Over the past several decades, gender relations have been a central topic for social scientists. This essay argues that the evolution of the social role of women that took place from the Anglo-Saxon period to the Early Modern period was slow and lacked significant changes, as the patriarchal structure remained unshaken.
Two renowned works Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (from The Old English and Middle English periods respectively) demonstrate the ability of females to break social norms and challenge a deep patriarchal social structure. Ghani pointed out that the women who exhibited masculine qualities in those two periods in history were associated with villains and monsters (61). The author described how Grendel’s mother and Morgan the Fay challenge the existing rules of the time they lived: “The image of Grendel’s mother reflects a threat to the homosocial bond between men that regulates a patriarchal system. On the other hand, Morgan the Fay is projected as a challenge to Medieval knighthood…” (62).
The social perception of gender roles stayed unchanged even in Shakespeare’s time. The reign of Elizabeth was based on a patriarchal system with highly unequal power relations between the genders (Levis). Women were regarded as weaker and less emotionally stable sex. And once again, Shakespeare masterfully represents the socially unequal society by depicting a woman named Viola, who lacked ‘normal’ feminine behavior. She possessed certain masculine features, such as skillfulness, practicality, and resourcefulness. She was the one who used reason to mitigate an emotional quarrel between Orsino and Olivia (Lewis).
All in all, the evolution of the female gender from the Anglo-Saxon to the Early Modern period was slight. However, during all three periods, the three works managed to illustrate an alternative reality by presenting female characters with developed masculine qualities.
Works Cited
Ghani, Hana. “The Feminine Other: Monsters and Magic in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” J-Lalite: Journal of English Studies, vol. 2. no.1, 2021, pp. 55-63.
Lewis, Hannah. Gender Roles Reviewed Through Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night with 21st Century Applications. 2021. Olivet Nazarene University. Honors Scholarship Project.