About the Female Characters in Shakespeare’s Plays

Shakespeare’s Female Actors: Defying Stereotypes

It is really interesting to look at how Shakespeare’s female actors compared to the stereotypes of women at the time. In this instance, we can ask whether the female performers he used correspond to the references he used, and if not, how did he manage to adapt those references to his plays. During the time Shakespeare was creating his plays, men were considered to be morally superior to women and to be physically and cognitively inferior to them. However, a few of his female characters stand out, demand equality, and are noble, bold, humorous, and intellectual. Shakespeare’s female characters frequently exhibited traits that were not considered desirable for women at the time. He was trying to set an example for how women should act in this regard. Considering the status and the image of women in Shakespeare’s community, his female actors were quite controversial. After looking into Shakespeare’s plays, it is apparent that he molded his female characters into remarkable heroines. Queen Elizabeth I inspired him to create protagonists females. He depicts Portia in the Merchant of Venice as a strong woman who seeks to be treated as her husband’s equal. He created Beatrice in the Much Ado About Nothing as an outspoken and independent woman who also seeks to be equal with her male partners. That being said, this paper examines how Portia and Beatrice relate with the ideal women at the period. Besides, it looks at the patriarchal social structure which dominated English community and repressed women in spite of having a monarchy governed by a female.

The Early Modern English Society

In the early modern English society, a woman body was used to demonstrate woman’s inferiority, weakness, and otherness (Bowerbank 20). Women were perceived as emotionally and physically weaker compared to their male partners. They were considered as a weaker sex. Men were superior and physiologically distinct from females. During Shakespeare’s period, England had a patriarchal social structure which implies men dominated every aspect of life. But there were no legal patriarchal social structures instead there was set of traditional practices and beliefs (Bowerbank 28).

Portia

In the Merchant of Venice, most of the sources hail from the Jew tradition. Portia is depicted as a virtuous woman who abides with her father’s will on how to choose a man who is supposed to marry her. Her father’s wishes deprive all her freedom over whom she will marry. Portia has the choice of giving the man she desires a hint to choose the right caskets, but she is an honest woman. Shakespeare’s presents Portia as the heroine of the play as well as an intelligent and a beautiful woman. She gave Bassanio reasons to consider wooing and win her. Bassanio earlier visit to Belmonte received signs from Portia’s eyes that she would wish to be with him. When Nerissa indicate that Bassanio might turn to be a potential suitor, Portia attempts to hide her anxiety but she does not manage, but Nerissa comprehends her mistress. Portia is depicted as a self-controlled lady, but makes her interest known regarding Bassanio when he is almost to select one of the caskets. She falls in love with him revealing her confusion and anxiety. she indicates “Pause a day or two” (Shakespeare 80). She told him that if he might choose the wrong caskets, she is going to lose his company.

Portia is overwhelmed with joy after Bassanio selects the right casket. She only wishes she had more of the assets to offer him. She told him that everything in her house including herself belongs to him. She indicates ”This house, these servants ... I gave them with this ring” (Shakespeare 108). According to Shakespeare’s, Portia is willing to share what she owns with the man of her dreams. Love, in this case, is a reciprocal of receiving and giving. Thus, she sends her love away with perfect empathy almost immediately after choosing the casket to go and attempt to save his friend Antonio. In the courtroom, Bassanio in an attempt to cheat, he asks Portia who is disguised as the Balthazar lawyer but she declines to twist the law to favor her husband’s friend. However, she uses her intelligence to save him from Shylock. Shakespeare portrays Portia as an intelligent woman who can manipulate and control men in her life. She tricks Bassanio concerning the ring which is a justified payback and reason for Bassanio indicating that in court, he rather lose his precious and beloved wife if that would be an option to save Antonio’s life. Portia, of course, is upset with Bassanio when she acts as if she realizes he has given a ring away. But Bassanio swears he will try to keep the promise he has made to Portia. In the play, she is presented as a submissive woman, following her lord Bassanio instructions after choosing the right casket. But after she marries him, she indicates that she is his other half and equal. It appears that Portia is a submissive woman but she seeks to be treated as her husband’s equal in her marriage and it is apparent that in her marriage she holds the reins.

In the Merchant of Venice, Portia is subjected to male chauvinism, but the patriarchal influence seems relatively sympathetic. It is clear that Portia is bound to her father wishes to choose a husband. The instructions in the three caskets show foresight and parental concerns with regards to the potential bridegroom. Portia remains bound to community conventions that enable patriarchal rule from the grave. At the same time, it is apparent that Portia is a strong woman from the play. Despite the fact that she is supposed to adhere to the societal beliefs of the female submissiveness, at the end of the play, she is depicted as her mistress. She even weds the man she desires in her life. Portia is financially stable and holds a higher social status, but she seems like a prize. She has no power to choose the man who she desires.

