King Lear - How Are The Women Presented In Act Iv? Who Would Disagree With How They Are Presented?

Over time critics have shown interest in the ways in which Shakespeare has represented women in his plays. Shakespeare was seen by some to show woman as more than flat stereotype characters, however, feminist criticism has demonstrated the misogynistic tendencies in Shakespearian plays. Act IV of King Lear is significant in this respect as Shakespeare, in his characterisation of women, has partly moved on from contemporary tendencies but also shows how he was restricted in some respects. In Act IV Goneril and Regan are depicted as fickle and malicious in their quest for power. Feminist critics have challenged these Shakespearean stereotypes and it is possible to see the character of Cordelia as transcending the traditional female characterisation.

In Act IV, Goneril is presented as a power hungry woman: "I must change names at home, and give the distaff/ Into my husband's hands." (4.2.16-17). By stating this, Goneril asserts herself as "man". As soon as women become powerful, they become "tigers, not daughters" and cannot be trusted. Albany presents this argument to the audience: "That nature which contemns its origin/ Cannot be bordered certain in itself" (4.2.32-33). The fickleness of women is also shown in Act IV when Goneril tries to make seduce Edmund to be her husband, as she is tired of Albany whom she feels is no longer a man deserving of her favours. She comments: "Oh, the difference of man and man!" (4.2.26), as she now sees Edmund as a true man fit for her. In portraying women as evil and fickle, Shakespeare is conforming to the stereotypes. Shakespeare also presents powerful women as deformed both in shape and in mind, again through the voice of Albany: "Property deformity shows not in the fiend/ So horrid as in women" (4.2.59-60). Powerful women have the shape of a woman but the mind of a devil. The defeminisation of Goneril and Regan is complete when Lear visualises "Goneril with a white beard?" (4.6.96). Shakespeare also depicts women as sex objects and hence corrupt "down from the waist they are centaurs...There's hell, there's darkness" (4.6.117-120). This portrayal of women by Shakespeare supports the view that he could not transcend the patriarchal view of his times. Feminist critics have analysed Shakespeare to substantiate their view that literature of the period demonstrated the patriarchal ideologies of the Elizabethan era.

Feminist critics would disagree with the characteristics of women, shown through Goneril and Regan, presented in Act IV King Lear. As stated previously, Goneril and Regan are shown to be power-loving and fickle and hence evil, corrupt and whorish. Feminists have rejected this patriarchal view of women. It is in the character of Cordelia that one finds a true rounded female character emerge, transcending the traditional females roles. One would argue with feminists