Women's roles in Shakespeare's times and works

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the role of women in Renaissance period, as well as the role they assumed in some of Shakespeare’s works. In the first place, I expose, in a general view, the status of women in this period relating it to society. Within this society, I analyse the role of women in the family field, as a mother, daughter and widow and the way in which Renaissance women were educated, is the next topic addressed. Next section, I describe the period in which Shakespeare, who is considered the supreme playwright and poet of the English language, lived and wrote his most important plays. Then, several women of some of his most important works are analysed and associated them to his context. As a conclusion, a vision between the stereotypes of women that are portrayed in Shakespeare's works and their role in the Renaissance period is drawn.