Empowerment of Women in Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew :: comparison compare contrast essays

Em causalityment of Women in Much Ado About Nothing, As You handle It, and The Taming of the Shrew In Shakespeares comedies, umpteen possibly even most(prenominal) - of the female characters are portrayed as being manipulated, if not controlled outright, by the men in their lives poses, uncles, suitors, husbands. And yet, there are women inhabiting Shakespeares comedic world who calculate to enjoy a greater degree of autonomy and personal power than one would expect in a patriarchal society. Superficially, therefore, Shakespeares comedies step up to send mixed signals regarding the notion of female empowerment. Some women are impregnable and independent, others are all in all submissive, and the behavior of either seems to be influenced more by theme or plot than by any qualities within the characters themselves. A closer look, though, should make it evident that this is not the case as in many of Shakespeares plays, appearances can be deceiving. In some cases, the outside (prenominal) behavior is a deliberate faade to mask the characters real feelings in others, it is an acculturated veneer that is burned away as a result of the plays events. Despite their outward appearances, though, most of these comedic women fit to one of two opposing archetypes. An examination of these archetypes allows the reader to see recent such deceptions to the real personality beneath. The Daughter and Niece Archetypes Within Shakespeares comedies, many of the female characters are portrayed as submissive and easily controlled. wish well dutiful daughters, these women submit to patriarchal repression with little complaint. Perhaps the best instance of a daughter character in Shakespearean comedy is the usance of Hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Hero is completely under the control of her father Leonato, especially with regard to courtship. When, in propel Two, Leonato believes that Don Pedro may seek Heros hand in marriage, he orders Hero to welcome the princes adv ances despite the difference in their ages Daughter, remember what I told you. If the Prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your make out (II.i.61-3). Thus we see that Leonato controls not only Heros actions, except even her words as well. In fact, Hero is so soundly repressed by the male-dominated society in which she lives that she submits not only to her fathers will, but to that of nearly every other man in the play. She is easily wooed and won by Don Pedro posing as Claudio (II.