Archetypes of Femininity in Shakespeare's Tragedies

Author: Kanrar, Nivedita

Year: 2020

Degree: Other

Advisor: Pigman, George W., III

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: English

DOI: 10.7907/c69y-qw89

Abstract

Shakespeare’s works are renowned for the insight they present on the human condition. While his tragedies are defined by the journeys and suffering of male protagonists, the females of these tragedies contribute greatly to plot and character development. Though all the main female characters in Shakespeare’s tragedies die—or suffer fates worse than death—we can classify them in three types: villains, the perfect victims and tragic heroines. This classification, based on shared traits and outcomes, provides insight on the roles these women’s lives and deaths serve in the tragedies.