Redefining Renaissance ideas of Women Gender Roles

in Shakespeares Measure for Measure.

Ebtisam Jafar, Lifelong Learner
Shakespeare redefines the conceptual idea of gender roles for females in regards to renaissance
ideas, in Measure for Measure. These ideas about gender seem to have plaed a significant
role in identifing the personal identit of the heroine !sabella. Shakespeare e"periments #ith
reversing her role b allo#ing her to possess some masculine $ualities that #ere unheard of in
the Eli%abethan period. &e see this #ith her interactions #ith 'ngelo and her brother (laudio.
To comprehend the personas in Shakespeare)s Measure for Measure, one must first understand
the renaissance ideas on gender roles, #hich differed significantl for both se"es. Men, being
regarded as superior, #ere the overpo#ering, domineering figure in Eli%abethan societ. The
plaed the authoritative role over the female gender both domesticall and globall. Men #ere
the verdict voice over all aspects of societ *+ackin ,-..
!n the earl /011)s, #hich #as about the time Measure for Measure #as #ritten2 #omen had
virtuall no control over their role in societ. The #ere presumed to act submissivel and
passivel in their homes as #ell as in public. The busil attended to their domestic duties such
as child3rearing and house chores. &omen are those #hom nature hath made to keep home and
to nourish their famil and children, and not to meddle #ith matters abroad *4reenblatt 5.. 's
critic +oberts points out #omen #ere seen as closer than men to animals in the 4reat (hain of
6eing *+oberts 7,.. 'nother attribute #oman in this era had but #as limited to #as the
opportunit to receive grammar schooling or college education. &omen #ere compared to being
phsicall unable to saturate the same material as men and therefore #ere reflected as being
#eak phsicall, morall and mentall. &omen had little to be accomplished and proud of
because of their role in societ.
(onformit to conventional female gender roles as in that suggestive for Eli%abethans hinders an
individual)s self3identification and a#areness. !sabella doesn)t conform to societies vie#s that are
sub8ected to her and therefore aids in her gaining self3distinctiveness *Lead us not into
Temptation9 Seduction, :esire and the Lo# #ebsite.. &e see this #hen she interacts #ith
'ngelo, the hpocritical deput to :uke ;incentio. <er resolute character comes through #hen
she initiall meets 'ngelo. !n tring to proclaim her defense for her brother, she states that his
ma8est should reconsider his sentence for if the roles #ere reversed he #ould not #ant this to
happen to him9
I would to heaven I had your potency, And you were Isabel! Should it then be thus? No; I would
tell what `twere to be a judge,And what a prisoner !"#" $%&#
'
(')
She continues her ammunition to#ard 'ngelo #ith comparing him to having a giants strength but
being trannous to use it like a giant in 'ct 7, Scene 7. She tells him Man, proud man, :ressed
in a little brief authorit =>? @las such fantastic tricks before high
heaven 's make the angels #eep> *7.7 /71.. She also is bold to ask him to consider
#hether he has not some guilt similar to her brother)s. <er strapping approach to#ard a
prominent figure like 'ngelo is un3feminine. !t is stated in the Aorton Shakespeare that
1=/? All references to Measure for Measure are taken from the Greenblatt edition
#omen are limited to have a voice in public debates, or even to simpl speak their mind full and
openl in ordinar conversation. The have no authorit in decisions. &omen #ho asserted their
vie#s too vigorousl risked being perceived as shre#ish and labeled Bscolds) *4reenblatt /1..
Shakespeare breaks this rule #ith !sabella therefore promoting a health gro#th for her true
identit.
&hen !sabella)s character intercepts #ith (laudio)s character he encourages her corruption b
enticing her to give up her chastit to 'ngelo to save himself9
Sweet sister, let *e live# +hat sin you do to save a brother,s li-e, Nature dispenses with the
deed so -ar, .hat it beco*es a virtue !/#' '/0&#
Through the ees of (laudio it is not understandable as to #h his sister #ouldn)t sacrifice her
bod to 'ngelo even if it meant setting him free. &hat (laudio can)t fathom is that this
immeasurable sacrifice he begged of !sabella is not of her bod but of her immortal soul in
heaven.
1, you beast! 1 -aithless coward, 1 dishonest wretch, +ilt thou be *ade a *an out o- *y vice?
