Shakespeare and Feminist Theory

by Marianne Novy, Evelyn Gajowski (Series Editor)

Are Shakespeare's plays dramatizations of patriarchy or representations of assertive and eloquent women? Or are they sometimes both? And is it relevant, and if so how, that his women were first played by boys? This book shows how many kinds of feminist theory help analyze the dynamics of Shakespeare's plays. Both feminist theory and the plays deal with issues such as likeness and difference between the sexes, the complexity of relationships between women, the liberating possibilities of desire, what marriage means and how much women can remake it, how women can use and expand their culture's ideas of motherhood and of women's work, and how women can have power through language. This lively exploration of these and related issues is an ideal introduction to the field of feminist readings of Shakespeare.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 21, 2017

Reviews

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was somewhat of a mismatch between what I wanted the book to be and what I suspect the book is meant to be. It is more of an introduction or aggregator of various feminist takes on issues concerning women in Shakespeare's plays. With interesting though not particularly new insights and with less time spent on particular characters or plays than I had hoped for. I would have found it very useful as a student.

It feels somewhat like going to a concert of an artist who has too many songs to cover individually and so most, including my favorites get swept up into a medley.

As is always the case with any Arden Shakespeare publication the references are wonderful.