The women characters of Shakespeare can be said to be a microcosm of all the women. Shakespeare’s portrayal of women and the various roles that women play in his comedies and tragedies is one of the most interesting and extensively studied topics in the field of Shakespearean studies. The Bard has created some very inspiring and powerful female characters in his plays. Do all these characters show a consistency in their strong presence? What are the reasons for their conflicts with the societal norms prescribed for their gender? How do they negotiate their desire of power and authority and the gender expectations put forth by the society? These are the probing questions that this paper seeks to answer.