Male Pride During The Jacobean Era

What is male pride? Male pride was a man’s dignity, self-respect, and importance that were acquired from preserving one’s own honour. Therefore it was important as it defined their self-worth, so they would protect it all cost. During Jacobean era, male pride was stemmed from their honour, their pride and honour determined a person’s status in society. During the 1600s, status was very important due to that fact, men were often conscious and concerned with how others perceived and judged them. Honour was very important to men as honour meant they would be treated with respect and admiration it would also benefit their reputation. During 1960s men of Afghanistan had the role of the provider and protector of their family in Afghanistan’s society.
Due to Taliban’s reign, women’s rights were stripped so they were powerless and oppressed. The Taliban’s law meant the status and importance of women was linked to her honour. Through Hosseini’s historical narrative we can see through an Afghan women’s perspective how Taliban’s law imposed on women has caused limitations to their freedom and agency. This meant due to the patriarchy of Afghanistan, females had to endure the suffering and violence caused by men. The main source of suffering and pain that is endured derives from shame that has caused other characters to utilize it as a device to inflict pain on others. Shame comes from breaking social norms and harming reputations; Rasheed uses shame to assert his own power over Mariam. In both texts, Shakespeare and Hosseini present how the father’s pride leads to their children suffering, as their concern with their own honour leads them to neglect and abandon their children. In both texts, the male characters’ damaged pride causes them to inflict pain on others as a way of deflecting their own pain and suffering. Hosseini conforms to typicalities by depicting how suffering is the result of male pride. Shakespeare also presents male characters to be blameworthy of pride, which this typicality can also be seen through, Lord Capulet in “Romeo and Juliet”. It is clear that in both texts pride is ultimately the most important force that is the root of all pain and suffering. It is fitting to say that both writers’ intent is to show the barbaric culture of preserving one’s pride causes so much pain and suffering.