The Queens in Politics: A Study of Shakespeare's First Tetralogy

• Main Authors: Lai, Ai-Yen, 賴愛燕
• Other Authors: Lo, Chikuei
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 1997
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/47347589044405127004

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 英國語文學系 === 85 === 　　This thesis is an attempt to study the political experience of the queens in shakespeare's first tetralogy from a feminist perspective. My aim of this study is to reveal that Queen Margaret and Queen Eelizabeth suffer misfortune in the political arena primarily because they are taught, in the process of socialization, to internalize the patriarchal ideology and so are conditioned to cooperate in their own oppression; they can finally liberate themselves because they learn from experience to resist patriarchal oppression by struggling together. 　　The whole study is composed of one introduction, two chapters, and a conclusion. The introduction briefly outlines the motivation, method, and objectives of my research. Chapter one, including three sections, is an analysis of Margaret's experience. "The tttle of Queen" uncovers how Margaret loses her sense of self because of her obsession with the title of Queen, an unstable identity to be set upon by the king. "Patriarchy and Female Powerlessness" fouceses on Margaret's struggle and her incapability of exerting public power independently. Owing to her gender role as a female, she is simply used by ambitious men and scorned for her transgressions when she holds power in lieu of the king. "self-awareness" exposes that an awareness of her own cooperation in patriarchal oppression enables Margaret to get rid of the confinement of the unstable title of Queen and to reconstitute her selfhood. Chapter two, organized into two sections, discusses Elizabeth's suffering and growth. "The Queen of Sad Mischance" explores Elizabeth's victimization which is mainly due to her compliant acceptance of the unequal place allotted by men. "Female Bonding" examines the interaction between Margaret and Elizabeth, disclosing that the women-aiding-women relationship can probably weaken the process of patriarchal oppression. The conclusion is a concise summary in which I suggest that women of any rank are incapable of altering their fate of being estranged from politics and being oppressed by male power unless they have a consciousness of their own victimization and try to establish a kind of supportive group in resistance to the oppressors.