Renaissance Women’s Frustration: Psychological Struggles in The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare (Part II)

In addition to the social stratification of the Renaissance society, the role of the female frustration is also depicted in Shakespearean works.

During those years, most women were supposed to attain a good social and economic status; consequently, they had to marry a very wealthy man in order to do so. Nonetheless, because of this social request, the majority of women lived frustrated no matter what their personal condition was. These female frustrations are clearly exemplified by Adriana, who is the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, and her sister Luciana, in the Comedy of Errors.

In one hand, in the case of Adriana, the psychological weight of being married leads to her feeling of isolation. She even asks “why should their [men’s] liberty than ours [women’s] be more?” (2.1.10), and her sister Luciana replies “because their business still lies out o’door” (2.1.11). Adriana manifests a great discomfort for being confined to the house keeping alone due to her prohibition of getting involved into her husband’s business. In fact, it is her lack of knowledge about Antipholus’ affairs what surprises her at the news that he is arrested because he owes money to somebody. Adriana’s reproachful tone concerning this issue is noteworthy when she says: “Thus he unknown to me should be in debt” (4. 2.51). Women openly expressed their unconformity with the treatment they received throughout the Renaissance time: control. The same action England performed towards the Irish people at that time in their fight for power and money.

On the other hand, Luciana suffers the judgment of the Renaissance society for she is still single. Her own sister tells her that there is certainly a problem with her: “This servitude makes you to keep unwed” (2.1.26). However, this uncomfortable pressure of a society that forces women to marry is what makes Luciana look for an answer. That is precisely the reason why she tries to excuse herself for her unlucky social status by saying, “ere I learn love, I’ll practice to obey” (2.1.29). Luciana knows that for the Renaissance time wealth was the target not only for women but also for men. She is certainly not ignorant about this; on the contrary, she acknowledges how unlikely is for a woman who has possessions like her to be happily married because most men would reach her moved by money, and not by true love as it seems to be Adriana’s case. Indeed, it is this attitude of resistance to be subjected to male will that encourages Luciana to complain with Antipholus by saying: “if you did wed my sister for her wealth, / Then for her wealth’s sake use her with more kindness” (3.2.57-58). Luciana strongly refuses to just receive orders instead of love and a fair treatment.

Therefore, in the Renaissance, women in general whether poor or rich, single or married had to live with many disadvantages that kept them far from living a happy life. Notwithstanding, this particular female frustration of the time is not only one of the characteristic topics in literature during those years, but also a subtle reflection of one of the consequences of the historical battle for power in the 17^th century between the English and the Irish people.