other members of their own race. The nobleshad servants and commoners who worked for them. Shakespeare shows us an exampleof this with the relationship between his characters of Sebastian and Antonioand of the Boatswain and the sailors. Sebastian yells at the sailors "A pox o'your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!"(I,i,40-41), implyingthat they are inferior and are there to serve him. Antonio also shows hebelieves himself superior by stating to the Boatswain "Hang, cur! Hang, youwhoresom, insolent, noise-maker. We are less afraid to be drowned than thouart."(I,i,43-45) These men were of the same skin color, hair texture, and eyecolor, but were treated inferior due to their financial status and "inferior"blood line.Women had also fallen victim to this hierarchial society. During thisera women were considered to be objects and were treated as property.Shakespeare presents this in the treatment of Claribel, daughter of Alonso, andMiranda by their fathers. Claribel was married of to the King of Tunis, anAfrican nation, merely for the gain of Alonso, the Duke of Milan, and his Lords.Their feelings are clear in Sebastian's words "Twas a sweet marriage, and weprosper well in our return." (II,i,69). And for Miranda, Prospero show how heconsiders his only daughter as he states "Then, as my gift, and thine ownacquisition Worthily purcas'd, take my daughter..."(IV,i,13-14) She is obviouslyconsidered his property. Women did not have rights at this time and were merelyused as pawns in trade with other men of stature to gain whatever it was theywished.Not all men in the position to consider themselves superior thoughtthemselves to be. Even though some men had the financial status or noble blood,they treated others equally and genuinely thought them equal. Ferdinand,although being the Prince of Naples, treats Miranda, who he thinks a mere maid,as an equal human being deserving nothing less than his affection and kindness.T...
