Shakespeare challenges the assumptions made about gender in his own society. ... Shakespeare shows how gender can be distorted by the outside elements of language, and appearance. ... Shakespeare presents gender in both an obvious and comic, yet also subtle and poignant way to the audience. Shakespeare explores the blurring of gender boundaries more easily by employing the device of twins. ... Both are of high status, clarified by Shakespeare by the wealthy households they control. ...

• Word Count: 2131
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

When looking at the similarities between Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and As You Like It, the most obvious connections lie in the manner in which the two main female roles both disguise themselves as men within the plays. ... Throughout Twelfth Night Shakespeare examines patterns of love and courtship through a repositioning of traditional Elizabethan gender roles. ... Shakespeare uses the comedy behind Viola's gender transformation to explore the notion that concepts of romantic love are not always selective by gender. ... Like many of Shakespeare's plays and poems, As You Like...

• Word Count: 1484
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate