Gender in Twelfth Night and Volpone

Talking roughly women in Shakespeares plays is talking most men too. Shakespeare absolutely rejected the idea of separating genders in whole aspects; physic altogethery, intellectually and spiritually. Theres no semblance with the transitional dot from the knightly time to the modern period (the Renaissance) when Twelfth Night was written, Ben Jonson on the other side did non invent cross-gender casting - piecenish actors portrayed women in all Elizabethans drama; but the antics of project Common and Pliant in The Alchemist reveal the womens identities as open to change as any. When atrocious tells Pliant he has save her honor and preservd [her as] a adult female, he is mistaken. A womans reputation, like wealth, is not easy to preserve in Jonsons world, if the woman is a man. (Joel Schechter, Berkeley repertory Theatre program, February 2000.) The Renaissance was a culture sound of negations. In this particular culture, women were forced to be under the control of me n, primarily because they needed male protection. A perfect example is Celia in Volpone. This simile linking Celias sex-appeal with the appeal of atomic number 79: Bright as your gold ! And winsome as your gold! make by Mosca whets Volpones interest in her, by comparing Volpones chief(prenominal) addiction (money) with her. Volpone savors the cunning purchase of his wealth more than the rapturous possession, so he go forth as well enjoy the challenge of seducing a woman who is married and hard to get. A womans identity element was by law incorporate with the one of her male defender: Shes kept as warily as your gold Celia was under Corvinos control. She is kept shut up at home, guarded by spies. The unfavorable position women had enforced on them to be decent, silent, and respectful. As women were judged as organism inferior to men, cross-dressing induced an definitive change of status in society. If a woman fancied to be a man in any aspect, she in truth was assuming m ore rights than she was designated to. It was onl... If you necessity to get a full essay, order it on our website:

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