Shakespeare's female characters are notable because many of them differ widely from the passive, objectified women appearing in other literary works during the late 16th century. The book "The Women of Shakespeare" cites the deep-set passions and desires of many Shakespearean women, which have a huge effect on the stories in which they find themselves. For example, the insults borne by Lear's daughters Goneril and Regan lead them to cast their father out, while Lady Macbeth's desire for power leads her to goad her husband toward the murder of their king.
Several of Shakespeare's ladies adopt disguises to pass themselves off as men. In so doing, they free themselves from the constraints of their society and allow their gifts to flourish without the sexism of their day. Prominent examples include Viola in "Twelfth Night," Rosalind in "As You Like It" and Portia in "The Merchant of Venice."
On a subtler note, many of Shakespeare's heroines possess sharp tongues, and are portrayed as the intellectual equal of the men around them. This often comes with a price, since many of them are unmarried -- which was considered a negative character trait at the time -- or need to deploy subterfuge to assert themselves. Examples include Beatrice in "Much Ado About Nothing," Kate in "The Taming of the Shrew" and Portia in "The Merchant of Venice," who out-argues Shylock in the play's climax.
Many of Shakespeare's tragic heroines embody a fragile purity. They stand as innocents -- chaste and virtuous -- and ultimately become victims of the dark flaws the plays embody. Examples include Juliet, who is driven to suicide; "Hamlet's" Ophelia, who goes mad and commits suicide; "King Lear's" Cordelia, who is murdered by her siblings' forces, and "Othello's" Desdemona, who is murdered by her lover.
Sometimes they appear in Shakespeare's light plays, as well; for example, the virtuous Hero in "Much Ado About Nothing" is accused of adultery, and becomes ill as a result.