Romm concluded that even though Agrippina may have been manipulative and ambitious she was still able to achieve what women of the era could not. The write Cat Pierro’s argues that Agrippina the Younger’s life is one that is full of mistakes, the largest of which was giving birth Nero. Pierro interpretation of Agrippina is that she was an Austere , arrogant woman that would use her sexuality to gain power. She was jealous of any woman that tried to become close to her husband and then her son, even going as so far to order the execution of a women that her husband Claudius complimented. Eventually she vilified herself enough to turn herself not only to turn her son against her but most of the court as well.
The final line “Who could not say, ‘Tis pity she’s a whore?” can be seen as directed towards her and so she is blamed for everything that has occurred. Throughout the play she is seen as quite powerful and headstrong by refusing many marriage proposals and being quite stubborn in doing so. However, she is reduced to a weak being however upon dying which is a culmination of her passions. It is perceived that women are a danger to men and to society as a whole and so Giovanni’s actions are to be blamed not on himself, but on Annabella because of the beauty she possesses. Giovanni states that Annabella’s “lips would tempt a saint” thus showing the corruption her presence inflicts upon even the supposed innocent of men.
However, Shakespeare makes it clear that in fact others’ narrow-mindedness is key to Richard’s success. In addition, the women in King Richard III are able to see through Richard’s duplicity but have no influence with which to expose him. Shakespeare explores the inherent sexism of Yorkist society and how it leaves the women with no control. Richard’s eventual downfall comes as a result of insatiable greed and paranoia, and his fear of losing power clouds his sight, preventing him from comprehending those around him and ultimately leading to his death. However, even once Richard realises he can do nothing to prevent his defeat, he asserts that he would rather fulfil his hellish role with pride than retreat in cowardice.
This creates a potential struggle to men not only for the balance of good and evil but also the ideology of sanity. Perhaps man's deception of Venetian women (femininity) being of 'perfection' and of 'spirit quiet and still' led to conceivable struggles (I.3.95-97) between the masculine characters ideology of women. Women are powerful. Just because women were restricted by society's standards, it did not mean they restrained themselves to mutual silence. In (IV.2.195) we discover that Emilia responds to Iago's commands repulsively.
Through a modern perception on the playwright’s female characters, women can be seen as worthless, sexually corrupt indiviudals. Ophelia, often through the words of the men around her, can be partiicuarly perceived in this way. This is evident, with her father, Polonius when he says to Claudius, “At such a time, I loose my daughter to him; Be you and I behind an arras then; Mark the encounter…” (2.2.176-178) Polonius’ language here suggests that Ophelia is more of an animal than his daughter, and he as her father shows her little respect. This reading of Ophelia is also apparent through Hamlet’s language, describing her in unpleasant context or as a “dead dog”(2.2.81). He treats her with little regard and believes that she is a “breeder of maggot” This is also evident when Hamlet says to her, “ I say we will have no more marriages.
And what is a greater crime than making women hate themselves for reasons that they cannot change? The “anti-narcissism” that men have made consists of women not liking anything about them and wishing that they were the opposite sex just to get more respect. They don’t have any self-respect for themselves because of the nonsense that the “dominant” males have fed them their whole lives. This makes everything hostile for women and while men are busy controlling what the rules are and what can be published, women are struggling with this internal conflict that they’ll never get far in life because of their sex. Cixous boldly declares that women have been “kept in the dark.” What is this darkness you may ask?
It is inevitable as death. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is no exception to this rancid portrayal of women. Though they may seem ignorant of all the corruption around them, women are still responsible for the corruption throughout the play. Gertrude and Ophelia are both manipulative characters that entice men around them and ultimately become the motivation for all of the tragic events throughout the play. Despite the general opinion that “Hamlet” contains the weakest women in Shakespeare’s works, the unraveling of the main plot can only be attributed to them.
Throughout the course of the play, the female characters are seen as powerful figures who are more ruthless than the men. For example, Regan and Goneril are often portrayed as strong and controlling figures, not letting anyone stand in their way of achieving their aims. They see their father as an obstacle, preventing them from getting what they want, and they treat him like this also. Although he was kind enough to give up his kingdom to be shared between two of his daughters, this wasn’t enough. Both Goneril and Regan wanted to grasp all of Lear’s powers, and take them away from him.
Superiority and overconfidence always seem to be closely associated with dominance and gender; and is amongst the dominant perspectives expressed by Shakespeare in the play, “Richard the Third”. The conflicting viewpoints of both sexes over superiority, is developed in Richard the third in the male point of view whereby Shakespeare reveals us to a male dominated world. “Why, I can smile...And murder while I smile!” It can be interpreted from the play that the: manipulative, malicious, power-hungry, Richard the third, did not have much regards for the life of women. Richard finds women inferior to men, has no respect for their emotions, and views them as tools. As far as the two major female characters of the play are concerned, Richard's attitude towards women becomes quite evident, and furthermore reflects his attitude towards life in a whole.
As the plot progresses Ophelia begins to lose her mind, resulting in her eventually suicide, but at no point his Hamlet called out for his harsh words against her in a significant way. Shakespeare makes Ophelia appear helpless; she