UGC Approved Journal no 63975(19)

ISSN: 2349-5162 | ESTD Year : 2014
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Published in:

Volume 5 Issue 4
April-2018
eISSN: 2349-5162

UGC and ISSN approved 7.95 impact factor UGC Approved Journal no 63975

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Published Paper ID:
JETIR1804382


Registration ID:
300203

Page Number

960-963

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Title

Women in Shakespeare : A Post -Feminist Scrutiny

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Abstract

"All lectures on Shakespearean comedies tend to become lectures on his women. A number of glittering heroines, bright, beautiful and witty move across the canvass and what is more they always hold the front of the stage. The world of Shakespearean comedy is a world made safe for women, a world in which a girl can prosper and come to flower." says Gordon. Women appear as supporting and central characters in Shakespeare's plays and these characters as well as the so called Dark Lady of the Sonnets have elicited substantial amount of criticism which received added impetus during the second wave feminism of 1960s. Early criticism of female characters in Shakespearean drama focused on the positive attributes the dramatist bestows on them and often claimed that Shakespeare realistically captured the essence of feminity. Ruskin sweeping generalisation “Shakespeare has only heroines and no heroes” is certainly not true of his tragedies and histories. Ophelia, Desdemona and Cordelia are all helpless, pathetic figures dominated by the towering personality of the hero. Shakespeare's men cannot as a class compare with his women for practical genius. Their imagination often masters and disable them. While Orsino in Twelfth Night remains at home passively enjoying the luxury of love Viola courts his lady for him and brushes aside all obstacles in her way. The chief masculine qualities which Portia in The Merchant of Venice possesses are sharp intelligence, readiness of mind, sense of honour while feminine qualities are obedience to her father, love for her husband and her conception of justice based on fairness with mercy. Cressida has most often been depicted by writers as false Cressida a paragon of female inconstancy. Lady Macbeth far excels other women in Shakespearean world by her grandeur, strength and possesses just those qualities which her husband lacks. Once the decision of murder King Duncan is taken she knows no wavering back. In the comedy As you Like it with all her outward gesture of bravado and manliness Rosalind's heart is essentially feminine and she reacts to the situation accordingly when she comes to learn that Orlando is himself wandering in the forest of Arden. Miranda one of the most wonderful female creation of Shakespeare's portrait gallery noted for her pity, purity and simplicity identifies herself with the distress of the shipwreck and her father's recital of the past-her father being set adrift in a boat with additional burden of looking after her. Portia in Julius Ceasar possesses man's mind but women's might and considers herself stronger than her sex “a woman well reputed, Cato's daughter and a woman that Lord Brutus took to his wife.” She waits for the success of conspiracy hatched by her husband to assassin Ceaser in the Senate Hall. Thus Gordon remark appears to be quite justified : "Shakespeare was a great student of women and his portrait of women have never been surpassed. He has women of all ranks and ages from queen to the dairy maid and from fifty to fifteen...."

Key Words

Women in Shakespeare's comedy , Women in Shakespeare's Tragedy

Cite This Article

"Women in Shakespeare : A Post -Feminist Scrutiny", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 4, page no.960-963, April-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1804382.pdf

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2349-5162 | Impact Factor 7.95 Calculate by Google Scholar

An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 7.95 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator

Cite This Article

"Women in Shakespeare : A Post -Feminist Scrutiny", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 4, page no. pp960-963, April-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1804382.pdf

Publication Details

Published Paper ID: JETIR1804382
Registration ID: 300203
Published In: Volume 5 | Issue 4 | Year April-2018
DOI (Digital Object Identifier):
Page No: 960-963
Country: Samastipur, Bihar, India .
Area: Arts
ISSN Number: 2349-5162
Publisher: IJ Publication


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