The Role of Women in some Shakespearean Tragedies: Hamlet, Macbeth and Antony & Cleopatra

Abstract

This research investigates the role of women in some Shakespeare’s tragedies; (Hamlet, Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra). The researcher has used the descriptive analytic methods, providing some critics views such as; Annette Kolodny, Alexander Barroll, Leggatt , Bridget Lyons ,Carol Neely, Juliet Dusinberre and others. The purpose of this research is to show some aspects of misogyny that is seen in some of Shakespeare's tragedies. Based on the research questions, the researcher has come up with the following results: - In the plays; (Hamlet and Macbeth), the struggles step up from female ambition for sovereign power and the corruption of the politic body through corruption of the female sovereign body. In both plays, Shakespeare reflects the social anxiousness from the Elizabethan culture connecting to the existence of dependence on a female monarch. Also, both plays have an end with the decreasing of female sovereign authority. The absolute accusation to the queen is of sexual improprieties, and disrespectful behavior (not married). In Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare has fabricated the resentment during the Elizabethan period and conveys the cultural fear and worry of the time specifically through Cleopatra as she insists on fulfilling a political role against the wishes of the patriarchal men and refuses to adhere the stereotypes of patriarchal society. The researcher recommends that the casual readers have to be aware of the qualities and values in the work of art that they might overlooked, and to the criticism which stimulates the discrimination between good and inferior works, as well to encourage them to read and scrutinize the beauty of literal works and its purposes as an essential reservoir of English vocabulary, romantic, literal and political expressions. The researcher suggests to other researchers Comparing and contrasting the role of women in other Shakespearean plays, and comparing the role of women in some Shakespearean plays with contemporary dramatists. Key words: monarch, sovereign, stereotypes, misogyny, patriarchal, III