The angel in the house is the perfect helpmate as it was presented in Charles Dickens' Agnes Wickfield (David Copperfield) or Esther Summerson (Bleak House). She serves and obeys her husband, she is moral adviser and guidance to the children, and ensures peace and stability in her home. Angel in the house usually is depicted as beautiful, sweet, passive, and self-sacrificing, her identity is derived solely from her role as wife and mother. While the fallen angel denoted a woman who breaks gender norms which can include anything from simply appearing unfeminine to confirmed sexual contact outside of marriage. Some of these depictions can be found in Ruth, Oliver Twist, East Lynne, and Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
It is rather surprising that a novel written by the daughter of so prominent a feminist should be so strikingly devoid of strong female characters. Many critics agree that Mary Shelley’s Gothic novel Frankenstein is littered with passive women that suffer placidly, then expire once exposed to the transgressions of the world . An initial reading of the novel might produce the notion that Shelley had very little to say on the subject of women. The entire cast of female characters appears to remain within the domestic realm, quietly performing their duties as mothers, sisters, wives and daughters for the men. Some might even say Shelley ardently agreed with the position in which they found themselves and the securely fixed roles during the Victorian era.
Since the husband’s role is to go out and provide a living for his family, the wives job is to look after the home. It may not be considered a public work, but her position within the home is still very vital and important. Her role is a non income producing activity, but ensures the success of the family. Another role for a Christian wife is the raising of her children. Titus 2: 3-5 states that, "Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored," (The Christian Woman", 2004).
It could be deduced that Mary Shelley presents the female characters in ‘Frankenstein’ stereotypically. Caroline Beaufort, the first woman we as readers are introduced to, is presented as a strong female through the way Shelley has characterized her. For example, even after the death of her father, we are told that ‘her courage rose to support her in adversity’, and that she ‘possessed a mind of uncommon mould’. However, her roles in the novel could be criticized from a female perspective as being stereotypical due to the excessive description that could connote women to be soft, vulnerable and purely for maternal purposes. The use of the superlative ‘greatest’ in the quote ‘his daughter attended him with the greatest tenderness’, to describe the scale of tenderness whilst caring for her father and emphasizes the idea of women being extremely kindhearted and comforting towards their loved ones.
The main points in Professor Smith's essay are that the female characters are there only to reflect the male characters, and that the Frankenstein family has a weird style of living, which she describes as a "bookkeeping mentality" (Smith 279). Smith begins her essay by looking at the historical factors that may have contributed to this seemingly sexist book. Shelley, writing in the first half of the 19th Century, was in a period in which a woman "was conditioned to think she needed a man's help" (Smith 275). In the novel itself, no women speak directly. The book has three basic narrators: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and Frankenstein's monster.
He is fiercely protective of her because he only wants the best for Bella and tries to protect her. The fact that Edward wants Bella to succeed with her own life shows sensitivity and demonstrates how to treat a girl right, but still give her the freedom she needs to live her own life. It shows that girls can have a relationship as well as pursuing their personal goals. The teen-raging vampire portrays an example of civility and true love. He follows tradition and class when it comes to treating a girl right.
"In Frankenstein the female characters and their values are presented as a direct contrast to the ambitious, self-seeking men." In light of this statement discuss the presentation of women in 'Frankenstein' ‘Frankenstein’ was written in the first half of the 19th century where women were stifled by powerful patriarchal values. Women were conditioned to believe that the key to survival was with a man’s help. ‘Frankenstein’ is primarily a novel about male ambition and power with women merely featuring on the side-lines. There are three primary narrators featured in ‘Frankenstein’: Walton, Victor Frankenstein and the Creature however we never hear from the women directly.
PREPARED BY: zaty In the novel “Pride and Prejudice”by Jane Austen, she illustrates the empowerment of women in terms of being independent individuals. Besides, she highlights that women are not simply an accessory to attract men as loveless marriage is not the only key to ‘happiness’ or economic security for them. Conversely, in the movie “The Pastor’s Wife” directed by Norma Baileyexhibits the breakdown of women’s empowerment through the cruel mistreatment towards women in marriage. First, Austen portrays the feminine world through the prominent character of Elizabeth Bennet in the novel “Pride and Prejudice” who chooses to make her own life decisions. She is the second daughter of a country gentleman who risks poverty if she does not find a husband who can provide for her as her father cannot pass on his estate or the house to her.
Taking a feminist stance means supporting equality of the sexes; women can do what men do and vice versa. In this paper, I will argue that Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games is a modern feminist novel because the leading protagonist Katniss Everdeen displays qualities of both femininity and masculinity. Even though she is often unaware of herself as a female—oblivious to the attention she receives from District boys—Katniss does experience the emotions typical of young girls—namely involving romance—as well as those of a nurturing mother even though she does not want a family of her own. There is also a masculine side to her, made evident in her skill in both providing for her family and surviving the Games, which proves that women do not have to be limited wholly to traditional feminine roles. After her father
Truly, Sita symbolizes an ideal daughter, wife and queen. The virtuous Savitri on one hand is revered as an emblem of purity, self-control, devotion. She is also a true wife who regards chastity as her most priceless possession. She exemplifies a true woman through the glory of her purity. She is a woman whom one can look upon in sickness and woe.