However, Shakespeare’s shows an explicit acknowledgment of female intelligence. For example, although it depends on interpretation, there is a sign that Portia helped Bassanio in selecting the right casket. It seems that Portia gave Bassanio a clue he required in his selection of the caskets. These interpretations depict Portia as an independent woman rather than a victim of male chauvinism. She finally has the opportunity to select the man she desires. In the play, men initiate the action, guessing riddles, and journeying but in the real sense, Portia takes the significant risks. But as play progresses, Portia seems more cunning and shows an effort to take charge of the whole situation. Although in the courtroom she disguises herself as a man. Shakespeare gives Portia independence she deserves because she even demands marriage ritual before Bassanio go to save Antonio. Although her freedom remains limited, she succeeds to maneuver and manipulates men from within the societal boundaries.

Portia has no doubts concerning her capabilities and Shakespeare presents her as a stereotype of bravado and masculine authority. She challenges the concept of men as decision-makers in the society as she applies intellect and reason in Antonio’s trial to rescue him from Shylock. Her action and decision outweigh all men present both verbally and physically. In delivering her verdict, she shows that she can be ruthless. She competently handled Shylock and used the law and his weapon against him to destroy him and deliver Antonio’s salvation. Also, Portia takes advantage of Bassanio’s betrayal to make sure her marriage conditions are clear. Bassanio had relinquished her ring. She tells him ”I will never come in your bed until I see the ring” (Shakespeare 115). She shows Bassanio that as a woman and a wife she has equal sexual rights he has. Besides, she shows him she has an option to be faithful and also she can opt to be unfaithful.

Beatrice

Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing is one of the liberated women in the Shakespeare’s plays. She is depicted as an opinionated and articulate woman. She is also an intelligent woman like Portia and choosy concerning men as her predecessors. But she is not limited by the patriarchal influence of the society. Leonato, her uncle, has no or limited control over her niece. She says that she will have a husband until the moment God will create men using other metal rather than earth because she has no desires of submitting to a clod of disobedient marl. In fact, Beatrice disregards the rigid societal conventions such that it appears like Shakespeare’s female protagonist does not fall victim to male chauvinism. Beatrice had no intentions of changing her characters or allow Benedick control her in the name of love. But her nagging attitude does not put off men. It reaches a point whereby Leonato suggests that she will not find a husband if she does not alter her behaviors, but she does not even hesitate to express what she thinks. Surprisingly, Don Pedro asks Beatrice to wed him, even though it seems like he was not serious. She thought of staying single instead of avoiding being subjected to the patriarchy society. She even indicates that she would opt to listen to her dog bark rather than hear a man saying he loves her.

Beatrice feared to get married because if she did, she should eventually lose control and independence of her life. In the end, she gave up and admits that she loves Benedick but with a compromise. She indicates that she hopes Benedick will treat her as his equal in their relationship and even demands him to kill Claudio to prove her point. Benedick and Claudio are equals and friends, but Beatrice is not equal to them. In this sense, she is not in a position to demand Benedick kill Claudio who should be loyal to him. She demands him to make it clear that their marriage will be of two equal partners before they wed. It is not likely that she expects him to kill Claudio; she is just challenging him and testing his loyalty. Beatrice acknowledges restrictions of being a female; she aspires that she was a man so that she could be able to protect Hero’s honor. Her wish is comparable to Elizabeth I utterances of 1565 when she learned that Turks were defeating Christians. She wished to be a man so that she could be there physically to defend Christians.

Shakespeare depicted Hero as a contrast of Beatrice. Hero represents the ideal woman of that time. The difference between the two women is striking, but Beatrice is the heroine of the play and fascinating together with his love Benedick. Actually, the play came to be referred as Beatrice and Benedick. Both Leonato and Claudio fail to prove their loyalty, and only Beatrice demonstrates to be an individual of resolute faith in goodness.

Conclusion

It is clear that Shakespeare addresses the subjugation of women which is a serious issue. Subsequently, many of his male actors are depicted in a derogatory way. When women’s repression and the concept of misogynist are taken into consideration, Shakespeare’s female protagonists are quite extraordinary. In this sense, he must have been a controversial author in this period. During Shakespeare’s time that was characterized by political and social unrest, though very slowly, attitudes towards women were changing. He chose to depict female characters in a better way than the sources of his plays and developed protagonists who must have been provocative to a large number of his audience. Elizabeth I probably was an inspiring person to all women fighting against male chauvinism in the society and Shakespeare. In a community where women were seen as inferior, weak, and not allowed to speak, Shakespeare allowed them to speak and gave them a voice. It is apparent that he created his female protagonists into extraordinary women who perhaps inspired all the women who were against the patriarchal societal structure. He depicted these women in a more respectable and dignified manner compared to how they were treated in various sources. Considering the attitude towards women and their representation of women in the Shakespeare’s sources and the ideal women at the time, it is clear that he opted to make his female protagonists remarkable women.

Works Cited

Bowerbank, Sylvia Lorraine. Speaking for nature: women and ecologies of early modern England. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2004.

Shakespeare, William, Jonathan Bate, and Eric Rasmussen. Much Ado About Nothing. , 2009. Internet resource.

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice: Side by sides. Prestwick House Inc, 2014.