Feminist Reading of the Tempest

            William Shakespeare's The Tempest provides a historical reference of the social expectations and stereotypes enforced upon women in Elizabethan times. Despite having only one predominant female character, Miranda, the play serves to illustrate the characteristics that epitomize the ideal woman within Elizabethan society. These characteristics however, support the fact that women were unequal to men, and rather, were seen as a prized possession for a man to have. Those who believe in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes, or feminists, can interpret the play however as a depiction of the sexist treatment of women, and would disagree with the characteristics and expectations that make Miranda the ideal woman. From such a perspective, The Tempest can be furthermore used to compare and contrast the social expectations, and the treatment of women within the 16th and 17th Centuries to those of today.
             Miranda's character is used to represent the ideal woman of Elizabethan society. She is referred to as a "goddess- as is characterized as beautiful, nave and innocent. She further exemplifies the ideal woman by being a virgin, as such a characteristic is exemplified by Ferdinand's comment "O, if a virgin, and your affection not gone forth, I'll make you the Queen of Naples."" In association with Miranda's character, the other female characters within the play are used to illustrate the desirability of Miranda. Submission and obedience further epitomize the ideal woman, as demonstrated in Sebastian's reference to Claribel, the daughter of the King, Alonso "weighed between loathness and obedience-. Miranda is both submissive and obedient, as demonstrated in her actions towards her father; "Here cease more questions. Thou art inclined to sleep I know thou canst not choose. Miranda Sleeps- Miranda's mother "was a piece of virtue-, thus demonstrating the importance of women as both mothers and being virtuous.