Shakespeare and the Inculcation of Modern Traits in Renaissance Women with special reference to As You Like It and Merchant of Venice

Abstract

In 16^th and 17^th century England was a patriarchal society. Women were considered to be meek submissive, obedient and also inferior to their male counterparts. As a result, they were known as the weaker sex.  A man was supposed to be the bread winner of his family; on the other hand the woman of the family was supposed to take care of the home and hearth. The primary job for women was to bear and rear children. Unmarried woman was kept in the custody of her father or other male relative. After marriage her loyalty shifted towards her husband. Only women of higher status were given education at home. Women could not take up professions like law and medicine. They remained engrossed in activities like carding of wool. Unmarried women could either become nuns or domestic helps. They were not even allowed to act on stage. In times like these William Shakespeare dauntlessly projected the empowered characters of Rosalind in 'As You Like It' and Portia in 'Merchant of Venice'. This paper studies the inculcation of modern traits in the above characters.