Prejudice Towards Women in the Book "The Merchant of Venice"

‘The Merchant of Venice’ written by William Shakespeare not only displays the prejudice shown towards women during the 16th century but also challenges these strict expectations of the time. Helena Wojtczak (2009) explores how that during the Renaissance period women were often victims to the unreasonable standards placed upon them. Women were not able to be educated with men in power deeming it unnecessary and were left behind at the home while men went off in the morning to work throughout the day. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Portia is the victim of the will of her dead father and is forced to respect his final wish: “I may neither choose who I would nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.” In this quote alone it can be seen how the will of a male; even the dead, so heavily affects this female’s future.

Prejudice against women has existed long before the time of William Shakespeare's, ‘The Merchant of Venice’. During the Renaissance period, women were prohibited from using education facilities especially from the beginning of the 15th century until the mid 16th century. The only form of education a young girl would receive is the lessons given to her by her own mother regarding effective cleaning, cooking and cleanliness practices. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Portia complains of these unfair standards as she, “Is an unlesson’d girl, unschool’d, unpractic’d”. This is supported by Priyanka Lamichhane’s (2012) study of education during the renaissance. They found that women were denied access to a professional education for the entirety of their lives no matter the social status or circumstance. Therefore women were unable to enter the workforce and were not only expected but forced to live their lives as a loyal mother and wife. In Robert Houston’s 2018 study he found that, ‘men were more literate than women...’. This supports the ideas suggested by both Helena Wojtczak and Priyanka Lamichhane. Men were seen as superior beings over women in not only the right to education but also to the right to free speech.

It is commonly known how men were given the superior right over women during the Renaissance period from the 15th to the 16th century. The opinions of these men were valued and appreciated and women were treated with little respect and high, strict expectations. Many women during the 16th century began to revolt and find loopholes in this tightly knitted set of expectations. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ Portia and Nerissa are faced with the difficult option the save the life of Bassanio’s friend Antonio. They are tempted to dress up as men and escape to the country to save his life: “That they shall think we are accomplished with that we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, when we are both accoutered like young men.” Rules were created by men for women without enquiring with the women themselves. Some of these societal expectations included the six traits exhibited by the ideal women: Chastity, Silence, Modesty, Reticence, Sobriety, and Obedience; all of such rules could be ignored by men. Young girls were also denied recreational activities outside the home as it was said to ‘threaten their moral upbringing’.

‘The Merchant of Venice’ is an accurate representation of prejudice shown towards women in the 16th century and early Renaissance. From men's freedom of speech and women’s lack thereof to the prohibition of education for young girls to young adulthood, the women of William Shakespeare's were victims of the unreasonable standards placed upon them. The women of his playscript (Portia and Nerissa) are accurate representations of the women of the era. From the studies done by universities since then, it can be seen that these unruly expectations weren’t uncommon. The social progression since that time has given me the opportunities to be writing this report at all. My private education and the public education of the millions of citizens of Australia gives both girls and boys the opportunities they need to excel in their lives today; an opportunity only available to the men of the 16th century.