In this novel, Julia Alvarez manages to capture and express the true feelings of women which deconstructs the stereotypes through Yo. Feminism is defined as “a political movement that works to achieve equal rights for women and men” (Hirsch 113). For the past ages, women were seen in the society as inferior to men and were greatly excluded from education and the right to property ownership. A British feminist named Mary Wollstonecraft argues, “educational restrictions keep women in a state of ignorance and slavish dependence” (Blake 117). The shattering of classifications and stereotypes, and the subversion of traditional gender roles, and the concept of sisterhood or unity among women are among the main tenets of feminist criticism.
In a male-dominated society, this was unheard of. Through these books, she expressed her ideas, which women came to listen to. Mary Wollstonecraft is remembered chiefly for her book “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” (1792), a polemic treatise that deemed marriage “legal prostitution” (“Mary” par 2). Mary’s book, “A Vindication of the Rights of Women”, was a type of guide for women who were thought lowly of by their husbands or were abused. Mary was also a contributing editor and founder of the Analytical Review, a radical London newspaper (“Mary” par 2).
Finally, her marriage to Curley provides the reader with an insight into the place of women in 1920s American society and their growing struggle to reconcile the American Dream of equality with the patriarchal values of the American Household. In the reader’s first encounter with Curley’s wife, Steinbeck presents her as a character who is certainly deserving of our condemnation. She is presented as the epitome of ‘femme fatale’ when she is described ‘She had full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red...she wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers’. Steinbeck’s repeated use of the word red encourages us to condemn Curley’s wife as red is a colour associated with: danger, guilt, sacrifice, sin, passion and anger, often as connected with blood or sex.
More people were moving to the cities and towns; however this meant that more people from the middle/working class were coming together and radical ideas were to starting to rapidly become popular, such as parliamentary reform - radical ideas which were inspired by the French revolution. This popularity caused events such as the Spa Field Riots, which forced the government to follow the reactionary policy of suspending Habeas Corpus to discourage civilians from the idea of a revolution. Moreover influential radical leaders were a vital reason why the government followed reactionary policies. For example take Henry Hunt, the incident in Peterloo in 1819
Despite being written during patriarchal Jacobean society, the protagonist is a female, which is was highly unusual in those days. Of course this protagonist is Lady Macbeth. Throughout the play, through Lady Macbeth's actions we are forced to believe that she is evil. In contrast, the novel John Steinbeck tells a story of dreams, hopes and loneliness. We are introduced to a majorly significant and complex character, named Curley’s wife.
Gothic fiction became socially acceptable around the time Austen was writing Northanger. Catherine becomes influenced by this new genre of fiction, especially during her visit to Northanger Abbey. Riots and War are another modern element of the time. The French Revolution creates anxiety amongst those in England and poses the threat of riots. Catherine, ignorant to politics, is dealt another contemporary element of the time.
This surge in power and radical thought had led to a change in pace from a once rather peaceful United States since the American Civil War, and with it came the idea of cultural assimilation as foreign involvement in United States affairs had dramatically increased. Such as with soldiers coming back for foreign regions as well as nurses who had been subject to other societal norms as they had been tending soldiers from the other allied powers including much more liberal Britain, France and other European regions. With this foreign cultural involvement there has been new ideas engrained in the minds of these returning individuals such as of the red scare as well as the notion of more women’s rights, as the soldiers they had been fighting along included those of the British and Russian descent in which had either been in their infancy stages of women's rights or had
Written in 1936, the book is believed to be a part of realistic drama as it explores the lives of women in rural areas that were governed by stringent rules of conduct. Described as the “Drama of women in the villages of Spain”, the plot is set in the small village named Andalusia. The book gives the reader an insight into the social stratification of the society in terms of gender and class roles. The protagonist of the play Bernarda is showcased as an authoritative figure under which her daughters are living in tyranny. She is preoccupied with her family honour and strongly asserts the belief of class prejudice through socio-economic status.
Miller takes the “woman scorned” approach to his character of Abigail. Abigail’s assertiveness is observed early when she tells her uncle “the rumour of witchcraft is all about; I think you'd best go down and deny it yourself,". This remark, within the confines of a deeply hierarchical and patriarchal society, shows her to have knowledge of social situations and also that she does not conform to the Puritan society, which has already been evidenced by her affair with John Proctor. She is spiteful which helps to build the classic “woman scorned” role which Miller moulds her into: “Oh, I marvel how such
Donna Woolfolk Cross explains in her article, "Propaganda: How Not to Be Bamboozled" that propaganda shapes our attitudes on thousands of subjects by tactics such as name-calling which "consists of labeling people or ideas with words of bad connotation" (Cross 210). Aunt Lydia uses name-calling by stating that these women were lazy sluts and explains how important and how much better childbirth is in Gilead in comparison to the old days. Her manipulative speech is what blocks the handmaids from thinking, only to react unquestioningly. Cross's article explains that glittering generalities "try to get us to accept and agree without examining the evidence" (Cross 211). Aunt Lydia's use of glittering generalities and convincing tone of voice makes these women accept whatever she defines them as, giving no reason to think otherwise.