Queer(ed) Bodies: Subversive Sexualities and Gender Identities in Shakespeare’s As You Like It

Year 2023, Issue: TÜRKİYE CUMHURİYETİ'NİN 100. YILI ÖZEL SAYISI, 96 - 113, 30.10.2023

Volkan Kılıç

https://doi.org/10.48139/aybukulliye.1355654

Abstract

As far as Shakespeare’s comedies are concerned, a recurring topic is the exploration of love via the portrayal of gender role transformations and the cross-dressing of female characters. This often involves the depiction of power dynamics between male and female characters, which may be seen as alluding to homoerotic relationships and transgressions of gender roles. Shakespeare, in his play As You Like It, reveals the reformulation and deconstruction of established and logocentric gender roles and sexuality, where female characters adopt trans-gendered bodies, queer identities, and homoeroticism through the concept of love and cross-dressing in many respects. Likewise, the play explores the issues of gender roles and sexuality, particularly via the portrayal of female characters who assume trans-gendered identities, engage in cross-dressing, and experience homoerotic love in various ways. It can also be stated that the identity of Shakespeare is never fixed but is constructed. The fluidity of identity, sexuality, and desire in the play indeed challenges and deconstructs any basic hetero/homo, masculine/feminine dichotomy. In this context, Shakespeare effectively challenges traditional gender roles and norms by subverting them through the portrayal of male and female characters. Specifically, the female characters deviate from their expected gender roles and boundaries, resulting in the depiction of a homoerotic love triangle involving Phebe, Orlando, and Rosalind/Ganymede. As in the play, the heterosexual love between Orlando and Rosalind is subverted to a homoerotic love between Orlando and Ganymede/Rosalind, and Phebe and Ganymede/Rosalind. As a result, it can be claimed that Shakespeare’s play features transgendered sexuality and a homoerotic love triangle between male and female characters. Hence, as it has been stated, Shakespeare suggests here that, as with the title of the play, one can construct his or her gender role as she or he likes or desires, even if this sex is different.

Keywords

William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Queer Theory, Gender

Queer(leşmiş) Bedenler: Shakespeare’in Nasıl Hoşunuza Giderse Oyununda Tersine Çevrilen Toplumsal Cinsiyet Rolleri

Abstract

Shakespeare'in komedilerine bakıldığında toplumsal cinsiyet rolünün tersine çevrilmesi ve kadın karakterlerin karşı cinse giydirilmesi yoluyla aşkın araştırılmasıdır. Bu genellikle erkek ve kadın karakterler arasındaki güç dinamiklerinin temsilini, homo-erotik ilişkileri ve cinsiyet rollerinin tersine çevrilmesi ve yıkılması olarak görülebilir. Shakespeare, Nasıl Hoşunuza Giderse adlı oyununda, kadın karakterlerin trans-cinsiyetli bedenleri, queer kimliklerini ve homo-erotizmi birçok açıdan aşk ve karşı cinsin kıyafetlerini giyme kavramı üzerinden benimsediği yerleşik ve logo-merkezci cinsiyet rolleri ve cinselliğin yeniden formüle edilmesini ve yapı-sökümünü ortaya koyuyor. Benzer şekilde oyun, özellikle trans cinsiyet kimlikleri benimseyen, karşı cinsin kıyafetlerine bürünen ve homo-erotik aşkı çeşitli şekillerde deneyimleyen kadın karakterlerin tasviri aracılığıyla toplumsal cinsiyet rolleri ve cinsellik konularını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu da cinsel kimliklerin hiçbir zaman sabit olmadığı, fakat sürekli olarak inşa edildiği anlamına gelebilir. Oyundaki kimlik, cinsellik ve arzunun akışkanlığı aslında her türlü temel hetero/homo, eril/dişil ikilemine meydan okumaktadır. Bu bağlamda Shakespeare, erkek ve kadın karakterleri tasvir ederek geleneksel cinsiyet rollerini ve normlarını altüst ederek etkili bir şekilde meydan okuyor. Özellikle kadın karakterler beklenen cinsiyet rollerinden ve sınırlarından sapmakta ve bu da Phebe, Orlando ve Rosalind/Ganymede'yi içeren homoerotik bir aşk üçgeninin temsiliyle verilmektedir. Oyunda olduğu gibi Orlando ile Rosalind arasındaki heteroseksüel aşk, Orlando ile Ganymede/Rosalind ve Phebe ile Ganymede/Rosalind arasındaki homoerotik aşka dönüşüyor. Sonuç olarak Shakespeare'in oyununun transseksüel cinselliği ve kadın-erkek karakterler arasındaki homoerotik aşk üçgenini öne çıkardığı ileri sürülebilir. Dolayısıyla Shakespeare burada da belirtildiği üzere ve oyunun da başlığında olduğu gibi, kişinin cinsiyet rolünü, bu cinsiyet farklı olsa bile, istediği veya arzuladığı şekilde inşa edebileceğini öne sürüyor.

Keywords

William Shakespeare, Queer Teorisi, Nasıl Hoşunuza Giderse, Toplumsal Cinsiyet

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