Fathers and Children Relationships in Shakespeare’s Plays Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice and Henry IV (part I) are some of the most well-known Shakespearean plays. All tree of them focus on child-father relationships, but they cover different aspects of these relationships. While Henry IV demonstrates Kings loyal and somewhat apathetic behavior towards his son Prince Hal, the other two plays show harsh and even cruel attitudes of fathers towards their daughters. This paper will argue that there existed strong sexist views in times of William Shakespeare: girls were considered inferior to boys, their feelings and desires were not taken seriously and their fathers often dictated them how to live, while boys could do whatever they wanted to without being punished even for the worst kinds behaviors. Moreover, a girls only mission in life was through to be becoming someones wife, while boys have many more options of self-realization. Romeo and Juliets love intended to make a mockery of their hate rubs salt in Capulets and Montagues wounds. In the special circumstance of Romeo and Juliet, extreme love led to the extreme self-hate of suicide. Capulet narrowly avoids a brawl at his own party and rushes into treating his daughter both as a pawn in an arranged marriage to the rich and powerful Paris, and as an incompetent in conversation.
Relying on insults in argument with her Mistress minion, young baggage, disobedient wretch, hilding (worn-out horse, or woman with a hint of aging prostitute) (3.5.151, 160, 168) – and leaving her to be raised by the bawdy Nurse, he produces a rebel of a child. Juliet becomes a thrill-seeker who prefers having her secret husband, Romeo, in loves embrace in her own room (initially while Paris and her parents are talking downstairs) to doing what the play calls out for them to do if they are to stay alive and produce a family. After all, Juliet had once said that she would follow thee my lord throughout the world (2.2.148).
The Essay on Act 3 Scene 1 Is A Major Turning Point In The Play "Romeo And Juliet"
The reason behind why Act 3 Scene 1 is a major turning point is mainly because it alters the course of events and changes an entirely new route of the play, a death of two major characters. Structurally, this particular scene is in the middle of the play, but more importantly, there is a dramatic change in the atmosphere. Because of Romeo’s change of attitude and his exile, the romantic love ...
However, thanks to Capulets non-rule and the lovers terrible rush, this was not to happen. In The Merchant of Venice, Portias father left a cruel will for her. According to it, Portia could not marry a man of her own choice.
Instead, she had to make herself available to all suitors and accept the peson who chooses rightly from among three chests of gold, silver and lead. Nerissa, Portias father trustee, tries to comfort Portia and ensures her that her father knew what he was doing. Nerissa also thinks that whoever the man, who finally chooses rightly will be, he will surely be the one who shall rightly love. Portia, however, doe not agree. None of her current candidates is the kind of man she would choose if she had a choice. She does not have a choice, though, as she gave her word to be submissive to her fathers last will. In contrast with Romeo and Juliet and The Merchant of Venice, the father-son relationship in Henry IV is quite different.
There are no harsh rulings or punishments towards Prince Hal even despite his drinking, robberies, etc. Instead, his father gives him a directing lecture of how a public person should behave, which was too mild in comparison with Juliets and Portias fathers actions. In his plays, Shakespeare clearly demonstrates unequal treatment of boys and girls, even from their own fathers. Sons were forgiven and allowed much, whereas daughters had to comply with everything fathers established for them. As a result, daughters had no rights to make mistakes and often committed suicides to correct their wrong-doings, and sons had a chance to recover from even the worst faults, while their fathers patiently waited for this.
Bibliography:
Eighteenth Century Essays on Shakespeare; D. Nichol Smith; J. MacLehose and Sons, 1903.
The Essay on Father and Son Relationship, Angela’s Ashes
One of the strongest things in this world is the love that forms between a father and his son. Many boys grow up with the desire to be just like their fathers but for Frank McCourt having an alcoholic father causes him to grow up with the mentality of being the opposite of him. In Angela’s Ashes the interesting relationship between Frank and Malachy creates positive and negative impacts on ...
