Men and women have been identified separately over time. Women have struggled to attain certain things that men have acquired. It usually takes them a longer time to gain the respect that men have in certain fields. This may be illustrated in theater as well. Specific thinking led to women not being tolerated as actors during Shakespeare's time and allowed young boys to play female roles.
The plays that Shakespeare created were part of the Elizabethan era. Several creative works thrived during this era. Poetry was created in abundance. There was also great music made during the Elizabethan era. Several works of literature are also identified from this period. (Fox) Theater is the most identified work of this era. (Fox) The plays created during this era were different from the normal plays of England. They explored and expanded from traditional England theater. (Fox)
During Shakespeare's time women were not tolerated as actors for a specific reason. The job of acting was not recognized in a positive light. It was not considered a noble job. No woman wanted to be caught doing this because of the negative connotation associated with it. (Shapiro) Many people identified it as inappropriate. Women that acted were held in the same regard as prostitutes. (Shapiro) One general reason for this is that men that they were not married to would be observing them. This was considered an obscene act. (Merrill)
[...] Shakespeare did multiple things to ensure that boys could play the women roles in theatre. He often made women masculine in his plays. The Henry VI play is an example of this. Queen Margaret was masculine in this play. Another exemplification of this may be illustrated through the Titus Andronicus play. Tamora in this play seems to be masculine because of her ruthless attitude. (Scott) Lady Macbeth even stated "unsex me here." (Fox) The daughters in King Lear also display masculine tendencies. [...]
[...] Shakespeare casts young men as women in plays Men and women have been identified separately over time. Women have struggled to attain certain things that men have acquired. It usually takes them a longer time to gain the respect that men have in certain fields. This may be illustrated in theatre as well. Specific thinking led to women not being tolerated as actors during Shakespeare's time and allowed young boys to play female roles. The plays that Shakespeare created were part of the Elizabethan era. [...]
[...] Nevertheless, it was allowed in this instance. The moral principal also seems to be broken upon review. It's unethical for men to portray the role of a woman. This was common throughout the history of theatre. Only few time periods included women in plays. They weren't allowed to participate in theatre until the 17th century. (Howe) The Italian Renaissance may be identified as the first period when women were allowed to act. (Howe) Commedia dell'arte let women act as soon as the 1560s. [...]
[...] The English Renaissance: Identity and Representation in Elizabethan England. Wiley-Blackwell Print. Howe, Elizabeth. The First English Actresses: Women and Drama, 1660-1700. Cambridge University Press Print. Merrill, Lisa. When Romeo Was a Woman: Charlotte Cushman and Her Circle of Female Spectators (Triangulations: Lesbian/Gay/Queer Theater/Drama/Performance) . University of Michigan Press Print. Scott, Victoria. Women on the Stage in Early Modern France: 1540-1750. Cambridge University Press Print. Shapiro, Michael. Gender In Play On The Shakespearean Stage, Boy Heroines And Female Pages. Ann Arbor: Univ of Michigan Pr Print. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
