Authority and Literary Experiment in Spenser †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Authority and Literary Experiment in Spenser. Answer: Introduction: In the context of the chapter Sexual Difference written by Bennett and Royale the author focuses on the subordination of women compared to man (Bennett and Royle 2016). Portia happens to be the protagonist of the play and the most powerful character who chooses her groom amongst the noblest of men. Yet it is seen that Portia is a character that is dominated by her dead fathers will. Thiss is a rhetorical speech. Shakespeare uses rhetorics in almost all of its sentences. It is a literary device that is used by Shakespeare in order to structure the sentences more beautify and make it more appealing to the audiences. That is, the choice of her groom least depends upon her and majorly depends upon her dead father. However, Portia is being compared to Belmont, addressing power and strength, yet her character and her entire existence is tied by the will made by her father when he was alive. Portia delineated as the most powerful, witty and the most beautiful woman of Belmont. Yet at the sa me time, her character is shown to be shackled by her dead fathers will to chose her groom. She is tired of assessing groom on the basis of the right choice made for choosing caskets, yet she endures the pain and trouble (Eggert 2015). Being the most powerful woman in Belmont she is tied by promises ad words made to her father. The chapter Sexual Difference also talks about the domination of woman irrespective of their social status and the power a woman holds. The second figure of speech that is used is simile in the line Such a harethe cripple. In this particular line, Portia compares herself to a hare. It must be noted that hare is symbolic of innocence at helplessness at the same time. Apart from that rabbit is symbolic of fresh youth that is full of energy, that is made to act according to the age old rules (compared to as crippled man). Portia compares her present status quo to that of a rabbit. Even after being the most eligible unmarried woman of Belmont, she is unable to exercise her control over her choice of husband. Her wishes are curbed by the will of her dead father. In the context of the chapter Sexual Difference by Bennett and Royale it can be asserted that Portia was a young, free and frolic natured lady who by the dint of her wit and wisdom attained popularity and love across the globe. That was the very reason she was wanted as a life partner by thousands of men. Yet her free will and her wisdom were of no use as she had no right to execute her opinion over the choice of her husband. Again, it is shown that the authoritative and powerful women are controlled and dominated by male figures. In this case the male figure that dominates the will and wishes of Portia is her father. Reference List Bennett, A. and Royle, N., 2016.An introduction to literature, criticism and theory. Routledge. Eggert, K., 2015.Showing Like a Queen: Female Authority and Literary Experiment in Spenser, Shakespeare, and Milton. University of Pennsylvania Press. Hillman, R. and Ruberry-Blanc, P., 2016.Female Transgression in Early Modern Britain: Literary and Historical Explorations. Routledge. Shakespeare, W., 2018.The merchant of Venice. Cambridge University Press.