Women's Empowerment in Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew In Shakespeare's comedies, many—perhaps even most—of the female characters are depicted as being manipulated, if not outright controlled, by the men in their lives: fathers, uncles, suitors, husbands. And yet, some women in Shakespeare's comic world seem to enjoy a greater degree of autonomy and personal power than one might expect in a patriarchal society. At first glance, then, Shakespeare's comedies seem to send mixed signals regarding the notion of female empowerment. Some women are strong and independent, others are completely submissive, and the behavior of one or the other seems to be influenced more by the theme or plot than by the qualities of the characters themselves. A closer look, however, should make it clear that this is not the case. case; As with many of Shakespeare's plays, appearances can be deceiving. In some cases, outward behavior is a deliberate facade intended to mask the character's true feelings; in others, it is an acculturated veneer that is burned away following the events of the play. Despite their outward appearances, most of these comic women fall into one of two opposing archetypes. An examination of these archetypes allows the reader to see beyond these deceptions and discover the true personality beneath. The “Daughter” and “Niece” Archetypes In Shakespeare's comedies, many female characters are portrayed as submissive and easy to control. Like dutiful daughters, these women submit to patriarchal repression without complaint. Perhaps the best example of a "girl" character in Shakespearean comedy is the role of the hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Hero is completely under the control of his father Leonato, especially when it comes to the court. When, in the second act, Leonato believes that Don Pedro might ask for Hero's hand in marriage, he orders Hero to welcome the prince's advances despite the age difference: "My daughter, remember what I I told you. If the Prince asks you in this way, you know your answer” (II.i.61-3). We thus see that Leonato controls not only Hero's actions, but also his words. In fact, Hero is so completely repressed by the male-dominated society in which she lives that she submits not only to the will of her father, but also to that of almost every other man in the play. She is easily courted and won by Don Pedro posing as Claudio (II.

Essay / Women's Empowerment in Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew In Shakespeare's comedies, many—perhaps even most—of the female characters are depicted as being manipulated, if not outright controlled, by the men in their lives: fathers, uncles, suitors, husbands. And yet, some women in Shakespeare's comic world seem to enjoy a greater degree of autonomy and personal power than one might expect in a patriarchal society. At first glance, then, Shakespeare's comedies seem to send mixed signals regarding the notion of female empowerment. Some women are strong and independent, others are completely submissive, and the behavior of one or the other seems to be influenced more by the theme or plot than by the qualities of the characters themselves. A closer look, however, should make it clear that this is not the case. case; As with many of Shakespeare's plays, appearances can be deceiving. In some cases, outward behavior is a deliberate facade intended to mask the character's true feelings; in others, it is an acculturated veneer that is burned away following the events of the play. Despite their outward appearances, most of these comic women fall into one of two opposing archetypes. An examination of these archetypes allows the reader to see beyond these deceptions and discover the true personality beneath. The “Daughter” and “Niece” Archetypes In Shakespeare's comedies, many female characters are portrayed as submissive and easy to control. Like dutiful daughters, these women submit to patriarchal repression without complaint. Perhaps the best example of a "girl" character in Shakespearean comedy is the role of the hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Hero is completely under the control of his father Leonato, especially when it comes to the court. When, in the second act, Leonato believes that Don Pedro might ask for Hero's hand in marriage, he orders Hero to welcome the prince's advances despite the age difference: "My daughter, remember what I I told you. If the Prince asks you in this way, you know your answer” (II.i.61-3). We thus see that Leonato controls not only Hero's actions, but also his words. In fact, Hero is so completely repressed by the male-dominated society in which she lives that she submits not only to the will of her father, but also to that of almost every other man in the play. She is easily courted and won by Don Pedro posing as Claudio (II.

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