As the titles of Shakespeare's Richard III, Macbeth, King Lear, Coriolanus, and Antony and Cleopatra would suggest, political authority in these plays rests largely with a man in power, a warrior or a king; however, the influence wielded by women is often overlooked. My intent is to explore issues of political power in Shakespeare's women: how they shape their environments, their circumstances, and their men. While their gender does not prevent them from seeking power, it is nevertheless a significant issue in that power is often gained through relationships (through men, over men), through the enactment of gender-specific roles (wife, mother, daughter, lover) and gendered behaviors (feminine seduction, manly assertion). By taking their allegedly weak stations and exploiting them for gain, these women re-create themselves and the men around them, often paying a reciprocal price for what they have won.