William Shakespeare Is Considered One of the Greatest Writers - Essay Example

? (school) Shakespeare William Shakespeare is considered by many as one of the greatest and poets of all time. Not only has he established a rich and dynamic literature, but he has also managed to captivate the imagination of readers with his vivid and often tragic characters. In his plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and the Winter’s Tale, discussions have been carried out by various analysts on power, as represented by men and as represented by women. This paper now seeks to present and evaluate such discussions. Primarily, an assessment of the plays and how gender-based power representations have been portrayed in these plays shall be presented. With this discussion, a clearer understanding of the plays and the portrayals will hopefully be established. In the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, male power is a dominant theme. In the play, the characters Lysandra and Hermia seek solace in the woods where they then fall under the control of Theseus. When they reach Athens, the couples are wedded to each other. Under these conditions, marriage is an event which is sought by women in order to establish their social place; and it is also sought by men in order to settle such aspect of their life as they then go off accomplish great and noble things (Howard, 411). Montrose (p. 65) discusses the male and female gender qualities and accepted traits apparent in the Elizabethan era. He further discusses how the wedding is indeed a joyful end to the play, but one which is based on the ability of the males to subjugate and exert their power over women (Montrose, p. 65). It also presents how unruly wives and willful daughters are then brought under the dominance of their leaders and their husbands (Montrose, 65). The consummation of the marriage act signifies how the power over the woman shifts from the father to the husband. The relationship between flowers and sexuality can also be drawn from the play, where juice used by Oberon can be seen to mean menstrual blood as well as the blood drawn from the loss of virginity (Montrose, 65). Menstrual blood may be viewed as a source of power – of one’s promising potential. On the other hand, blood from a first sexual encounter represents man’s dominance and subjugation of the woman (Tennenhouse, 73). There are however instances in the story where the power of men over women is not apparent. The authority displayed in this story is the archaic authority being exerted over women where a daughter is expected to die for not succumbing to her father’s will (Tennenhouse, 73). The disorder seen in Athens is very much in contrast to the Faerie world where male power is often broken down during the carnival fan fairs. The incident involving the lovers in the woods represent a chaos which is very much opposed to the political order of Theseus (Tennenhouse, 73). But then, Theseus does not punish the lovers for violating various rules. Such forgiveness indicates how the character distinguished between the acts of a father and the acts of a monarch. In this case, two authorities are recognized (Tennenhouse, 73). Two main themes are seen in various Shakespearian plays. One theme relates to the need for men to dominate women and another is the conflict which often exists between father and daughter (Pilkington and Pilkington). These two themes exist in the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the first act of the play, these themes are apparent when Theseus expressed how he was able to win Hippolyta by dominating her. The father-daughter conflict was seen between Egeus and Hermia. Alongside these conflicts is the conflict between the two men trying to win Hermia’s affection (Pilkington and Pilkington). The play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is very much about establishing one’s self and one’s identity in the hope of being free from sexual conflicts and authoritative dominance. The forest serves as the perfect place where the conflicts unfold (Pilkington and Pilkington). As Hermia is seeking freedom from Egeus in the forest, she is also struggling against the confines of arranged marriages and the captivations of being in love. Helena also does not accept that Demetrius has rejected her and chases him down, indicating how women, to some extent, are also expressing some form of power over men (Pilkington and Pilkington). Shakespeare established the foundation for the battle between the sexes by summoning the ancient rituals associated to Midsummer. These rituals had a major impact on Shakespeare as it shaped his plays and his feel for the theatre. Such rituals and folk culture are very much vivid in his plays (Pilkington and Pilkington). Although A Midsummer’s Night Dream expresses vivid male dominance over females, other elements of female power are also apparent. This is seen in Titania who is the Queen of the Faeries and also a goddess of the beasts and of the woods, very much like Artemis/Diana (Pilkington and Pilkington). Titania is also likened to an Amazon goddess, a deity who is sexual and virginal. Her obligations included the blessing of the marriage between Theseus and his bride. In so many ways, Shakespeare portrayed the conditions during his time with the strong “Amazon” Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare brought the audience to the past where the myth of the strong woman in the person