Gender roles

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by chinnu30306

by chinnu30306

Gender roles

Masculinity & male aggression

Moment 1: Act 1 Scene 1

"Do you bite your thumb at me sir?"

Servants of Capulet and Montague insult each other and demonstrate sexual violence.

Effect on play and audience – this opening shows the extent of the feud, with men trying to pick fights to defend their honour.

Shakespeare's ideas – here, Shakespeare presents most men as quite violent, making them a foil for the peace-making nature of Benvolio and the Petrarchan-lover nature of Romeo.

NEW INFO – Men did anything (duelled) to defend their honour.

"Give me my longsword, ho!"

Even older generations are aggressive, but Capulet later states Again shows masculine aggression, as Capulet does not even know why he is fighting, except that "old Montague is come / And flourishes his blade".

Moment 2: Act 3 Scene 1

"And but one word with one of us? couple it with something, make it a word and a blow."

Mercutio twists Tybalt's polite words ("Gentlemen, good den") – he is trying to pick a fight without a purpose.

Effect on play and audience – this leads onto the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt, and later Mercutio's death, which is pivotal since this is the point where the play becomes a fully-fledged tragedy in the absence of Mercutio's comedy.

NEW INFO – impulsiveness/hot-bloodedness leads to death, loyalty is valued.

"O sweet Juliet, / Thy beauty hath made me an effeminate, / And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!"

Romeo blames his weakness on his love for Juliet. "fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now" – wants to be ruled by emotions.

NEW INFO – showing Petrarchan-lover type emotions are frowned upon.

Moment 3: Act 3 Scene 5

"My fingers itch."

Capulet is angry at Juliet for refusing to marry Paris. He wants to strike her.

Language techniques – metaphor and short syllables to emphasise Capulet's anger.

Effect on play and audience – audience feels sympathy for Juliet. This scene is what Juliet to take drastic measures to prevent her marriage to Paris, leading to the misunderstanding later on.

NEW INFO – men were violent to women who disobeyed them (sexually in Act 1 Scene 1 – take the "maidenheads" of the Montague women).

Moment 4: Act 5 Scene 3

"Wilt thou provoke me? then have at thee, boy!"

Here, Romeo is quick to kill Paris, especially as he is a "desp'rate man" who is easily urged to "fury", showing his transition from his original lost-in-love self.

Women

See above – belonged to men, were treated badly (abusive, sexual)

Moment 1: Act 3 Scene 2

"though I am sold, / Not yet enjoy'd."

Language analysis – refers to herself as a 'mansion' who has been 'bought', showing how she devalues herself in front of her husband