A03 Flashcards
What typical categories existed for women to fit into?
Maidens, wives, widows, or whores.
What stock character does Brabantio represent? Where else can this be found in Shakespeare?
Brabantio is the ‘Senex Iratus’, or the old patriarchal figure, who holds control over his children - such as Lord Capulet in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and Polixenes in ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (who is a king outraged over his son marrying a shepherd girl Perdita)
Which other women in Shakespeare are rebellious against their fathers for the sake of love?
Juliet in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, who falls in love with Romeo of the opposing noble house, and Jessica in ‘The Merchant of Venice’, as she marries a Christian man and abandons her Jewish father.
Which of Shakespeare’s cunning women defy other cultural norms and how?
Portia in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and Viola in ‘Twelfth Night’ both crossdress in order to survive and achieve their aims in society which they could not achieve as a woman.
What is ‘manning’ a hawk?
Taming a female hawk by spending twenty days with it constantly, until the hawk looks upon the male falconer as a mate.
How were hawks treated in upper class gentry?
Hawks were prized possessions, and particularly beloved hawks could sleep in the master’s bedroom. Falconry itself was a noble sport.
What significance did handkerchiefs serve in Renaissance upper class circles?
They were often uniquely embroidered and exchanged as gifts.
How do 16th century costume guides depict Venetian noblewomen?
Young women had to wear black silk veils over their faces in order to preserve their modesty.
Who is Dian?
Roman Goddess of chastity, nature and hunt.
Which non-European countries did England trade with?
The Ottoman Empire and the Barbary coast
What were British slavery laws like in Shakespeare’s time?
All men on English soil were free.
What evidence is there for a significant presence of Moors and Africans in England?
1601 draft proclamation; she calls for the deportation of ‘Negars and Blackamoors’
What evidence is their of African integration into England?
1578: George Best writes of witnessing an Ethiopian man taking an English wife and having children.
How many plays in the turn of the century featured Moors?
Between 1579 and 1624 there are 62 recorded plays.
How were Muslims treated in Venetian society?
They would be ostracised from society, they could not have a centralised prayer location.
