men controlling women - context Flashcards
the play is set in
venice and cyprus
reveals the attitudes and values of where in what century
England in 16th and 17 century
patriarchy
a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
what was mens honour linked to?
reputation/title
what was womens honour centred on?
christian virtue, their chastity, fidelity and coyness
quote linked to desdemonas chastity
iago refers to her as a “white ewe”, the colour ‘white’ symbolising purity and chastity
women who were too outspoken were often labelled ‘shrews’ while women who were unchaste were seen as whores or prostitutes
women who were unchaste were seen as whores or prostitutes and seen as unmarriageable, quotes from Much Ado About Nothing
‘contaminated’ and ‘stale’
used in much ado about nothing
women were seen as property of… and so any damage to a womans honour would bring great harm to the fathers…
their father, and later husbands
brings harm to the fathers reputation
Jacobean male society felt fear and paranoia about
cuckoldry , and including superstituous tales about cuckolds growing horns
this fear is played out in many of shakespeares plays with men terrified of being
humiliated by an adulterous wife
this is considered part of what tradition
‘anti-feminist tradition’
what is the anti-feminist tradition
an unpleasant and patriarchal tradition of portraying women as weak-willed or discontented (like Eve) or as witches who seem pure and chaste whilst misleading their husbands with strange sorcery, or having insatiable sexual appetites
iago claiming desdemonas sexual appetites
her “eyes must be fed”
