The role of women in Shakespearean tragedies

Abstract

The role of women in Shakespeare’s Works is an important issue to take into account due to the different stereotypes that reflect the end of the sixteenth century. This article explores the particular feminine roles that each character portrays related to the Elizabethan period. The aim of the present research article is focused on the description and characterization of the women in Hamlet and Macbeth whose tragedies reflect Shakespeare’s attitudes toward these characters. The paper offers a literature review regarding the different sources written by specialist researchers and a detailed and constructive analysis of the female characters in both plays. Moreover, use of quotations will support the explanation of the character in a reliable way. Finally, we will try to understand the reason of the representation of the woman in a specific form.