Is,t not a 2ind o- incest to ta2e li-e, 3ro* thine own sister,s sha*e? +hat should I thin2? !/#'
'/4&#
Shakespeare)s female audiences smpathi%e #ith !sabella because she is not #eighing (laudio)s
life against her chastit, but his non3perpetual life on earth against her immortal life. She speaks
to her female audience9 More than our brother is our chastit *7.C /D,.. 6 !sabella deciding to
help (laudio, she has to put to side her secular and sacred religious beliefs, #hich in turn #ould
corrupt her being afterlife.
5etter it were a brother died at once.han that a sister, by redee*ing hi*, Should die -or ever
!"#0 '67&#
The $uestion she has is that she either gives up her chastit and her prelude to an eternal
afterlife as #ell as risk breaking the la# or save the life of her beloved brother. Shakespeare
resolves her nature to mimic and e"emplif the actions of corrupt male characters such as 'ngelo
and (laudio #ho alread defied the la# of fornication *although !sabella doesn)t do the bad deed
herself, she aids in it.. Ene $uestions her actions in interfering #ith (laudio)s sentence. !f she is
in opposition to breaching the la# #h doesn)t she let 8ustice be served #ith (laudioF &h does
she break from her set feminine role of being reserved and modest and maintaining her pureness
and goodness to aid (laudioF To ans#er these $uestions one needs to revie# Shakespearean
la#s governing marriage and se"ualit.
Marriage #as a sacred state that bound the love of a man and #oman #ho sought procreation.
This courtship of marriage has to be arranged b friends or parents. Secret marriages #ere
considered unla#ful. 'fter marriage a couple needed to consummate their legal rights to be
betrothed. !t is a (hristian sin if the couple doesn)t consummate their marriage or if
consummation #as done prior to the religious ceremon. *Marriage and !nheritance in
Shakespeare)s Era #ebsite.. (laudio and Juliet have broken t#o of these conventions. 'lthough
the #ere married b common la#, the did so secretl and also the practiced se"ual acts prior
to marriage. !sabella #as a#are of their illegal acts and b helping (laudio in the plot to#ard
'ngelo she therefore reunites and legitimi%es her brother)s marriage as #ell as saves him. 'lso
she #anted her o#n 8ustice on 'ngelo for his prohibited re$uest in asking for her celibac. !n her
doing this she risks and surrenders her rights and beliefs as an ideal #oman in Eli%abethan
societ and therefore aids in her o#n corruption.
Ene could $uestion the #a Shakespeare has !sabella acting aggressivel to#ard male figures in
Measure for Measure and re8ecting her acceptance as a female heroine. !f !sabella took her
stance as a pious, obscured and silent #omen, #ould 'ngelo, (laudio or the :uke treat her
differentlF !s Shakespeare relating to male figures and their upstanding role in societ in this
#aF The ans#er might lie #ith the plas connection geared to#ard a male audience and English
renaissance #omen parts being plaed b adolescent males. Ene could also ans#er this in
Shakespeare)s #orld being a male dominating societ and their attitudes to#ard #omen *+ackin
,-..
!n a period #here #omen #here vie#ed as lo#er in status to men, one could smpathi%e #ith
Eli%abethan #omen. There are some cultures that still possess the $ualities of #omen)s inferiorit
over men. Measure for Measure is a not an e"emplifing pla to#ard renaissance values that
offers a real resolution to the problem of gender. Shakespeare)s female characters take on
masculine personalit traits, #hich in turn breaks from conformit and aids in the gro#th of their
true identit.
Work Cited:
4reenblatt, Stephen. !ntroduction. The Aorton Shakespeare. &alter (ohen, Jean E. <o#ard, and
Gatharine Eisaman Maus et al. Ae# Hork9 Aorton, /55I.
+oberts, Jeanne 'ddison. The Shakespearean &ild J 4eograph, 4enus, and 4ender. Kniversit
of Aebraska @ress, Lincoln and London, /55/.
+ackin, @hllis. Shakespeare and 4ender. 4arland @ublishing, !nc. ' member of the Talor L
Mrancis 4roup. Ae# Hork and London, /555.
:usinberre, Juliet. Shakespeare and the Aature of &oman. The Macmillan @ress Ltd. London
and 6asingstoke, /5I,.
Gnapp, Jennie. Lead us not into Temptation9 Seduction, :esire and the Lo#. The Shakespearean
Theatre. Nhttp9OO###.shakespearedc.orgOpastprodOmeaspla.htmlP.
Shakespeare Era. Marriage and !nheritance in Shakespeare)s Era.
Nhttp9OO###.campusrat.comObasementpapersOsecQpapersOShakespeareQEra.htmlP