Unsex me here: Shakespearean Sexuality and Power Throughout history there has been a constant power struggle between

males and females. The struggle between these two genders is often attributed to their sexualities. Sexaulity can determine a persons behavior in regards to themselves and others. It also determines the relationships between the two genders and the interactions between them. enerally! most relationships are comprised of a dominate party and a submissive party. "ith this! there is a constant struggle for power between different sexualities. Shakespeare touches upon this issue in his plays Macbeth, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. "ithin these three plays! different types of sexualities are introduced and their relationships with power are discussed. The first example is seen in The Tempest through the evaluation of the classic example of power derived through male sexuality. #fter Prospero loses his dukedom! all he has left is the control of the island on which he resides. $e reali%es that the only means he has of gaining political power reside in the virginity of his only daughter. $e controls her sexuality to save her for marriage to a man that will secure his power. "hen &aliban tries to rape 'iranda! Prospero makes him into a slave and keeps him far away from her. $e is protecting her as a father! but also is protecting her virginity which is a necessity to his power. Prospero eventually constructs a plan that brings (erdinand! the )ing*s son! and 'iranda! his daughter! together. $e plays his daughter*s sexuality like a political pawn to gain control of the )ing. "ith the marriage! he is able to increase and secure his political power. $e also talks of his daughter as if she were a material item: P+,SP-+,: Then! as my gift! and thine own ac.uisition "orthily purchased! take my daughter. /III.iii.012034. 'iranda*s virginity is brought up several times in the play and is advocated as a sense of power. 5ecause of her virginity! she is seen as the ideal woman that would be a pri%e for her future husband. $owever the power derived from her virginity is not for her! but for her father and for her future husband. $er father has preserved her carefully! upon a figurative shelf! and will only take her down to award to the man of his choosing. 'iranda was 6ust lucky to have been in love with the man he chose. Ultimately! Prospero trades! rather than gives! his daughter to (erdinand in exchange for the political power he has desired for so long. Through this act 'iranda*s sexuality has been dominated by a male to achieve his own motives. The next example is seen in Macbeth and is the antithesis to the above! evaluating the example of power derived through female sexuality. Macbeth re6ects all the notions that society has advocating regarding sexuality. "hile it is usually the male gender that is associated with specific traits! and the female gender associated with others! the characters in Macbeth demonstrate the opposite. 'acbeth! although male! represents the female traits of compassion and fragility! while 7ady 'acbeth! although female! represents the male traits of ambition! ruthlessness! and power. She has the desire for power and encourages 'acbeth to murder the )ing to gain control of the throne. She even alludes to 'acbeth*s compassionate nature: 7#89 '#&5-T$:9et I do fear thy nature. It is too full o*th*milk of human kindness /I.v.0320:4. She is describing his compassion! which is a classic female trait! as as being a detriment to the plan of ascertaining power. She also reali%es! that because of his feminine nature! she must help motivate him: 7#89 '#&5-T$: That I may pour my spirits in thine ear #nd chastise with the valor of my tongue #ll that impedes thee from the golden round "hich fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal /I.v.;32;<4. In these lines! 7ady 'acbeth is describing how she is to persuade her husband to go through with the

murder and claim! what she believes! fate has determined to be rightfully his. #lso! the way she =fills> her husbands head with the idea is symbolic to the way a man =fills> a woman through sexual intercourse. She is essentially acting in the male role! which places 'acbeth in the female role. The final example is seen in A Midsummer Night's Dream by evaluating the example of power through homosexuality. "hile there are no characters that are directly homosexual! there are homosexual tendencies illustrated by two of the main characters! 8emetrius and -geus. "hile -geus is appealing to Theseus to force his daughter! $ermia! to marry 8emetrius! -geus declares his love for 8emetrius: 79S#?8-+: 9ou have her father*s love! 8emetrius. 7et me have $ermia*s. 8o you marry him. - -US: Scornful 7ysander! true! he hath my love@ #nd what is mine my love shall render him. #nd she is mine! and all my right of her I do estate unto 8emetrius. /I.i.A:20BB4. The marriage of $ermia to 8emetrius is not a 6oining of $ermia and 8emetrius! rather it is a symbolic 6oining between -geus and 8emetrius. "ithin these lines! -geus is taking possession of $ermia and with this possession he is symbolically giving himself up to 8emetrius. 7ysander is e.ual in terms of fortune! so the reason that -geus desires 8emetrius is simply due to his own feelings for him. -ssentially he is transfering his sexual desires! through $ermia! to receive gratification over her marriage to the man he is in love with. "hile Prospero controlled 'iranda*s sexuality as a means of gaining political power! -geus attempts to control $ermia*s sexuality as a means of exercising his own sexuality. ,verall the characters in these three plays have demonstrated the relationship between sexuality and power. #lthough different types of sexualities resulted in different types of power! they all concluded that power can be derived from sexuality. $owever it doesn*t appear that one type of sexuality holds all the power! according to Shakespeare. In his works! there has been a mix of power derived from male sexuality! female sexuality! and even homosexuality. Through the evaluation of these three kinds of sexuality! and their role associated with power! Shakespeare provides an interesting illustration of how human sexuality and power are intermingled. "orks &ited: Shakespeare! "illiam. A Midsummer Night's Dream. ?ew 9ork: "ashington S.uare! 0AA1. Print. Shakespeare! "illiam. Macbeth. 5altimore: Penguin! 0AC0. Print. Shakespeare! "illiam. The Tempest. -d. ?orthrop (rye. $armondsworth! 'iddlesex: Penguin! 0ACB. Print.