earticle

영어

In the traditional thought of patriarchy, women’s activities in society were restricted by an exemplification of their role. In this system, women were regarded to as a kind of a possessed thing, men’s property, inferior to men. But this thought started to be gradually changed in the age of Renaissance, and its focus was also changed form God into human. In addition, a new thinking about human began to make people recognize women’s existence and ability. Thomas More, in his Utopia, also insisted that education be provided for everybody, men and women alike. Maybe, the ruling power of Queen ElizabethⅠ and her political success had a great effect on all of these changes. The playwright who excellently reflected this sort of change and the women’s social role in plays, especially in his comedies, was William Shakespeare. In his plays of comedy, he give an important role as a solvable agent to women-characters. And the women characters solve the conflicts caused by men in an amicable way. For examples, Rosalind in As You Like It, Viola in Twelfth Night, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice are characters with their wisdom and wit who solve the problems caused by stupid men. I will approach The Merchant of Venice on a matter of feminism. The Merchant of Venice displays the conflicts in a patriarchal society where freedom of human soul is oppressed, especially for women. Most of the men in Venice are materialistic snobs. They are deeply steeped in deceit, debauchery, sexism, and racism. They also have discrimination and contempt in a religion and a job. So, they are always unhappy in reality though they seem to be happy in appearance. Especially, Antonio and Shylock are the central figures who are opposed to each other on their religion, race and way of life. No one can solve this absurdity of their lives. Only Portia resolves this disorderly situation by means of her wisdom. Thanks to her wisdom and modesty, all the characters including herself can be finally freed themselves from all kinds of disorderly absurdities. Shakespeare characterized Portia as superior to men who caused problems in this play. He makes her solve the problems caused by some stupid men in Venice who seemingly look gentle and noble. Of characters in this play, Portia plays a role as a leader in guiding the stupid characters into the right. She is like a divine leader. She is the mortal breathing saint as if characters expressed her in their remarks as “a secret pilgrimage”(1.1.120), or “the joys of heaven here on earth”(3.5.70) . Portia directs the men-oriented traditional practice into the women -oriented one. But she never becomes a destroyer of traditional practice. She just plays a leading role in solving the problems without force. Therefore, Portia who Shakespeare created is a model of a woman with modern thinking who actively and voluntarily conducts her business. Shakespeare definitely emphasizes that woman could play an important role in a patriarchal society by selecting Portia as the character to repair the disorderly situation. Her role in this play brings people to the social realization of women and their social status in Shakespeare’s age.