In Shakespeare's The Tempest and The Merchant of Venice, there are female characters that inhabit Shakespeare's comedic world who seem to enjoy a greater degree of autonomy and personal power than one would expect in a patriarchal society. In The Tempest, Shakespeare depicts Miranda with the ideal constructions of womanhood - the lonely daughter, the beautiful virgin. But, a closer look at the text reveals that Shakespeare had a subtle, but clear message to send through this literary piece. By allowing Miranda to defy the patriarchal traditions of her day in the way she speaks to her father, in her defiance of him, and in her impulsive decision to marry Ferdinand, Shakespeare develops his message of disdain with the patriarchal norms of his time. In The Merchant of Venice, there are two father-daughter relationships that play an important role in the father-daughter theme of the play. The strained relationship between Shylock and Jessica, and the relationship between Portia and her deceased father, further illustrate the demanding and unwavering standards set by the patriarchal society of Shakespeare's time. However, the strict ruling decreed by the patriarchs of the female characters –Miranda, Portia and Jessica - in both, The Tempest and The Merchant of Venice, result in different reactions from Shakespeare's female characters. Some women are strong and independent, others are somewhat submissive, and the behavior of either seems to be influenced by qualities within the characters themselves.
             Miranda is the only female character in The Tempest, and she is a Shakespearean character that defies the patriarchal figure in her life, her father. Shakespeare sets up his protest of the patriarchal standards with Miranda's response to the impending tempest, she says to her father, "If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them" (1.2.1-2). The ...