ENGL 3020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Coverture, Property Crime, Christopher Beeston
12 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
The reality of rape in the early modern period. What"s fascinating about this is that in most representations was black (african) Shakespeare included a number of characters in his plays that were black actually. Ideal of feminine obedience became problematic when it came to rape. They had to submit to some men"s coverture while resisting other things. They had to submit to some men"s coverture while resisting other things: even if your mind didn"t consent, your body could consent was the idea. Resist as much as physically possible and make lots of noise. If she raised enough of a "hue and cry" she would be impossible to rape because bystanders would always be around. Lucrece doesn"t raise a hue and cry interestingly she is silent. Shakespeare places the blame on women by suggesting that women"s mere presence encourages men"s lust: property crime.
