The aim of the present paper is to examine the role of women in Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream". The first section investigates women in early modern England and is divided into the subsections "Sex and gender in early modern England" and "Norms of femininity". Section two explores the role of women in the sixteenth century comedy. More precisely, the emphasis here will be upon the analysis of female-female and female-male bonds of the characters in the play.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 THE SOCIAL SITUATION OF WOMEN IN THE ELIZABETHAN AGE
2.1 SEX AND GENDER IN THE ELIZABETHAN AGE
2.2 SOCIAL NORMS OF FEMININITY IN THE ELIZABETHAN AGE
3 WOMEN IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
3.1 FEMALE – FEMALE BONDS
3.2 FEMALE – MALE BONDS
4 CONCLUSION
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the role, representation, and social standing of women in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," analyzing how the play reflects and challenges gender norms of the Elizabethan era.
- The social and historical context of women in Elizabethan England.
- Distinctions between biological sex and socially constructed gender roles.
- Analysis of female-female relationships and the impact of male sovereignty.
- Exploration of female-male power dynamics and rebellion against patriarchal constraints.
- The role of literary conventions like courtly love and the Amazon legend in the play.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Female – female bonds
In the Arden edition of A Dream of 1979, Brooks introduces the reader to the key concepts of the play namely love and marriage. According to Montrose, this implicates that readers might put a wrong focus on love and marriage instead of other concepts that may also be important to consider such as male sovereignty and female defiance (Montrose 1996: 110). He also states that A Dream cannot be “an inert product of a hypostatic and unstable Elizabethan culture but rather a new production that enlarges the dimensions of the cultural field and alters the lines of force within in” (Montrose 1996: 109). Shakespeare’s notion about women is represented in Helena, Hermia and Hippolyta’s rebellious behaviour against the laws of the Athenian society.
It can be argued if Shakespeare, by using similar names for the two protagonists Hermia and Helena, either wanted to point out their exchangeability and easy substitution of women in general or their previous close connection. Helena, however, betrays her friend Hermia and puts Demetrius over her. As Helena exclaims that “We cannot fight for love as men may do; / We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo[...]” (Shakespeare 1979: 2.1.241-242), she criticises the norms of feminine passivity (Loomba 2001: 174). Furthermore, Helena and Hermia were close childhood friends but towards the end of the play, their friendship is replaced by marriage. This proves that the bond of female characters is weakened and the bond of male characters, since Demetrius and Lysander were situated in a state of rivalry before, strengthened (Montrose 1996: 132).
Chapter Summaries
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the play "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and sets the research objective to analyze gender roles and the power dynamics of female characters within the context of early modern England.
2 THE SOCIAL SITUATION OF WOMEN IN THE ELIZABETHAN AGE: This section provides the historical and theoretical framework regarding the distinction between sex and gender, as well as the prevailing societal norms and expectations imposed on women during the Elizabethan period.
3 WOMEN IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: This chapter applies the previously established theoretical framework to the female characters in the play, specifically analyzing the nature of their bonds with other women and their relationships with men.
4 CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the main findings, reiterating how the play reflects both the patriarchal structure of the era and the potential for female autonomy, while identifying avenues for future research.
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY: This section lists the academic sources and critical texts used to support the analysis of Shakespeare’s work and the historical context of Elizabethan society.
Keywords
A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare, Elizabethan Age, Gender Roles, Patriarchy, Female Bonds, Feminine Passivity, Social Norms, Early Modern England, Female Autonomy, Courtly Love, Amazons, Male Sovereignty, Marriage, Literary Criticism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on analyzing the representation of women and gender dynamics in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in relation to the social realities of the Elizabethan era.
Which central themes are explored throughout the work?
The central themes include the social status of women, the contrast between male sovereignty and female defiance, the construction of gender roles, and the impact of societal expectations on female relationships.
What is the primary research goal of this study?
The goal is to examine how Shakespeare uses his female characters to challenge or reinforce the traditional gender norms and power hierarchies of his contemporary society.
Which methodological approach is utilized by the author?
The author employs a literary analysis supported by historical and critical context, utilizing perspectives from scholars like Montrose, Loomba, and Rackin to interpret the play's gender dynamics.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the historical context of women in the Elizabethan Age, the dichotomy of sex and gender, and a detailed analysis of both female-female and female-male bonds within the play.
Which keywords define this work best?
The work is defined by terms such as Gender Roles, Elizabethan Age, Patriarchy, Shakespearean Comedy, and Female Autonomy.
How does the author interpret the relationship between Hermia and Helena?
The author discusses their similar names as a sign of potential exchangeability or a lost childhood bond, noting how the pressure of marriage ultimately weakens their female friendship in favor of male-centered relationships.
What role do the Amazons play in the author's argument?
The author identifies the Amazons as an "exaggerated opposite" to Elizabethan society, representing strength and female superiority, which serves to highlight the gender hierarchy issues present in the rest of the play.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Martha Nisi (Autor:in), 2015, Women in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream". Sex, Gender, and Social Norms of Feminity in the Elizabethan Age and in Shakespeare's Comedy, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/375648
