In today's society, women are struggling to find their voice without coming off as being overbearing and shrewish. The following recommendations should help the common woman who wants to have her voice heard and get her point across without turning in to a Katherine (prior to her being "tamed " by Petruchio). Beatrice may have
best expressed the frustration that some women face in
saying, "Oh, that I were a man," but although some women may
feel this way there is no need for us to feel like we need to be men to get
our points across. The differing gender roles in society can be better
explained by Irene Dash and Thomas Kuehn. They have observed
the gender inequality that is present in society along with how women
are depicted in Shakespeare's plays.
Dash enjoys discussing the place of women in society. She focuses on societal relationships and which ones effect women's lives the most. They are love, marriage, and power, or lack there of. All three of these topics are present in Shakespeare's palys bringing attention to how women are depicted within them. Dash believes that our view of women has been distorted as a result of our male counterparts. Their askew view of women as only being capable of being dependent on men greatly effects how women feel about themselves in return. Kuehn delves further into the power play between men and women. "If society as a whole is seen as male...then women can hardly emerge as social beings." Here, Kuehn is summarizing the restriction that women feel on a daily basis from the patriarchy that is present in our lives. To fight these restrictions without being seen in a negative and ugly light it is best to follow the recommendations that are located at the bottom of this article. By doing so you will feel empowered as a woman, while keeping your class all at the same time.
- Stick with your values. Remember, that you are a woman and you may have an internal yearning to take care of your man, so don't be surprised when he starts to ask for what he's been given by you in the past.
- Stand your ground, but don't stress it. Of course you know you're strong & intelligent, but so does he. Men like assertive women, but don't forget to let them feel like the men they are in the relationship.
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