of Titania, Faerie Queen was personified and strong female qualities were made even more vivid by Queen Elizabeth (Pilkington and Pilkington). In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare portrayed both male and female power. Female power was well manifested in the person of Titania and female defiance was also apparent in Hermia’s character (Croce, 386). The male power was however also a clear presence with Hermia’s father dictating the direction of Hermia’s life. Such male power was also apparent in how the male characters wanted to control and dominate the female protagonists in some way, using the physical and emotional vulnerabilities of the women to ensure some form of victorious feat (Croce, 386). In reading Othello, it is apparent to note how the society in this time period is dominated by men who are mostly occupying political and military positions (Sweetwater). Women, on the other hand, are considered as weak second-class citizens whose only purpose is to serve the goals of men. Shakespeare’s Othello however is able to destabilize these conditions when he then portrays the downfall of men, presenting how corruptible even the most powerful men are (Sweetwater). By the end of the play however, power and strength is more evident among the women characters. At the beginning of the play, the women display the usual qualities of affectionate wives. But as the play progresses, Emilia, one of the women characters proves to be smarter and more powerful than her husband (Sweetwater). As the story also progresses, Othello’s tormented mind brings us to the realization that his wife has a significant amount of power over him. The emotional torment that this truth implies is actually a difficult truth to swallow for Othello (Sweetwater). Under these conditions, Othello has also become susceptible to the similar vulnerabilities which men and women usually suffer. For Iago, he has set-up a very strategic and elaborate plan aiming to manipulate the minds of other people. However, such power was easily set aside with his wife’s own dominance (Sweetwater). Emilia has grown to be a bitter and disillusioned wife and woman, and in the end, she was able to exert her own power over her husband and other men. Emilia has also expressed her defense of women and her fight is far from being a submissive fight against men (Sweetwater). Her words and actions clearly portray how women may very much be in the right for demanding that their men treat them well. Othello’s power and strength is diminished when he sets aside his marriage vows, mostly because he is unable to manage his feelings and emotional torment (Vaughan, 72). He is also dominated by Iago as his self-conscious feelings damage his sensibilities. As he commits suicide, he expresses his regrets and defeat, and he admits how wrong he was in not placing more value in his wife’s words. He feels that for his mistake and wrongdoings, he should be justly punished (Habermann, 30). Desdemona, on the other hand, appears much stronger than her husband. She shows a strong and unswerving sense of morality and honesty and she also did not choose to blame or fault her husband Othello even when he was clearly to blame for their unfortunate situation (Habermann, 30). She took responsibility for her actions and was not afraid to die. Where Othello seemed pitiable at the end, his wife showed more dignity, more strength of mind and more character. For Iago and Emilia, the strength of the female character is portrayed in a different way. After Desdemona’s death, Emilia came to a strong and firm decision: to stop submitting to her husband and to stop taking his word as truth (Jay, 71). Her outspokenness proved to be Iago’s downfall. Through her words, justice was served. Even as Emilia was killed in the hands of her husband, her words still caused her husband’s downfall. Her truthful words overpowered Iago’s arrogance and strength and in the end, Emilia was the martyr who represented an image of women standing up for themselves against dominant, oppressive, and corrupt men (Jay, 71). Shakespeare’s portrayal of women has long been studied by various analysts and critics. Some believe that Shakespeare either has great admiration for women or is fearful of them. It has long been accepted however that he is respectful of them (Sweetwater). He understood the strength of character that women possessed. Desdemona exhibited a sexual superiority over men and she also manifested how women can cunningly manipulate men into madness or into doing anything she wanted them to do (Loomba, 57). Emilia, on the other hand, represented how man would likely be punished for his negative actions towards women and for taking his woman for granted. Emilia is the ultimate woman who has been wronged and is now seeking revenge for the wrongdoing (Loomba, 57). This play seems to pay homage to the power and the mystery of the female gender. It portrays how the female gender can be harmless in the person of Desdemona, but be as powerfully scathing as Emilia. In both instances, it is apparent to note that men are not the only individuals efficiently capable of wielding and enforcing power. Women have more or less the same power, and the powers of women can often easily overwhelm men. In so many ways, just as Shakespeare acknowledges how women can be great wives, friends, and lovers, he also submits to the fact that they can also be fierce competitors and vengeful warriors. The