The Evolving Role of Women

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The Evolving Role of Women

• By Namrata Joshi

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Definition of Feminism Today

• The doctorine advocating social, political, and
  all other rights of women equal to those of men.
• According to dictionary.com
• Thesis As time has progressed, so has societys
  view of women as indicated by the steady shift in
  literature.

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Adam and Eve
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The Service for Representing Adam

• Prime example of what women were thought to be in
  the Medieval Period
• Adam blames Eve
• He is portrayed as stronger and her creator
• He portrays himself as Eves partner and
  stronger than she (44).
• Adam says, Through you I am dead, thus I have
  lost life (541).

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• Figure says to Adam, Born of you, she is no
  stranger (18).
• In this irony, the male view of women in the
  Medieval Period is seen
• Eve is known throughout history as the woman who
  has lead man to fault, yet she was created from
  him
• If Adam is seen as stronger than Eve, why cant he
  resist temptation on his own?

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The Renaissance

• Characteristics of the Renaissance Woman
• Be Lecherous
• Needing control by a man
• Overly Sexual
• Serve Men
• Good at running a household
• Some were educated at
• lower levels

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The Duchess of Malfi

• Callous brothers try to control her
• She rules over her dutchi without the aid of a
  man, commanding respect
• Rules even after her secret marriage to
  Antonio
• Compared to Elizabeth I
• Never married
• Not lost behind the name of a man

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• The Duchess rules over her people while balancing
  a family efficiently
• She stands against the dominant male figures,
  ultimately doing what makes her happy
• She announces, I am the Duchess of Malfi.
• She is a sum of the parts
• In spite of the trials and tribulations she
  endures, she proves her strength

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Elizabeth Oakes

• The Duchess of Malfi as a Tragedy of Identity
• In this play, the Duchess comports herself in a
  way that is congruent with societys mores.
• Her brother, Ferdinand does not want her to
  remarry for his own personal reasons
• He, not her society is condeming her to a life
  of solitude.
• The widows economic power empowers her and allows
  her to make her own choices. (Oakes)

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• Society forces her situation upon her, but she
  overcomes it
• What fortune I have, I have it from my
  deceased husband and a widow is free.
• The Duchess values her own power and this is
  important.

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Shakespeare

• Brilliant playwright for his time
• While women were still viewed as inferior, he
  satirizes society by giving women in his plays
  key, influential roles.

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Titus Andronicus

• Lavinia- one of the most gruesome images
• Her hands cut off, and her tongue cut out, and
  ravished (2.4)
• Shakespeare shows the lengths people will go
  through to avenge the wrong doings of those they
  love
• Tamora, Queen of the Goth is forced by Titus to
  marry
• She seeks revenge and thus Lavinia is violated

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• The two women in the play ultimatley control what
  happens to the other characters
• Cause and Effect set up
• Wrong doings done to Titus and his family
• How he obtains revenge
• Titus plans for revenge fueled by his mutilated
  daughter and the crimes against her
• He becomes more enraged every time he sees her
• Had Tamora not injured Titus family, he would
  not have had to plot revenge through a counter
  attack
• Ex Serving her sons body to her

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Metamorphoses

• Titus was a noble man who became consumed with
  obtaining revenge
• The women mirror this when they each undergo
  their own metamorphosis
• Tamora refuses to hear Lavinias plea
• Lavinia is so enraged at Tamoras sons that she
  temporarily becomes insane until she can reveal
  who hurt her
• The women are vital even though it is not
  blatantly obvious

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• Comedy of Errors
• Slapstick humor
• Also unbelievable
• The twins are significant
• Comedy

• Titus Andronicus
• Gruesome
• Shocking
• Women are significant and necessary
• Tragedy

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The Comedy of Errors

• LUCIANA
• Unmarried
• Believes women SHOULD be at a mans command
• Women should be subservient
• Womens role is as inferior to men and that is
  their purpose
• Men are masters to their females, and their
  lords (2.1 24-25).
• Submissive obedience to men even if they cheat

• ADRIANA
• Wife of Antipholus of Ephesus
• Believes women should NOT be at a mans command
• Women are self thinking
• Women are independent
• This fool begged patience in thee will be left
  (2.1 41)
• Finds her sister ridiculous and naiive

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• Irony
• The women are twins yet their ideas drastically
  differ
• This is illustrated in Act II
• Adriana is angrily waiting for her husbands
  arrival for dinner
• Luciana believevs Adriana should patiently wait
  because a man is a master of liberty time is
  their master, and when they see time theyll go
  or come (2.1 7-9).
• Adriana rebuttals by asking, Why should their
  liberty than ours be more (2.1 10).

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• If the womens thinking was a product of their
  upbringing (society), they would have the same
  views
• Women indicate a shift in thinking
• One is the stereotypical woman who was there to
  serve men
• The other is the more powerful, new age woman who
  is capable of anything

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http//www.youtube.com/watch?v5v5Yv1MKHSg