Gender Bias During Shakespearean Times

During Shakespearean times, women were not allowed to act or be on stage. Therefore, young boys/men played the female roles. This article explains that women were not allowed on stage until the 1600’s. Shakespeare often played with the ideas of transgender-ness, sexuality, gender, and gender roles. As a result, many people of this time viewed the theatre as being immoral. Male actors that played women got paid less than male actors that played men did.

“More than one male has said that he wished he were playing a man during multiple plays.”

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/2004/sep/16/shakespeares-women/

http://www.helium.com/items/536344-shakespeares-portrayal-of-women

http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/troilus/Papers/CAnagnos.htm