Performing Shakespeare's Women: Playing Dead

Shakespeare's women often find themselves 'playing dead' in his works, whether by murder or suicide. This book explores the consequences of corpsing Shakespeares women, considering ethical questions that matter to practitioners, students, and critics in a post-feminist world.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 208 pages
\n Publication date: 13 December 2018
\n Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
\n

Shakespeare's women rarely survive the end of the play alive. Whether through murder or suicide, on stage or off, female actors in Shakespeare's works often find themselves 'playing dead.' But what does it mean to 'play dead,' particularly for women actors, whose bodies become scrutinized and anatomized by audiences and fellow actors who 'grossly gape on? In what ways does playing Shakespeare's women when they are dead emulate the difficulties of playing them while they are still alive? Ultimately, what is at stake for the female actor who embodies Shakespeare's women today, dead or alive?

Performing Shakespeares Women: Playing Dead, situated at the intersection of creative and critical, engages performance history, current scholarship, and the practical problems facing the female actor of Shakespeare's plays when it comes to 'playing dead on the contemporary stage and in a post-feminist world. This book explores the consequences of corpsing Shakespeare's women, considering important ethical questions that matter to practitioners, students, and critics of Shakespeare today.

Shakespeare's women are often portrayed as victims of violence and tragedy, with their deaths serving as a means of emotional catharsis for the male characters. However, this portrayal can be limiting and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about women and their roles in society. By exploring the ways in which Shakespeare's women are portrayed as dead, we can begin to challenge these stereotypes and explore the complex and multifaceted nature of their characters.

One of the most significant ways in which Shakespeare's women are portrayed as dead is through their physical bodies. Women in Shakespeare's plays are often described as being beautiful and graceful, but their bodies are also subjected to intense scrutiny and analysis. Audiences and fellow actors are often drawn to the physicality of the female actors, particularly their breasts and buttocks, which are seen as symbols of femininity and sexuality.

However, this attention to the physical body can be problematic for female actors, particularly those who do not conform to traditional notions of femininity. Women who are overweight, disabled, or of non-white descent may be subjected to negative comments and criticism from audiences and fellow actors, who may see their bodies as a barrier to their success in the performing arts. This can lead to feelings of insecurity and self-doubt, which can impact the quality of their performances.

In addition to the physical scrutiny, Shakespeare's women are also subjected to emotional and psychological analysis. Their deaths are often seen as a means of exploring the depths of their characters' emotions and motivations, with their final words and actions serving as a means of revealing their true selves. However, this can also be problematic for female actors, particularly those who are not given the opportunity to fully explore their characters' emotional journeys.

For example, in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Ophelia is portrayed as a tragic figure who drowns herself after being driven mad by her love for Hamlet. However, many critics argue that Ophelia's death is a result of her abuse and manipulation by Hamlet, rather than a result of her own emotional instability. By exploring Ophelia's emotional journey in more depth, female actors can provide a more nuanced and complex portrayal of the character, challenging the traditional notion that women are solely victims of male violence.

Another way in which Shakespeare's women are portrayed as dead is through their symbolic power. Women in Shakespeare's plays are often seen as being symbolic of the power of femininity and the strength of women's voices. However, their symbolic power can be limited by the way power structures and social norms that exist in Shakespeare's plays. Women who challenge these power structures and social norms may be subjected to negative comments and criticism from audiences and fellow actors, who may see their actions as a threat to the status quo

In conclusion, Shakespeare's women are often portrayed as dead, whether through their physical bodies, emotional journeys, or symbolic power. This portrayal can be limiting and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about women and their roles in society. By exploring the ways in which Shakespeare's women are portrayed as dead, we can begin to challenge these stereotypes and explore the complex and multifaceted nature of their characters. By providing a more nuanced and complex portrayal of these characters, female actors can challenge the traditional notion that women are solely victims of male violence and provide a more accurate and representative depiction of the women who inhabit Shakespeare's plays.

\n Weight: 446g\n
Dimension: 161 x 241 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781350002593\n \n