Women's discourse of power in Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

Scientific Essay , 2013 , 28 Pages , Grade: M.A

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

Women in "Macbeth" (i.e., Lady Macbeth and the Witches) speak a strange language that is very similar to what women seek today. This language can be described as antilanguage: a language by which women can direct, control, and dominate men.

This paper introduces a contradictory statement to the current views in discourse analysis, which indicate that women are powerless, trivial, dominated, and sexual objects (Andersen, 1988, Chaika, 1982; Lakoff, 1975) by showing women as powerful, serious, and dominating as men. In doing so, it focuses on the recent views of discourse, power, and women, taking Shakespeare's "Macbeth" as a field of application by analyzing Lady Macbeth’s turns of talk.

Content

1- Introduction

2- The Problem of the Study

3- Methodology

4- Theoretical Background

5- Analysis
5.1 Literary analysis
5.2 Linguistic analysis
5.2.1 - Directives in Macbeth

6- Responses to Directives

7- Status and Power
7.1- Conflict and Topic Control
7.2 - Floor

8- Discourse of Power

9- Status and Power in Macbeth

10- Conclusion

• Course: Discourse Analysis
• Grade: M.A
• Author: Anwar Elsharkawy (Author)
• Publication Year: 2013
• Pages: 28
• Catalog Number: V345220
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668350458
• ISBN (Book): 9783668350465
• Language: English
• Tags: Discourse, power, discourse analysis, ideology, dominance, Shakespeare, Macbeth, Lady Macbth