Often, Shakespeare purposefully sets up such situations to show the absurdity of social norms surrounding marriage at the time.

Question

Answer

Con: Rather than criticising the social norm, Shakespeare often glamorises marriage and presents it as a source of meaning and unity for the women in his plays.

Answer

Pro: Shakespeare contrasts the passionate and often blinding love before marriage with a variety of loveless or frustrated married couples.

Answer

Pro: Many of Shakespeare's plays feature men driven to madness and murder by the thought of their wives' infidelity.

Was Shakespeare a feminist? (independent research activity)

Often, Shakespeare purposefully sets up such situations to show the absurdity of social norms surrounding marriage at the time.

Pros

Cons

Shakespeare contrasts the passionate and often blinding love before marriage with a variety of loveless or frustrated married couples.

Many of Shakespeare's plays feature men driven to madness and murder by the thought of their wives' infidelity.

Rather than criticising the social norm, Shakespeare often glamorises marriage and presents it as a source of meaning and unity for the women in his plays.

Selected claim, opposing its parent

Often, Shakespeare purposefully sets up such situations to show the absurdity of social norms surrounding marriage at the time.

Pro claim 1

Shakespeare contrasts the passionate and often blinding love before marriage with a variety of loveless or frustrated married couples.

Pro claim 2

Many of Shakespeare's plays feature men driven to madness and murder by the thought of their wives' infidelity.

Con claim 1, children below

Rather than criticising the social norm, Shakespeare often glamorises marriage and presents it as a source of meaning and unity for the women in his plays.