However the traditional role of femininity that was enforced upon women by a stringent and somewhat vigorous society was changing and these two texts challenge the traditional role of femininity both directly and indirectly throughout. The lack of communication and action of characters in As I Lay Dying is often conspicuous. As one would expect, this often leads to an obscuring of identity for both the female protagonists alongside males. Addie is scathing of words in particular. For her, they are just a “shape to fill a lack”.
In Rosenberg’s poem she mentions: “Old men, as time goes on, grow softer, sweeter, while their wives get angrier” (line 1) which may show a sense of criticism towards women specifically as the refer to the man as growing softer while the wives get angrier. Clearly, this cannot be a generalized assumption amongst women as women are not typically like that. However, women are readily judged due to their gender. As well, the girls in Seller’s poem are condemned for their sexuality because it is out of societal expectations for women. “Who weep for the waste of sturdy hips” (line12) is mentioned in “In the Counselor’s Waiting Room” thus showing that the mothers of the two daughters are criticizing the two girls in the poem.
This implies that Hero is only there for her physical appearance – a very demeaning portrayal of women, focusing as it does on their objectification. Much ado is very misogynistic as women like Hero are constantly being taken advantage of. Woman are seen as mere possessions and used whenever they are deemed fit. This reflects male dominance and patriarchy. Women are the weaker sex in this play: they are forced into giving into male power by doing what they are told; which is expected of them.
As exemplified in Pride and Prejudice with characters like Mrs. Bennet and her child, Lydia, many ladies put money above love when it came to the subject of marriage. Perhaps the behavior of women in this time period is a question of nature vs. nurture. For females especially, society dictated class distinctions and parameters for retaliatory ridicule, while bringing emphasis towards honing “womanly” talents in lieu of formal education and opportunities. If a lady were to step out of the bounds of appropriate behavior, she would disgrace herself and most likely her family, thereby cutting them off from benefits that might otherwise shine upon accomplished personas. Mrs. Bennet’s least favorite daughter, Elizabeth, seems to be made of strong moral fiber and respectfully does not sink to the (often) poor matrimonial standards of her peers.
In a similar way, readers can distinguish how untrustworthy these characters are from what they chose to share. And lastly, Fitzgerald portrays women as individuals who think highly of themselves because of all the material things that are in their reach. The women in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby convey unflattering qualities which cause readers to feel unsympathetic towards their actions throughout the novel. It is the little details in the novel that Fitzgerald includes throughout which portray women as weak both physically and intellectually. Having said that, the women in the novel make poor choices which reveal their characters as impractical.
Feminists are often stereotyped as angry, man-hating, unattractive women who scream absurdly about their political views. These stereotypes make women feel embarrassed to call themselves feminists (Stereotypes about Feminism). It is essential that all women consider themselves feminists simply because women are still being oppressed today and there is a need for equality. To begin, women should not be ashamed to call themselves feminists because women are still being oppressed today. Our culture believes women should be dependent on men and this forms a belief that women need men to survive.
Helena is looked at as a pathetic girl who is jelous of hermia's looks and obsessed with Demetrius who will never love her back. Shes looked at as if shes a women who is wasteing her time wishing she were someone else. She says to Demetrius at one point that "the more he beats her the more she will fawn him". Helena is practically begging him to treat her poorly because she feels that any bit of attention from him is
Even in a story which purports to be filled with moral values, such as Homer’s Odyssey. Judging by modern standards of moral and ethical treatment of women, Homer’s Odyssey is insanely sexist. As thousands of advertisements and magazines will tell you, the worst thing a lady can be is ugly. After all, good witches are beautiful, but if you’re a bad witch, God help your complexion. Women in Homer's Odyssey are judged mainly, if not exclusively by their physical appearance.
These internal beauty standards have led to black girls being jealous and hateful of white people. This was obvious later in the book in Claudia responded to Rosemary Villanucci, who was white and who was also in a better financial position than Claudia’s parents. “We stared at her, wanting her bread, but more than that wanting to poke the arrogance out of her eyes and smash the pride of ownership that curls her chewing mouth” (Morrison 9).
The feminist movement was an emotional time because women were angry about having less rights then men and for being treated like they were just there to help. “I Want a Wife” could make women realize they