In this Shakespearean society, it was men who held exclusively the official posts of authority and power, and men who kept the agency and influence to direct the outcome of events. ... To Malvolio, she orders that suitors come to call, he inform them that "I am sick, or not at home", as she wants nothing to do with the foolish men who try to curry her favor. ... What makes this detail particularly interesting and important is that most women in Shakespeare's day did not work outside the home, particularly if they were women of the upper class. ...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate

Forced to keep her marriage to the Count a secret because of his aversion to her "low degree", and unable to otherwise explain Roderigo's presence in her home every night, Violenta becomes, in the eyes of her neighbors, a rich man's whore, "a prey to shame and dishonesty". ...

• Word Count: 1986
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Graduate