play Othello also portrays how men fear sexual power. It is a valid fear because sexual power is the power which women are unconsciously holding over men. Male power is displayed by Iago and Othello with the havoc they create and cause in the lives of others (Alfar, 233). The dilemma of the story started with the rumor that Othello has slept with Iago’s wife, Emilia, and this rumor eventually caused the breakdown in Desdemona and Othello’s marriage. Desdemona’s murder also indicates how rumors can easily wreak havoc on people’s lives. Othello is also devastated by the thought of Desdemona’s infidelity and in the end the power of Desdemona’s sexuality destroyed any authority Othello thought he had (Alfar, 233). Othello bemoaned the lack of control he had over his wife and her sexuality. These thought processes seem to support the ideas set forth by men in their treatment of women. Their fear of women’s sexuality seems to have compelled them to depict them as the weaker sex (Alfar, 233). The truth is however apparent in the story as women have been known to dominate men and that they can do so by simply displaying their sexuality and by beguiling men with their feminine wiles (Alfar, 233). Under these conditions, the power of men has easily been subjugated and laid to waste. In the play The Winter’s Tale, Shakespeare was able to portray even more strong female characters. The play expresses how power is generated and wielded well by the female characters. It is also important to note how gender relations between characters were able to change the dynamic of the story. The characters and the contrasting representation of marriage in the play also define Leontes’s dual role as king and as husband (Belsey, 34). From a gender assessment perspective, the story notes how Leontes endured various issues in order to be reunited with his wife and daughter and to establish a bond with their gender. The healing process of Leontes included the need to purge himself of bad elements and of his rage. In order to achieve such end, he chose to express his anger on others who willingly violated boundaries of social and gender norms (Belsey, 34). In the midst of his rage and of his ‘vent,’ a dominant female character was able to make him see reason. By assuming masculine qualities and strength, Paulina was able to rid him of his jealousy. Such incident shows the power of the female and of varying gender constructions which may not be part of societal norms. Hermione’s character also displayed an eloquence which gave her some form of manipulative power. Hermione’s eloquence helped her marriage, and when used on other individuals, also exerted some form of power over them to the growing frustration of Leontes (Schnabel, 21). Such power was able to create feelings of rage and jealousy on Leontes, and even drove Leontes to doubt the paternity of his unborn child. This is very much similar to Othello and the power of the female sexuality. In The Winter’s Tale, Hermione’s sexual power resided in her sexuality and eloquence and her ability to convincingly beguile her husband as well as Polixenes (Schnabel, 21). She was successful on both counts, and credit must be given to her husband for feeling jealous. The power and influence generated by her wife is very much real and by all accounts, Hermione’s eloquence became a tool for manipulation. The power generated by men in the play The Winter’s Tale is tarnished to a significant degree because, although the men exhibited physical and political dominance, it showed that they can easily be brought to their knees by their women (England, 69). In the end, the men’s doubts, as well as their issues in their relationships could not be contained and their power in their rational thoughts as men was compromised. The blame is often shifted to the women and in this case, a certain burden of proof is borne by the child, whose paternity is doubted by his father (Schnabel, 22). Doubts sullied such male power and could not be soothed and eased by the females because they could no longer be trusted. In this case, the power shift is apparent in the relationship between the male and the female, with the female knowing the truth and holding the power to use such truth to create doubt in the man’s mind. Leontes’s obsession in establishing his wife’s suspected adultery is dominating his mind, causing him to resort to subterfuge (Hackett, 25). He is also running all sorts of possibilities in his head, suspecting other people of being privy to his shame. Even when his claims and suspicions are dismissed by other people, he still insists on the truth of his beliefs. Instead, he further alienates these people with his actions and suspicions (Hackett, 34). He is driven mad by his own suspicions and responds negatively to male attempts to defend Hermione’s honor. He is filled with insecurity and much doubt about his wife’s actions and behavior. His actions become unreasonable and the sympathy of the audience is with the wife who is very much innocent of her husband’s accusations (Hackett, 35). In this play, male activities are also linked to horses, hunting, and warfare. The arguments forwarded by Antigonus indicate issues on gender and social positions. Antigonus sincerely wants to express and manifest his male dominance over his wife (Schnabel, 23). He also failed to convince the king to see reason. As Leontes is insistent of his wife’s infidelity, he encounters Antigonus who promises to kill