An exploration of different examples of what it was like being a woman in Shakespeare’s time.
Women had very little power or status, but were an integral part of society.
In 'Othello', women are portrayed as innocent victims, while in 'Romeo and Juliet' they become possessions of husbands and fathers.
But in 'Macbeth', women are portrayed as strong, powerful and ambitious.
This clip is from the series Shakespeare Themes.
Teacher Notes
This clip could be used to look in more detail at the role of women in Shakespeare's plays.
Students could take one of his plays and find examples of the influence female characters have had on the plot.
Students could explore the different kinds of female characters in Shakespeare's plays.
This could be linked to a study of sexual inequality, and the difficulties faced by females in positions of power and influence throughout history.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching English Literature at KS3 and KS4/GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Also 3rd and 4th level in Scotland.
This topic appears in OCR, Edexcel, AQA, WJEC, CCEA and SQA.