Due to lack of opportunity, women may not have been allowed to develop Shakespeare’s genius. It was not until 1918 that women in England got their first taste of political involvement. Independant, an English news outlet, reports that women 30 years of age who were married to or had been a member of the Local Government Register were the first to gain rights to the elective franchise. 300 years past Shakespeare’s time, women were finally granted the right to vote; therefore, women living in the same era as Shakespeare would not have had a niche in politics. At the Seneca Falls Convention in New York in July 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered “The Declaration of Sentiments,” in which she stated about men, “He has never permitted her to exercise
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Not until 1980 did women make up over half of college students, according to the National Women’s History Museum. College educations were not as readily available for women as they were for men: the patriarchal tendencies of society ensured meaningful education for men, yet women were denied admission to any university. Elizabeth Cady Stanton addressed New York City, “He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education-- all colleges being closed against her.” The only exception in America being Oberlin College which accepted women at its founding in 1841, and allowed them to attain bachelor’s degrees. Although Oberlin College is located in America, a bachelor’s degree proved to be practically unattainable worldwide for women. Due to lack of educational opportunity, it is highly unlikely that any woman of Shakespeare’s time would’ve been capable of possessing his genius. Sadly, according to a linear graph found in “Education and Skill of the British Labour Force,”, a publication of Cambridge University, it is estimated that roughly 90 percent of women living in the 1500s-1650s England were illiterate. With this startling statistic in mind, it is logical to conclude there was minute educational opportunity for women living in 15th century England, considering the literacy rates throughout the time-period surrounding Shakespeare’s lifetime.
Not until 1980 did women make up over half of college students, according to the National Women’s History Museum. College educations were not as readily available for women as they were for men: the patriarchal tendencies of society ensured meaningful education for men, yet women were denied admission to any university. Elizabeth Cady Stanton addressed New York City, “He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education-- all colleges being closed against her.” The only exception in America being Oberlin College which accepted women at its founding in 1841, and allowed them to attain bachelor’s degrees. Although Oberlin College is located in America, a bachelor’s degree proved to be practically unattainable worldwide for women. Due to lack of educational opportunity, it is highly unlikely that any woman of Shakespeare’s time would’ve been capable of possessing his genius. Sadly, according to a linear graph found in “Education and Skill of the British Labour Force,”, a publication of Cambridge University, it is estimated that roughly 90 percent of women living in the 1500s-1650s England were illiterate. With this startling statistic in mind, it is logical to conclude there was minute educational opportunity for women living in 15th century England, considering the literacy rates throughout the time-period surrounding Shakespeare’s lifetime.