This subfield examines the ways Shakespeare deals with gender, sex, and the body in his works, including his portrayal of female characters.
Gender roles in Elizabethan society: Understanding the societal expectations and norms regarding gender during Shakespeare's time is essential to grasp the nuances of gender representation in his plays.
Cross-dressing on the Shakespearean stage: Cross-dressing, where male actors play female characters, was a common feature in Elizabethan theater. It is important to analyze and understand the ways in which gender and identity were represented through cross-dressing.
Femininity in Shakespearean plays: Analyzing the representation of femininity in Shakespeare's works and examining the ways in which women characters were portrayed on the stage.
Masculinity in Shakespearean plays: Examining the ways in which masculinity is represented in Shakespeare's works, and how Shakespeare played with the expectations of gender roles in his writing.
Queer readings of Shakespearean plays: The exploration of LGBTQ themes in Shakespearean plays, and how they can be interpreted from a contemporary perspective.
Gender and power structures in Shakespearean plays: Examining the representation of power dynamics within gender relationships in Shakespearean plays and how it highlighted social hierarchies.
Gender and intertextuality in Shakespearean plays: The study of Shakespearean characters through the lens of the early modern historical context of gender and sexuality.
Gender and agency in Shakespearean plays: The analysis of the agency of female and male characters and how agency is used in shaping the plot, themes, and meaning of Shakespearean plays.
Female voices in Shakespearean theater: Examining the role that women played in writing, acting, and producing in Elizabethan theater, and how they contributed to the representation of gender on stage.
Historical and cultural influences on Shakespeare's gender representation: Analyzing the social, cultural, and historical factors that influenced Shakespeare's representation of gender and sexuality in his works.
Gender, identity, and performance in the Elizabethan era: Understanding the production and performance of theater during Shakespeare's time and the ways in which it influenced gender and identity roles on stage.
The impact of feminist and queer theory on Shakespearean studies: The examination of how feminist and queer theory have shaped Shakespearean studies and contributed to new readings and interpretations of his works.
The role of language in gender representation in Shakespearean plays: Analyzing the ways in which language use and patterns guide and influence the representation of gender, and the relation between language and gender on the Shakespearean stage.
Female sexuality in Shakespearean plays: Examining the representation of women and sexuality, the objectification and exploitation of women on stage, and how these themes have been studied and interpreted throughout history.
Representations of trans and non-binary gender identities in Shakespearean plays: Examining plays where characters may be read as trans or non-binary, as well as understanding interpretations and cultural contexts to those readings.
Cross-Dressing: Refers to when a male actor performs as a female character or vice versa. This is a common device employed in Shakespeare's plays, such as Viola/Cesario in Twelfth Night and Rosalind/Ganymede in As You Like It.
Masculinity: This is a theme that Shakespeare often explores in his plays, particularly in his depictions of male characters who display traits traditionally associated with masculinity, such as bravery, honor, and strength.
Femininity: In contrast to masculinity, Shakespeare also examines the concept of femininity through his female characters. This can include depictions of women as nurturing, emotional, and vulnerable, as well as strong and independent.
Gender Roles: Throughout many of Shakespeare's plays, he explores and challenges traditional gender roles, often using his characters in ways that upend or subvert societal expectations.
Sexuality: Shakespeare also deals with the topic of sexuality in his works, often portraying characters with different sexual orientations or exploring the complexities of desire and love.
Gender Identity: Some of Shakespeare's plays also touch on issues related to gender identity, such as the character of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, who disguises herself as a male lawyer to achieve her goals.
Power Dynamics: The ways in which gender can affect power dynamics is another theme that Shakespeare explores in his plays, such as the character of Lady Macbeth, who seeks to assert her power in a male-dominated society.
Queer Theory: A modern critical perspective that analyzes Shakespeare's works from a queer perspective, examining themes related to gender and sexuality in new and innovative ways.