Women As a Thing in Shakespearean Drama

Abstract

According to Shakespearean drama, women have been treated as things or belongings due to the patriarchal values of the Elizabethan era. Female characters tend to stay in the confines of male desire and societal expectations, and this makes them objectified and marginalized. For example, Female characters in his plays exhibit distinct forms of self-assertion., Through their exceptional talent for depicting human behaviour, Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, Gertrude, Desdemona and Emilia illustrate women's status in a male-dominated society. These female characters, with their depth and complexity, surpass the constraints of their era, making their stories timeless. The objectification of this raises tragic results, ranging from betrayal to loss of identity. Shakespeare's works invite audiences to critically examine the implications of gender roles and the enduring impact of societal constructs on women's lives. Shakespeare's works consider the social values that create women in the male view, and he invites the audience to think about the question of gender and power. In portraying women in such a manner, Shakespeare shows how the social structure constrains women and how they maintain their dignity in the same system.