Victorian voices: Gender ideology and Shakespeare's female characters

The Victorians loved Shakespeare and, during this period, the study of Shakespeare became a popular form of education for middle class women, some of whom began writing about the female characters who populated these plays. Ongoing debates about the inherent nature of womanhood and the role of women in society---collectively known as the Woman Question---were also taking place in England at this time. These two areas converge in the writing produced by nineteenth-century female critics who used their criticism of Shakespeare's female characters to express their views about Victorian gender ideology. Through their commentary on Shakespeare's plays, Anna Jameson, Constance O'Brien, Grace Latham, Helena Faucit, and Madeleine Leigh-Noel Elliott reveal their own conceptions of gender by affirming, challenging, or rejecting many of the accepted Victorian gender norms that they identify in Shakespeare's female characters. Several of the characters that these critics discuss fall into distinct categories: there are the tragic innocents---Ophelia, Desdemona, and Cordelia; the defiant daughters and dutiful wives---Juliet, Katherine, and Lady Macbeth; and the wise and witty women---Portia, Beatrice, and Rosalind. In each instance, the critics who consider these characters use their analyses to explore the inherent nature of femininity, the validity of socially constructed gender norms, and the impact of cultural practices, such as marriage, on women. Collectively, their work reflects an adherence to many basic Victorian precepts of femininity---gentleness, selflessness, and purity; however, these critics also question the notion of many socially imposed gender expectations that governed and limited the agency of nineteenth-century women. Through their combined criticism of Shakespeare's female characters, these critics engage in the public discourse surrounding gender and demonstrate a growing tolerance for female autonomy, as well as a pronounced desire to recognize female intelligence and strength.