• Ms. Saritha Samuel
• Ms. Saritha Samuel

fickle, and dependent on the men in the patriarchal society they lived in and were also compelled to accept the decisions made for them. Shakespeare’s presentation of women in his plays demonstrates his feelings about women and their roles in society. Many modern critics claim Shakespeare to be a feminist who departed sharply from flat, stereotyped characterizations of women common to his contemporaries and earlier dramatists. Women in Shakespearean plays have always played important roles and have been put in challenging situations. Some women are stronger than others, and their effect on the play is different to one another. They often surpass the male heroes and portray very powerful characters who have succeeded in breaking the rigid mold of social norms and expectations. In this article we will explore mainly Shakespeare's characterization of Ophelia, Desdemona, Cleopatra and Juliet in the tragedies Hamlet, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra and Romeo and Juliet’.

women, patriarchal society, tragedy, character.

"Characterization of Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.29-31, August-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907759.pdf

"Characterization of Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp29-31, August-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1907759.pdf