Overlooking Women

While reading Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, I found it interesting how women were completely overlooked and pushed aside. There are only two women in this play, each has a meaningful roles. They each attempt to console and protect their husbands from the danger that they feel is in the future.

Calphurnia is the wife of Caesar and her role is very important. Calphurnia has a dream one night, and in the dream it spells out the impending destruction of Caesar. “She dreamt tonight she saw my statue, / Which, like a fountain with a hundred spouts, / Did run pure blood. And many lusty Romans/ Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it“(Act 2. Scene 2. 76-79). Here Caesar is explaining to Decius the dream she had. He makes her out to be a silly woman who had a bad dream, and is taking it too far. The moment Decius gives Caesar his opinion of what the dream means, Caesar dismisses Calphurnia and states that he is ashamed that he ever considered her fears. It is interesting here because Calphurnia is clearly worried about her husband, and is begging him not to go. He brushes her off very easily not knowing that if he would have listened to her, he would not be murdered that day.

The other female character who is disregarded is Portia, the wife of Brutus. Being the ideal wife that she is, she asks her husband to confide in her and tell her what is bothering him. “Tell me your counsels. I will not disclose ‘em/ I have made strong proof of my constancy/ “(Act 2. Scene1. 300-301). He refuses to confide in her and this causes her a great sadness that eventually leads to her suicide. It is important for everyone to talk to someone and work out moral dilemmas. Brutus does not realize the importance of companionship and ignores Portia’s requests.

These women could have significantly changed the lives of Caesar and Brutus if only they were not overlooked and in fact given a second thought. This aspect is why I found these interactions to be so interesting.

Katharina and Petruchio’s Modern Flirting

In Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, Katharina is a very nontraditional, harsh speaking woman for this time period.   During this time period women had very little power. Women were expected to be well-mannered, gracious and pure entities. Katharina does not embody this ideal because she is so outspoken and has a great temper. There are many instances in the play where she speaks to men with great disrespect and sass and this causes her to be considered unconventional and shrewish. However, in her first conversation with Petruchio, Katharina’s remarks would be considered par today.

  Their conversation starts with Petruchio going on and on about how mild and virtuous Kate’s reputation is.  She starts off from the beginning with very sassy remarks. He tells her that he feels moved to woo her, and she begins by making remarks about him being moveable.

Moved? In good time! Let him that moved you hither

Remove you hence. I knew you at the first

You were a movable.  (Act. 2. 1. 195-196).

She is being hard on him and tells him to go away. Then she calls him a piece of furniture. Katharina is being very sassy and she is playing hard to get. This would not be considered so unusual in modern times when flirting is more acceptable. Petruchio answers her furniture remark with a sexual innuendo. Their conversation is filled with a combination of feisty remarks that are filled with sexual innuendos. When one first reads this section, it seems that these two characters are fighting and being very rude toward each other. After interpreting what they are really saying it is comical and one realizes how they are actually flirting.

                In the time period that this play takes place the ideals and standards for women were very different from today. Women were expected to be quiet and obedient to all men and being sassy was not considered desirable. The interaction between Katharina and Petruchio would be considered more acceptable in modern conversations.