Masculine men can play effeminate female roles (which they did on stage) and effeminate women can play masculine male roles. By blurring the lines between sexuality and gender in his plays, Shakespeare deconstructs these norms to display their ambiguity. Women belonged in the home, they were ruled by men and by their emotions and therefore were thought to often make bad decisions. Men were masculine, they were not ruled by emotion, they were strong and hard working. ![]() There was a hierarchy of sexes and each had their own role in society. During the time of Shakespeare, there was a social construct of gender and sexuality norms just as there are today. ![]() Depending on the genre of the play, sexuality and gender are used as either a tool of manipulation, a form of propaganda or sometimes both. Sexuality and gender are prominent themes in Shakespeare’s plays.
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