Discrimination of Women During the Elizabethan Era The...

Throughout the Elizabethan era, men had more advantages than women. William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew has characters such as Petruchio, Baptista, Katherine, and Bianca that show how men overpowered women. During the Elizabethan era, there was heavy sexism. Women were discriminated. Through Shakespeare’s language, men could speak to and about women in a disrespectful and derogatory manner. Women were voiceless and deprived of their right to speak. Women were inferior to men. During the Elizabethan era, through Shakespeare’s language, and in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, it is proven that men had more advantages than women. People in the Elizabethan era demonstrated the heavy sexism during that period in†¦show more content†¦However, a man without a wife is no different than a man with a wife. Men had many more advantages than women during the Elizabethan era. Men had the authority to say whatever they wanted to, no matter what it was. Although they were allowed to do a lot more that women, they were also allowed to say a lot more than women. Men did not really have boundaries when it came to speaking. They were allowed to speak their mind and have an opinion. Men could speak to and about women in a disrespectful and derogatory way. Women were also allowed to have an opinion, but they were not allowed to express it to others. Women were voiceless. They were deprived of their right to speak. The title itself, The Taming of the Shrew, already proves how strong men were compared to women during that time period. If a woman wanted to speak their mind, they would be criticized and judged. They would gain a bad reputation because women were expected to listen to men and follow their commands. However, Katherine did not like that. Instead, she spoke her mind and refused to do certain things. As a result, nobody liked her. They viewed her as a â€Å"fiend of hell† (I.i.90). A man would not be called that though. On the other hand, if a man did the same thing, no one would care. â€Å"Much more of shrew of thy impatient humour.† (III.ii.29) This proves that even the woman’s father would call their daughter a â€Å"shrew†. This was also normalShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew1676 Words   |  7 Pagescontinue to do so because they grapple with economic and social issues that people of all ages, from all walks of life, can relate to. Shakespearean plays ideally encompass these viewpoints; they can be tragic, comedic or even romantic. Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare explores the marriage between a shre wd woman, Katherine and a willing suitor, Petruchio. Petruchio challenges himself to try and transform shrewd ways of Katherine to turn her into the ideal and obedient house wife by using various