Karen Hansen
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Annotated Bibliography
Topic: Marriage/Expectations for women
Plays: The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice
Ferguson, Margaret W., Maureen Quilligan, and Nancy J. Vickers, eds. Rewriting
the Renaissance: The Discourses of Sexual Difference in Early Modern
Europe. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986.
The introduction provides excellent information on how social and economic
changes in this period affected women’s lives and their relations to men. They
specifically cite the move from feudalism to capitalism, the rise of the nuclear family, and
the reinforcement of patriarchy. Ferguson, et. al. also bring up Elizabeth’s role in
shaping marriage—because of how she used it to her advantage—as well as the Stuart
kings’ roles in aggressively promoting patriarchy.
From An Homily of the State of Matrimony. In The Second Tome of Homilies.
London, 1563. Rpt. in The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare, Second
Edition. Russ McDonald. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
The excerpt from the Homily is extremely relevant to my topic because it outlines
duties and expectations for men and women in marriage. It also encourages a
companionate marriage; however, this does not mean that men and women have
complete equality. By being married and being unified, men and women can avoid sin
and “filth” as well as thwart the devil, but women are still the “weaker vessel.”
Goldberg, Jonathan. “Fatherly Authority: The Politics of Stuart Family Images.” .
Rewriting the Renaissance: The Discourses of Sexual Difference in Early
Modern Europe. Eds. Margaret W. Ferguson, Maureen Quilligan, and
Nancy J. Vickers. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986.
This chapter provided clarification on the concept of patriarchy. According to
Goldberg, James I saw (as well as spoke and wrote of) himself as the father of his
subjects, and “if James’s subjects were his children, his kingdom was his wife.”
Goldberg also brings up James’s comparison of the king to the head and the
country/subjects as the body. This was transferred to the family with the husband as the
head and the wife and children as the body. Goldberg’s article provides further
information about the family and the Stuarts, but for my purposes, it was most helpful
because it clarified the Renaissance concept of patriarchy.
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Gouge, William. From Of Domestical Duties: Eight Treatises: Common-Mutual
Duties Betwixt Man and Wife 2nd edition. London, 1626. Rpt. in The
Bedford Companion to Shakespeare, Second Edition. Russ McDonald. New
York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
I chose not to download Gouge’s treatise because it was 381 images; however, the
small piece in the Bedford Companion gives excellent information on the responsibilities
of men and women in marriage—especially men’s duty to not put everything on their
wives and women’s duty not to think they can be in charge of their husbands just because
they are in charge of the home.
MacCary, W. Thomas. Friends and Lovers: The Phenomenology of Desire in
Shakespearean Comedy. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985.
Although MacCary’s book focuses mostly on psychoanalytical interpretations, it
had detailed chapters on the plays I’m focusing on. The Shrew chapter made interesting
points about Petruchio as a parody of conventional romance, men needing other men to
face women in courtship, and men moving away from self-love to a companionate union.
The Much Ado chapter focused on Beatrice and Benedick’s war of wit an words, and
mentioned a connection between female characters with wit and the social issue of
women gaining power in relationships through words and intelligence. The chapter also
refers to a balanced relationship. Unfortunately, the Merchant of Venice chapter did not
relate to my topic, but focused on the issue of scapegoats and “the Jewish question.
If you can sift through MacCary’s psychoanalysis, you will find good
information.
May, Keith M. Characters of Women in Narrative Literature. New York: St.
Martin’s Press, 1981.
Although May’s book focuses on the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, his
first chapter, “Creative Myths,” refers briefly to Renaissance drama. May comments that
in “…Renaissance drama, there is, an extraordinary amount of reference to women’s
qualities…” he also adds that “the playwrights were making social rather than
psychological points.” May also refers to Juliet Dusinberre’s assertions in Shakespeare
and the Nature of Women. She argues that playwrights depicted strong female characters
to appeal to their female audience members. She also maintains that the dramatists
identified with the women because of “the double standards” they experienced.
