Ladies of Shakespeare

 The ladies of Shakespeare have long been associated with passionate love, obsession ,and the tradegy that comes with this and have illuminated our minds with thoughts of the same in our definition of female love. The select paintings below, most by the nineteenth century English Pre-Raphaelite artist and painter John Williams Waterhouse, honor the women distinguished in Shakespeare's work and impress the image of female character in love and in history.

                                                                         Juliet
                                                        By John William Waterhouse 1898
                                           Juliet, the leading female character in Shakespeare's " Romeo and Juliet"exemplifies the manic, obsessive love that appears in many young lover's highly emotional, romantic worlds.

                                                                   Ophelia
                                                 By John Williams Waterhouse
                                Ophelia, the female lover in distress in Shakespeare's "Hamlet". Ophelia characterizes the madness and weakness that derives from the bitterness of betrayal and misunderstood love.

                                                                 Olivia ( of Twelvth Night)
                                                           By Edmund Blair Leighton 1888
                                     Olivia, the highly sought after countess with many suitors in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", the lady who's emotions control her.

                                                                   Cleopatra
                                                        John Williams Waterhouse
                                      Cleopatra, the great and powerful beauty and ruler of Egypt in Shakespeare's " Antony and Cleopatra" portraying the tragedy of love, shame and insecurity.


By Jennifer Hess McGee