Women in Shakespearean Comedies: A Feminist Perspective

Abstract: The selected paper takes a feminist stance when analysing how women are portrayed in Shakespearean comedies. Scholars have studied Shakespeare’s female characters since the Elizabethan period, highlighting their wit, charm, and crucial part in the story. The idea that his comedies focus more on heroines than heroes stem from the fact that these ladies frequently eclipse the male protagonists. This study examines how Shakespeare's female characters negotiate both autonomy and subordination in a patriarchal culture, employing various techniques to exert their own authority. Characters like Hero, Beatrice, Kate, and Rosalind exhibit varied degrees of independence and disobedience, as evidenced by scenes from The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. There is also discussion on the usage of cross-dressing as a strategy for empowerment. In the end, Shakespeare’s comedies present a complex and feasibly contradictory picture of gender roles that are limited by the social mores of the day. Keywords: Shakespeare, Comedies, Feminist Stance, Cross-dressing, Autonomy, Gender Roles, Social Mores. Title: Women in Shakespearean Comedies: A Feminist Perspective Author: Ramji Hamal, Dr. Naresh Kumar Yadav International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 12, Issue 4, October 2024 - December 2024 Page No: 421-424 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 28-December-2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14566672 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/women-in-shakespearean-comedies-a-feminist-perspective