May’s book was helpful to me primarily because it pointed me to Dusinberre’s
book. His discussion of Renaissance drama and Shakespeare is limited to six pages.
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Neeley, Carol Thomas. Broken Nuptials in Shakespeare’s Plays. New Haven: Yale
University Press, 1985.
Neely’s book focuses on “wooing, wedding, and repenting” in the following
plays: Much Ado About Nothing, All’s Well That Ends Well, Othello, Antony and
Cleopatra, and The Winter’s Tale. However, she addresses many other plays in her
discussions of the primary plays. I was able to find helpful information on Taming of the
Shrew and The Merchant of Venice. The introduction was extremely helpful because it
included historical information on men, women, and society’s attitudes toward marriage
and the status of women. Neely also cites many primary sources in the introduction.
I gained the most from the first chapter: “Broken Nuptials in Shakespeare’s
Comedies: Much Ado About Nothing. Neely emphasizes that the comedies rehearse
cultural anxieties, fears, and confusion about the place of women in society and in
marriage. She is not overtly feminist, and attributes these anxieties to the changing, often
contradictory roles of women, as well as to changes in marriage.
The only problem with Neely’s book is that at times she brings in too many plays
and characters to support her points. The main focus sometimes gets lost.
Smith, Peter J. Social Shakespeare: Aspects of Renaissance Dramaturgy and
Contemporary Society. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995.
Smith’s book had brief, but valuable information about marriage and relations
between men and women in the chapter “Shakespeare’s Comedy of Consensus.” He
contends that some of the comedies, specifically Much Ado About Nothing, show men
and women moving “away from their own self-definition to share themselves with
another person.” He also emphasizes that marriage is seen as a social responsibility.
These comments seem to echo the concept of a companionate marriage, as well as The
Homily of the State of Matrimony’s “advice” or requirement to get married and stay
married.
Another interesting point that Smith makes is that women have power during
courtship while men have power during marriage. He also points out that in the
comedies, and in society, marriage brings men together but separates women.
Speght, Rachel. A mouzell for Melastomus, the cynicall bayter of, and foule
mouthed barker against Euahs sex. Or an apologeticall answere to that
irreligious and illiterate pamphlet made by Io. Sw. and by him intituled, The
arraignement of women. London : Printed by Nicholas Okes for Thomas
Archer, and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head-Pallace, 1616. Bib
Name / Number:STC (2nd ed.) / 23058. Copy from: Harvard University
Library. Early English Books Online. wwwlib.umi.com
Speght’s Apologetical Answer is a response to Joseph Swetnam’s The
arraignment of lewd, idle, froward, and unconstant women. In her introduction, Speght
says that she cannot allow his “deadly poison” to go unanswered because people may
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take it as truth. She calls her Answer an antidote. She also includes an interesting
acrostic poem, wrapping it up by turning the “M” in Swetnam into “monster of men.”
She proceeds to explain why women are by nature good, beginning with examples
from the Bible. She takes some of Swetnam’s arguments and examples (St. Paul,
Solomon, and Adam and Eve) and cites other examples from the Bible to support her
case. At the end she says “if men would remember the duties they are to perform in
being heads, some would not stand tip-toe as they do, thinking themselves lords and
rulers.” She adds that you cannot condemn all women (or men) for the poor behavior of
a few.
Swetnam, Joseph. The arraignment of lewd, idle, froward, and unconstant women.
1617. London : Printed by Bernard Alsop for Thomas Archer, and are
to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Pallace near the Royall Exchange, 1622.
Bib Name / Number: STC (2nd ed.) / 23538. Copy from: Folger Shakespeare
Library. Early English Books Online. wwwlib.umi.com
In the introduction to his “Arraignment,” Swetnam singles out men as his
audience. He assumes that what he has to say will upset and offend women: “…for I
esteem little the malice of women; for men will be persuaded with reason, but women
must be answered with silence; for I know women will bark more at me, then Cereberus
the three-headed dog did at Hercules.” His is assumption is correct. I found three
responses to his comments, one of which is the previous entry.
