Examining Violas Character in Twelfth Night by William...

Examining the relationship between speech, public space and authority for Violas Character in Twelfth Night One of the most celebrated and authoritative women in the 16th century was Elizabeth I. Even though the authority was at womans hands at that time, a dominant woman was unnatural in the society itself. The presence of such a powerful female figure creates an interesting situation for dramatists and playwrights in terms of depicting womens status at that time. By using the psychological concept ,liminality; I am going to examine the relationship between Violas speech , societys authority and her public space which is consists of two main parts: her private life as Viola and her public life as Cesario and how this†¦show more content†¦Such these practices in Shakespearean theater double the humor simultaneously; however, it contributes to the development of Violas character in the play itself in which she finds herself in between two worlds: feminism and masculinely. The role of male actors in the theater brings into account womens role as well as contradicts the concept o f mens cross dressing. In the 16th century, women were not allowed to act on the stage. If they have done so, they would have been scorned by society and considered to be lewd and immoral. Thomas Coryat , English traveller , wrote in his Coryats Crudities in 1611, a travelogue ,about his experience in Venice I saw women acte, a thing that I never saw before, though I have heard that it hath beene sometimes used in London. Women at court ;however, perform in private performances for Elizabeth and her guests. In the society, women were subservient to their fathers, brothers, or guardian and subsequently to their husbands. Their s reputation is protected by them. Their role is to be fit for homemaking and child-bearing and ;moreover to accept her lesser status. Therefore, women used cross dressing as a means of survival and protection, but if they were discovered dressing as a male; they will be punished and scorned by the society for being a whore and violating gender boundaries by wearing a mans clothes . The boy players on the stage;however, wear different kinds of fabrics in order to indicate the roleShow MoreRelated Comparing the Love of Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and the Bible4838 Words   |  20 Pagesof true love. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare gives an example of true love overcome by tragic fate. His star-crossed lovers are so madly in love with each other that they cannot live without being together. (RJ Prologue, 6) By contrast, in Twelfth Night the characters are so fickle that they switch love interests in the span of a few lines. By comparing the true love of Romeo and Juliet with the shallow love of Twelfth Night, it becomes clear that Shakespeare agrees with the Biblical assessmentRead MoreGender Roles And Roles Of William Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice 1837 Words   |  8 Pagesreflected in Shakespeare. What sets Shakespeare apart is the fact that he also challenges, and at times even breaks down those stereotypes especiall y in his comedies. Hamlet may proclaim â€Å"Frailty thy name is woman†, but even the merest of character analyses of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, or Viola in The Twelfth Night conclusively proves that they are anything but. In this paper we begin by examining the prevailing gender stereotypes in Elizabethan England. Taking The Twelfth Night as the basis