The characters in the literary texts listed below are affected by the historical and social contexts in which they appear, but even with this a reader can glean much about how female gender identity as a cultural construct is an integral part of the human stories in this course. Discuss why the voices of the female characters -even when they are silenced within the text – stand out as crucially connected to our understanding of respect, justice, and the need for change. In addressing this topic, make specific reference to at least 4 of the texts listed: “My Last Duchessâ€, Beartown, Hamlet, the short fiction, and the drama Cocaine.