To Put Her in Her Place: An Interrogation of Death and Gender in Shakespearean Tragedy

Authors

Isabella A. Zentner, Brigham Young UniversityFollow

Keywords

Shakespeare, feminism, suicide, gender, death, Elizabethan, Shakespearean tragedy

Abstract

This analysis investigates the gendered implications of Shakespearean heroines' deaths. Using Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and Titus Andronicus as case studies, evidence is drawn from the text. This evidence is then supported by extensive historical research and reference to external critical studies of these tragedies. By identifying the gendered aspects of these heroines’ deaths, one can gain a greater understanding of Shakespeare’s view of female autonomy and power. The deaths Shakespeare inflicts often act as a punishment for the heroines' betrayal of traditional gender roles and forcibly return the heroines to the feminine sphere.

Issue and Volume

15.1

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Zentner, Isabella A. (2022) "To Put Her in Her Place: An Interrogation of Death and Gender in Shakespearean Tragedy," Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism: Vol. 15: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/criterion/vol15/iss1/6