his daughters if the Hermione were indeed guilty of infidelity. Under these conditions, he actually rejected all his female family members. And still, this did not convince Leontes of his wife’s loyalty (Schnabel, 24). Instead, Leontes, further display’s irrational idiocy as he now threatens to execute Antigonus, his wife, and his daughter. Leontes power in this case is subjugated and becomes an object of mockery and contempt. His irrational actions and unfounded jealousy indicates his unreasonable side, one which is not regarded well by most people (Schnabel, 23). And yet, he displays such quality with much passion, sometimes in public while seeking to shame his wife and expose her supposed transgressions to other people (Lim, 31). Still, his wife continues to plead innocence, quiet strength and dignity, much more dignity than is being displayed by her husband. She does not even succumb to the female propensity to tears. Much grace, endurance, and strength is apparent from Hermione’s actions and demeanor. In effect, while her husband is gradually degenerating in his behavior, she is gradually representing the order in the chaos, the calm presence to her husband’s mad presence. As her husband is losing the power over his life, his sanity, and his rationality, Hermione is gaining and exhibiting the power and strength which can only be found in truth, dignity, and grace. Paulina has also displayed male qualities and much strength as a woman in providing support for Hermione and then finally taking and protecting the newborn baby (Schnabel, 23). She displays much rationality and courage in defying Leontes. She crossed gender divides in saving the child and in defending Hermione and the child from dominant and irrational males. She displayed more chivalry than was ever displayed by Leontes. The male figure is not a total disappointment in the play, with Antigonus protecting and defending his wife Paulina against a wrathful King Leontes (Schnabel, 23). However, the strength and power of the female gender is still very much a dominant feature in the play. For all intents and purposes, they are more stalwart and dignified individuals than their male counterparts. The three plays discussed above portray power both represented by the females and the males. Male power is apparent in their ability to exert authority over other people, most especially the women in their lives, be it their wives or their daughters. Male power is also represented in terms of the positions of authority which is often naturally or politically endowed upon them. As men, the likelihood of them being made kings or leaders is very high. This is less of a possibility for women who are often at the mercy of their fathers or their husbands. Nevertheless, despite these limitations and encumbrances, power is represented in the women, and sometimes to an even greater extent than the power represented by men. Women in the three plays have exhibited strength of character, honor, dignity, courage, and loyalty, virtues which the male protagonists seem to massively fail in. The power represented by the women also lies in their sexuality, which they unconsciously and sometimes consciously use to dominate men. The three plays also indicate how Shakespeare has written her female characters, portraying both their weaknesses and, more vividly, their strengths. Works Cited Alfar, C. “Fantasies of Female Evil.” The Dynamics of Gender and Power in Shakespearean Tragedy. London and Newark: The University of Delaware Press and Associated University Press, 2003. Print. Belsey, C. “The Subject of Tragedy.” Identity and Difference in Renaissance Drama. London and New York: Methuen, 1985. Print. Croce, B., "Comedy of Love". A Midsummer Night's Dream. Eds. Judith M. Kennedy and Richard F. Kennedy. London: Athlone Press, 1999. Print. England, E. “Cordelia and Paulina: Shakespeare‘s Healing Dramatists.” Literature and Belief 2 (1991): 69-82. Print. Habermann, I. Staging Slander and Gender in Early Modern England. London: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003. Print. Hackett, H. Women and Romance Fiction in the English Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print. Howard, J. "Feminist Criticism". Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide. Eds. Stanley Wells and Lena Cowen Orlin, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print. Jay, M., Female Friendship Alliances in Shakespeare. London: ProQuest, 2008. Print. Lim, W. “Knowledge and Belief in The Winter’s Tale.” Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 41.2 (2001): 317-34. Print. Loomba, A. Gender, Race, Renaissance Drama. Manchester: Manchester University Press ND, 1989. Print. Montrose, L. "The Imperial Votaress". A Shakespeare Reader: Sources and Criticism. Eds. Richard Danson Brown and David Johnson. London: Macmillan Press, Ltd, 2000. Print. Pilkington, A. and Pilkington, O., “Folktales, Myths, and Amazons in A Midsummer Night's Dream.” Insights. 2005. Web. 29 August 2012. Schnabel, S. “The Importance of Gender (Transgression) in The Winter’s Tale.” eJournals. 2008. Web. 29 August 2012. Sweetwater, M. “Shakespeare's Attitude Toward Women in "Othello" and What We Can Learn.” Hubpages. 2012. Web. 29 August 2012. Tennenhouse, L., Power on Display: the Politics of Shakespeare's Genres. New York: Methuen, Inc., 1986. Print. Vaughan, V. Othello: A Contextual History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print. Read More