The Elizabethan Era Nowadays: analysis of the role of women in Shakespeare’s drama from a contemporary perspective

Abstract

The aim of this paper is focused on the importance of the role of women in Shakespeare’s drama from a contemporary point of view. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the society in which Shakespeare was born and by which he was greatly influenced: the Elizabethan era.For this reason, the essay is divided in two main parts. Firstly, the exploration of the role of women in the Elizabethan era, its sociocultural background and the importance of the Queen Elizabeth I. Secondly, a reflection about Shakespeare’s attitude towards women and human beings followed by the evaluation of the female characters in three Shakespearean plays: Othello, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth, with an extensive analysis of the consequences of the characters psychology and the consequences of their deeds. This all made in order to explore the differences between society and Shakespeare’s drama, taking into account the role of women in real life and in theatre as well. Moreover, with the use of quotations the explanations provided are reflected and reinforced in order to explain them with a better and wider perspective. Finally, the conclusion covers a slight critique of Shakespeare’s female characters from a 21st century perspective and the answer to the question of why Shakespeare’s heroines would be considered remarkable women in the 16th and 17th centuries and how they would be seen nowadays compared to men.