Source: http://www.rscprints.org.uk/art/528051/henry-iv-pt-1-act-i-sc-iii-hotspur-and-the-fop
A rambling by: Briana Manente
In my numerous excited conversations about the opportunity to play Hotspur, one of Shakespeare’s most bad-ass roles, I have noticed a common trend: despite the fact that this role has been re-gendered and I personally identify as female, I can’t help but refer to Hotspur in male pronouns. I constantly refer to the character, even as I am inhabiting her, as “he”. I immediately correct myself, give a laugh, and throw a quick comment like “Gosh, I gotta stop doing that!” but I would feel guilty, almost ashamed that I had messed up Hotspur’s gender. For some reason I could not and still cannot seem to break this trend of thinking of Hotspur in terms of her original, male, writing.Pronouns are tricky. They are a codification of gender and sex that some, but definitely not all, people ascribe to. These small words have become a shortcut for identity. The words “he” and “she” bring up different images and different assumptions in every individual. Some people are perfectly content in the he vs she binary, and many others are forced to step outside those small words to find their identity. In re-gendering any work a substantial amount of time is spent changing the pronouns in the text to align with the character’s new found identity. The time we as a cast have spent on text work meticulously changing pronouns and references has been extensive and enlightening. The play as it stands now is filled with new references, new allusions, and a whole lot more “she” than Shakespeare ever put down. But is changing the pronoun on paper enough?
As an admittedly hardcore liberal individual who took has studied gender studies, I figured I was progressive, open, and had no strong gender bias or assumptions; but having this pronoun dilemma forced me to confront many preconceived notions I had about the character of Hotspur, and my biases on gender. In my first readings and rehearsals as Hotspur I found myself doing what many female actresses do when confronted with a male-written character, trying to “butch it up”. I widened my stance, spoke through my chest, and asserted my energy strongly in every scene- through every line. In initially taking Hotspur in this direction it is no wonder I referred to her in male pronouns as, essentially, I was attempting to perform the traditional hyper-masculine Hotspur. Why? Because Hotspur is strong, a hothead, a warrior, and someone who doesn’t take shit from anyone: things that I incorrectly codify as “male”.
Why can’t I see these traits as female as well? Horrible thoughts began to race through my head as I confronted this: “Oh no… am I a bad woman?” “Do I not identify with womanly traits?” “Do I think women can’t be strong?” “Am I not a good feminist?” “Are people going to think I am a female-hating-female like Ann Coulter?” “OH MY GOD AM I AS BAD AS ANN COULTER?” “DO I HAVE TO VOTE FOR TRUMP NOW?!?!”.
After I came out of my shame spiral and realized that the only person who is crazy enough to be similar to Ann Coulter is in fact Satan, I was hit: I make assumptions just like everyone else. I have been thinking of Hotspur in these masculine terms so far based on my own biases but I can recognize that- and change it.
I have embarked on a quest to find the femininity in Hotspur. I not only have to reframe my mind to accept that strength, aggression, and the ability to fight like a BAMF is encompassed in the scope of femininity (I possess all these qualities already), but I have to take advantage golden opportunity to do something with Hotspur that I am sure very few people have done, let her be an actual woman. As I had been performing Hotspur I was ascribing to the male ideals that have been passed down in the various performances of Hotspur. In doing this I have been working against not only the world of the production, but against myself. I can let Hotspur be like me. Hotspur can be vulnerable, and like to accessorize, and giddy, and emotional, and like her butt, all while still possessing the strong qualities that are already in the text.
All I can think of as I have been writing this post is “For fuck’s sake: I have an M.F.A.. Why was this hard?”. The point of re-gendering this production was to create a new world and give a fresh interpretation to these historic characters. I don’t have to give a classic Hotspur performance. I shouldn’t give a classic Hotspur performance. I won’t give a classic Hotspur performance. Because my Hotspur? This woman is unlike anyone you have ever met.