Metatheatrical Gender: The Empowerment Of Female Roles In Renaissance Theater

Authors

Elisa Clements, Brigham Young University
Dr. Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University

Keywords

metatheatrical gender, female roles, Renaissance theater, feminist

College

Humanities

Department

English

Abstract

Discussions about women in our 21st century era when awareness of feminist issues is intensified ultimately boil down to questions of identity and roles. The different roles that women play, the hats that they wear on a daily basis and trade regularly for other hats, require different things of them–a different performance in each role. Tradition, society, culture, and religion each influence their performance and their script. Why do they wear these multiple hats and what do these shifting costumes indicate about their true identities? In a situation similar to our modernday focus on women, during the English Renaissance questions about women’s identity and roles came to the forefront of popular debate. Yet the issues found place in more than public conversation; Renaissance playwrights grasped hold of this subject as well.

Recommended Citation

Clements, Elisa and Burton, Dr. Gideon O. (2014) "Metatheatrical Gender: The Empowerment Of Female Roles In Renaissance Theater," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 620.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/620