Shakespeare's characters on the stage

Gli alunni della classe 3 ALM, nel corso del corrente anno scolastico, hanno studiato Shakespeare e si sono appassionati molto alle sue opere e alle tematiche della sua produzione teatrale. Così con il progetto ”Read On” e i "Graded readers”, hanno letto diversi libri del grande drammaturgo inglese e hanno in particolare analizzato alcune figure femminili delle tragedie di Shakespeare, producendo dei lavori digitali. Hanno condotto una analisi approfondita della psicologia di queste figure femminili, cogliendone i tratti distintivi, unici e complessi della loro personalità, presentando la loro storia di vittime e di eroine. Inoltre, alcuni studenti: Ciardiello Gerardo, Del Coiro Manuel, Galietta Gabriele, Giro Gabriella, Iandolo Martina, Laudando Francesca, Lavanga Mariarita, Morrone Davide e Rivieccio Vincenzo hanno prodotto un PowerPoint con alcuni dialoghi delle tragedie, immaginando, poi sul palcoscenico del "Globe theatre" una conversazione tra le varie protagoniste, come donne reali del nostro tempo, che si interrogano su alcuni sentimenti universali: l’amore, la gelosia, l’odio, l’invidia, l’ambizione e si confrontano sugli aspetti dell’universo maschile e soprattutto sulle dinamiche che spesso caratterizzano le relazioni con le donne. La finalità del lavoro degli alunni è stato di cogliere la modernità di queste personaggi perché la grandezza e la genialità di Shakespeare è l’universalità del mondo che rappresenta e la conoscenza profonda dell’animo umano, che non appartiene solo ad una specifica epoca del passato, ma ad ogni età.

One aspect of Shakespeare's greatness is his extraordinary ability to observe the human soul and mind. This allowed him to create complete, credible and plausible characters, each with a well-defined personality. Shakespeare is a very current author especially for the role he has entrusted to his female characters. Never before has a writer managed to probe female psychology so analytically. In fact, he knew well the obstacles that society posed to women. The theater companies did not admit them to the stage to act and the English society of that time, as in the rest of Europe, had a sense of protection towards them, but at the same time a desire for control over them. Shakespeare's theater does not present a single model of woman, but a multiple one.The most important female figures of Shakespeare's plays are: Juliet, Ophelia, Lady Macbeth and Desdemona.



Juliet is beautiful, rebellious, kind and loving. At the beginning she appears as an obedient child: she usually does what her parents say. Her first meeting with Romeo causes her to move towards maturity. She immediately shows determination and strength in her open confessions of love and desire for Romeo. She belongs to no characterization, classification or idealization: she is a real woman. Juliet is a "political" victim, but shares the fatal fate with the lover Romeo: the two lovers are therefore mirroring each other and die because they are unable to live in a historical/family context, where feelings are placed at the bottom rung of general interests.







Ophelia, on the other hand, in the tragedy "Hamlet", is a much more naive character than Juliet and her main trait is obedience to her father, a characteristic which, in the sixteenth century, was essential for the reputation of a young woman. The girl, however, is divided between obedience to Polonius and love for Hamlet, and this division will lead to a tragic end for the young woman. When the court councilor asks his daughter to act as bait to spy on Hamlet, on behalf of King Claudio, Ophelia will have no choice: according to the customs of the time, the woman is subject to paternal authority (when this authority still does not belong to the husband), and has no full faculty for her actions. When Hamlet discovers Polonius' game, he accuses the young woman of being unfaithful, of having misled him, and the entire female world of the young man collapses with Ophelia. For Hamlet, disappointed by the two most important women of his life, those who should have protected and comforted him, the whole female world becomes false and treacherous, and manifests this thought of his to Ophelia: it is the beginning of the end between our two characters. Hamlet's words, combined with love disappointment first and his father's death later, will lead Ophelia to madness. Through the character of the young woman, the enormous distinction between the sexes that distinguishes the culture of the time emerges: we saw how a woman was subjected to paternal decisions until marriage and her husband's choices afterwards.







Lady Macbeth is a character very similar to Ophelia, because she too is overwhelmed by madness. Lady Macbeth is a devoted wife, her ambitious plan are for her husband. In the first part of the play she shows great strength of will and is the driving force behind her husband. In the second part of the play she gradually loses her confidence, she starts to walk in her sleep and is obsessed with the spots of blood she sees on her hands. She is finally overcome by madness and dies.









Desdemona, in the tragedy “Othello”, is presented as a simple object of desire and jealousy throughout the tragedy. Her love for Othello is so sincere and confidence that she lets herself be guided blindly by her husband. She is presented from two different points of view: through Iago’s vulgar remarks and Othello’s praise of her beauty and innocence. After reaching the heights of her love and happiness, she starts on a downward path that leads her from love to death. While Othello is about to kill her, she withdraws into obstinate incredulity: her death may be seen as a punishment for having married the Moor secretly.

Davide Morrone, 3ALM