The problematisation of gender in William Shakespeare’s plays : ‘Macbeth’, ‘Measure for measure’ and ‘The Merchant of Venice’

Abstract

This dissertation explores the problematisation of gender in three of William Shakespeare’s plays: the tragedy ‘Macbeth’, the problem play ‘Measure for Measure’ and the comedy ‘The Merchant of Venice’. Through a consideration of the historical context, close reading of the plays and the integration of contemporary theories of Judith Butler and Louis Althusser, this dissertation aims to discuss the questioning of gender in relation to politics and society in Shakespeare’s plays. The introduction will aim to contextualise the contemporary theories and the historical context of Shakespeare’s time, that will be referred to throughout the dissertation. The first chapter deals with the concepts of femininity and masculinity in relation to Judith Butler’s idea of Performative Gender in ‘Macbeth’. The second chapter investigates the degree of political interference through an application of Louis Althusser’s concepts of Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) and Repressive State Apparatuses (RSAs), in the characters’ private sexual lives in ‘Measure for Measure’ and how this degree of interference varies according to one’s biological gender. The third chapter focuses on how ‘The Merchant of Venice’ disrupts the gender binaries altogether through the homoerotic relationship of the protagonists and the crossdressing scenes. Lastly, the conclusion aims to show how gender is investigated in other works of Shakespeare and how this dissertation has shown the relevancy of Shakespeare’s work in contemporary times.