WOLLSTONECRAFT AND FRIEDAN�S THEORIES HIGHLIGHT THE WOMEN STRUGGLES IN JULIUS CAESAR

Ekawati Marhaenny Dukut,Farhana Malik

doi:10.24167/celt.v13i2.24

Abstract

For centuries, women have been struggling to establish their place in the society and fight for their rights as becoming an equal to men. This article, presents an analysis on the female characters - Portia and Calpurnia of Rome, in Julius Caesar. The play was written by William Shakespeare who based his story on the historical events of Ancient Rome. Making use of Wollstonecraft and Friedans theories, this article aims at examining to what extent the struggles of women are reflected and presented in the play. The struggles of the female characters are intrinsically concerned with the play and extrinsically relates to the condition of women in Ancient Rome. Upon analyzing, it becomes clear that Roman women had less rights and privileges than men and were considered inferior to men. Women in Roman were seen as weak, feeble and unworthy. Although feminism is not even heard of in Shakespeares time, through studying Wollstonecraft and Friedans theories, Portia and Calpurnias struggle can be considered as the springing of feminists actions.

Highlights

Drama is a well-known product of literature which consists of vast genre, for instance tragedy
From the analysis of the female characters and their society in the play: Julius Caesar, it is understood that Rome was a strict, uptight, masculine society which gave women less rights and value
It can be inferred that Rome was strictly ‘men’ society because women were considered as weak, unworthy and kept bounded only in household affairs and were restricted from getting involved in war and politics

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Drama is a well-known product of literature which consists of vast genre, for instance tragedy. One of the famous dramas of tragedy is Julius Caesar, which was written exquisitely by the most gratifying writer known in history, William Shakespeare, who is the father of English literature because he wrote many plays or dramas which were based on several historical figures. Since the feminism approach regards and compares the roles and the struggles of the female characters in the play, the liberal feminism of the first and second wave of the feminism approach which gives the idea of women should be ‘equal to men’ is applied in analyzing the women’s role and behavior in Julius Caesar. In support to Wollestonecraft’s idea - John Stuart Mill’s and Harriet Taylor, who are first-wave feminists insisted that a society could attain gender equality, by providing women the same political and economic rights as men enjoys (cited in Tong 2009:16). How has the Roman Empire build up women’s condition? The following argumentation explains

Romanian Social Background

Portia and Calpurnia’s Struggles

CONCLUSION