In "the Merchant of Venice" are the women victims of a male dominated world?

Nowadays, women have their own career and free-will to do what pleases them. However, women in the 16th century were treateddifferently and it was believed that they were the instruments of the devil. Females were te authors of the original sin who lured men away from God and salvation. They were the only imperfections of God's creation. Women's only funtion was to get married and have children.
Girls in Shakespeare's day hardly had any freedom. Yhey were raised to obey...