results, confirming that Shakespearean heroines are a trademark of his comedies due to their ability to combine wit, emotion, and action to resolve conflicts and restore social harmony.
Keywords
Shakespeare, romantic comedies, heroines, gender roles, cross-dressing, female independence, agency, dramatic conflict, transformation, Elizabethan literature, Rosalind, Viola, Miranda, Beatrice, literary analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper examines the central role and characteristics of young women in William Shakespeare’s romantic comedies, analyzing how these characters function as independent agents who often drive the plot forward.
Which specific plays does the author analyze?
The study focuses on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
What is the central research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that Shakespeare’s heroines possess unique qualities that distinguish them as "queens of comedy," showing how their intelligence and strong will help resolve the conflicts within their respective plays.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The author uses a literary-analytical approach, involving close reading of the texts, referencing secondary literature and critical positions, and comparing the heroines’ traits and narrative functions across the five selected comedies.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main part covers an individual character study of the heroines, an exploration of their cross-dressing, their wit and language, and a comparative analysis of their power dynamics within the plays.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is best characterized by terms like Shakespeare, gender roles, cross-dressing, female agency, and romantic comedy.
How does the author interpret the role of cross-dressing?
The author interprets cross-dressing not as an indicator of homosexuality, but as a strategic tool that allows heroines like Rosalind and Viola to control their environment and secure their desired romantic future.
What is the significance of the "merry war" mentioned in the text?
The "merry war" refers to the intellectual and witty verbal sparring between Beatrice and Benedick, which highlights their shared intelligence and serves as a dynamic alternative to traditional, superficial courtship.
- Citation du texte
- Theo Tebbe (Auteur), 2008, Young women in Shakespeare’s comedies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/115681