Swetnam opens the first chapter with the statement that women lead “a proud,
lazy, and idle life, to the great hindrance of their poor husbands.” He goes on to say that
woman was created to be the helpmeet of man; and because she was made from Adam’s
rib, she is crooked and forward by nature—“a rib is a crooked thing.” Throughout the
first and second chapters, he cautions men (especially young men) against falling in love
with a woman and spending all of their time and money on them. In chapter two he says
that women are sprung from the devil, and that many men have been deceived or led
astray by female beauty. he includes many examples from the Bible, mythology, and
history.
Finally, Swetnam asks the reader in his introduction to read the whole piece; he
says he saves the best for last. Chapter three is dedicated to showing a remedy against
love, as well as giving advice on how to choose a “good, virtuous and honest woman” for
a wife. He starts out with qualities to avoid, and then moves on to specific advice about
marital relations. He does tell men to love their wives, and also talks about the best
marriage being between “near equals.”
Swetnam’s advice on marriage and on expectations for women in marriage isn’t
that radical, but he expresses his points in extreme terms that obscure his points at times,
e.g. “a woman will pick thy pocket, and empty thy purse, laugh in thy face, and cut thy
throat.”
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Tilney, Edmund. A Brief and Pleasant Discourse of Duties in Marriage, Called the
Flower of Friendship. Imprinted at London : By Henrie Denham, dwelling
in Paternoster Rowe, at the sign of the Star, 1577. Bib Name / Number: STC
(2nd ed.) / 24077a. Copy from: Bodleian Library. Early English Books
Online. wwwlib.umi.com
This is a primary document set up—like many I looked at—as a discussion
between a group of people. Published in 1577, this book addresses the concept of a
“companionate marriage” (McDonald 284) as well as the roles of men and women in
marriage. In this “discourse,” the group—Ladies Julia, I[s]abella, and Aloi[s]a, as well as
Pedro and Gualter, the men—discusses and disagrees on a wife’s duties and marriage as
the “flower of friendship.” Many of the points that Pedro makes about marriage seem to
echo the Homily. The author refers to the “Discourse” as a parable. It is interesting that
the conversation about men, women, and marriage takes place out in the garden.
Williamson, Marilyn L. The Patriarchy of Shakespeare’s Comedies. Detroit:
Wayne State University Press, 1986.
Unlike many of other secondary sources, Williamson’s book seems to be from the
same perspective as our research paper: a historical/cultural critical approach. Although
Williamson calls herself a feminist critic, she also comments that by examining the plays
within the context of the time period her “goal is not necessarily to provide new
readings—though they may result—but to offer a new historical perspective on the plays
and to understand themes heretofore neglected.” The introduction was especially helpful
in clarifying my thesis. Her first chapter, “The Comedies of Courtship: Men’s Power,
Women’s Profit,” will help me draw connections between the plays and their
historical/cultural context.
Williamson’s book seems to avoid other types of criticism such as
psychoanalytical or extreme feminist, which is helpful. Plays addressed in detail include:
Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Cymbeline, Measure For Measure,
The Tempest, and Twelfth Night. Williamson also refers to many primary documents.
Whetstone, George. From An Heptameron of Civil Discourses: Household Laws to
Keep the Married in Love, Peace, and Amity. London, 1582. Rpt. in The
Bedford Companion to Shakespeare, Second Edition. Russ McDonald. New
York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
This excerpt from Whetstone echoes some of the points that Swetnam makes—
not marrying in haste, marrying someone your own age, choosing someone who has a
similar upbringing and social status. It also cautions against marrying for passion or
“fancy” alone. However, this excerpt uses much less “offensive” terms.
Karen Hansen
Thesis:
Shakespeare’s plays The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, and The
Merchant of Venice rehearse Elizabethan concerns with duties of women in marriage, as
well as the changing concept of marriage.
The number of documents written about a woman’s role in marriage as well as the
concept of a companionate marriage reflect society’s interest in these issues.
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