Marie de France does this to criticize and combat the societal expectations and inherent inequalities in Norman England. The poem begins by Marie immediately introducing and defending herself as a writer. She declares that in her culture, People should praise anyone who wins admiring comments for herself but anywhere there is a man or a woman of great worth, people who envy their good fortune often say evil things about them. (5-10) This introduction reflects the negativity her society has against female writers. Where Marie de France comes from, many people disagree with women having power through literature.
AP English Open-ended Prompt: 1987 Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen seems to challenge the traditional order of society in her time and age, where women marry not out of love but rather for wealth and an establishment of a stable household. She presents this progressive stance through the contrasting relationships of couples who had a love marriage such as, Darcy and Elizabeth as well as Jane and Bingley, as opposed to couples who did not - Mr. and Mrs. Bennett as well as Lydia and Wickham. From the very beginning of the novel, it is clear to the readers that Mr. and Mrs. Bennett do not have a very loving nor compatible relationship, despite the frequency to which she addresses him as ‘my dear’. In fact, it is evident that even
Women during this time were only allowed to go so far and do so much without being restrained it seemed like. She doubts herself in letters she sends to her female friends who sympathize with her problems in choosing her partner for marriage. As a result to her resent of her thoughts about female powerlessness, and her outspoken thoughts of marriage. Virtue also resulted in achievement of morality, which was identified with marriage. Also Eliza resisted the sexual double-standard which I found really amazing.
Edward Taylor’s “Huswifery” and Anne Bradstreet’s “To My Dear and Loving Husband” both contain strong puritanical views, but which of their compositions shows the lifestyle more clearly? Bradstreet’s work approaches the subject directly with riveting emotion, while Taylor’s uses countless metaphors to subtly express the same basic opinion. Even though both effectively showcase the same opinion, Taylor’s clearly has more of a Puritanical Edge that allows his to portray the lifestyle more strongly. Bradstreet’s does a very good job displaying her devotion to her husband, a major merit in Puritan lifestyle, but she fails to show the aspect of faith in the Puritan lifestyle. The husband’s is the head of the home, and the wife is supposed to follow him fully with her own life.
They begin to harbor anger towards their husbands who “still view child care and household chores as women’s work” (Bennetts 419). For Bennetts argument to be valid, the assumption must be made that all women, or at least a vast majority, are in a “permanent state” of anger (Bennetts 418). It would also have to be assumed that men are unwilling to help out when it comes to childcare and women view the responsibility as a large burden. However, no evidence is put forth to support these claims. She fails to recognize the fact that some women might prefer to be a large part of their children’s lives and would rather
“How does this add to your understanding of women’s role within society at this time?” In this passage, Curley’s Wife is confiding in Lennie. A few lines into the extract, she asks Lennie “Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?”- Which could show that women at this time were told what to do, and whom they were allowed to talk to by their husbands. Women at this time were seen as having a lower status than men. Obviously Curley’s Wife does not love her husband, which is delicately shown when she tells Lennie “I don’t like Curley, he’s not a nice fella.” It is noticeable that Curley’s Wife does not have a name throughout the novel. She is only addressed as “Curley’s Wife” – her real name is never said.
Mrs. Turpin considers herself morally superior to others by being a “lady,” and she judges people on their appearance before she even knows them. The grandmother in “Revelation” is very self-centered and judgmental. She likes to label people as “good” or “bad” according to their social status. Both Stories by O’Connor are intended to portray a spiritual grace that is passed from one person to another in a life changing way. Mrs. Turpin and the Grandmother both struggle to grasp this grace; but eventually have no choice but to accept it.
She blames men for giving them the place in society but also puts it on women’s shoulders by saying, “Only in recent years has woman's position as the gentler and weaker half of the human family been emphatically and generally questioned. Men assumed that this was woman's place; woman herself accepted it”4. She does begin to display some energy for what could change minds of women that accepted their submissive role in society. “Since they were given the role, women have still rallied and protested to rights of men. Despite the winning of voting, property and working rights, they have accomplished nothing relative to their vital factors of their existence”.5 Her belief is that they are there to lead the movements of bettering society by voluntarily bringing in only those who are fit to undo the wrong that they have allowed to come about.
In both poems gender conflict is demonstrated between through the emotion of betrayal in a relationship. For example in Les Grands Seignurs she talks about “little woman” which could show the great depth of thought about how she feels towards men. The word “a toy, a plaything” suggests that’s once she got married she has became powerless and feels like she is a toy, this shows her betrayal as when you get married you expect the marriage to be fantastic and not to feel like a toy. In contrast, Medusa also demonstrates this when she says “wasn’t I beautiful?” this Is effective as I can infer that she feels insecure about her looks. It also suggests that she misses her past through the use of a rhetorical question which makes the reader feel sympathy for her.
Not only is it fair simply because she deserved the judgement that she got, but steinbeck has fairly portrayed curley’s wife to suit the time period in which the story was set. The way Curley’s wife is treated reflects how many women were treated in those days. There was very limited respect for women, especially of her description. They were the odd one’s out and possessions of their husbands. If the story were to be set at present date, his depiction would have been seen as unfair and sexist, considering women are viewed very differently today.