"By day and by night his tyranny grows harsher... lets no daughter go free to her mother... lets no girl go free to her bridegroom." (George, I, 3-4). Women, on the other hand, play many more roles than men in this classic and make subtle, but key decisions to greatly change the course of the story. Take Ninsun, the mother of Gilgamesh, for example. She plays the role of the loving, caring mother and also that of the wise counselor that provides guidance.
Women were looked upon as inferior; and incapable of the skills men were, so a woman’s role was mainly housework and nothing with manual requirement. From the first short encounter we share with Curley’s wife we see just one, prominent side to her. From this first meeting, a lot can be foreshadowed. Steinbeck focuses our first introduction with her on her appearance; emphasizing her sexual appeal and desirability towards men. ‘She had full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up,’ which suggests that the author wanted us to presume the worst of her before she’d even spoken and we set ourselves up for her to be a character we feel a lot of resentment for.
Marilyn Monroe suitably declared, “I don’t mind living in a man’s world; as long as I can be a woman in it.” This idea brings to the surface an ancient battle of superiority between men and women; the battle that is the focal point in Louann Brizendine’s nonfiction book The Female Brain. In The Female Brain, Brizendine argues that men and women, no matter how equally each sex is treated, the two will never level out especially because contrary to a man’s urges, a woman’s actions connect directly to her hormones. To convey and solidify this argument, Brizendine incorporates the logical, credible, and emotional appeals. A woman, among many other things, varies between: a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend, a boss, an employee, even a lover. However, big or small the role, each woman has innate and inborn parts that separate her from men.
Females were ruled usually by men who were ranked and viewed as the intelligent species, based solely on their income and class, never their morality. Both Edmund Spenser and Phillip Sidney however, depict the female persona as complex, sexual and desirable and appear to illuminate and generally "revise and complicate the traditional male view" of femininity at the time whilst enforcing their importance in society as a whole. Sidney’s Astrophil and Stella illustrates how women can be resisting and desired through the presentation of Stella who is virtuous and intelligent. Similarly, Spencer’s The Faerie Queene is in fact an allegory for Queen Elizabeth herself, and therefore is presenting the true height of female power and desirability. Sidney’s Stella is amplified as a character of realness which in turn, enforces her power.
Assess the fashion industry using the feminist perspective Feminists argue that that in society men oppress women and that women do not have equal rights when compared to men, they argue that the family serves the needs of patriarchy and that we reside in a patriarchal society where males are the dominate sex. Feminists take a critical view on most things in society but a main one being fashion. Feminism itself simplifies down to equality. It is shown to be not about attacking men but improving society and having equal chances between both sexes. It states that many women’s focus is on her wardrobe so they can impress the opposite sex as they feel useless if they fail to impress, they also argue that fashion is a more female dominated area, they show that most of the top fashion designers are male ruled and that Radical Feminists such as Germaine Greer believe that all key societies (including fashion) have been found on patriarchy (ruled by men).
And swear whatever you wish, and then begin all over again?”(Anouilh, 48). The presence of her masculinity implies that only masculine characters can oppose law. Because she is an undesirable female, who doesn’t follow the rules of womanhood, Anouilh resolves the presence of her character through an inevitable death, to emphasize his contempt with such women. Although male, Haemon portrays female characteristics, being over-emotional and rash, thus being incapable of fulfilling the idealistic male role. An
But one women in particular seems to stand out from all the others, the one who is trying to change and break away from all the pain and sexist rules. This woman as referred to in this poem is a “star-gazer” she is full of optimism and hope that she can change and show everyone that woman are far for capable to work in an office and not just cooking in the kitchen. In India, women don’t get very far in their education. Many stop school after the 10th possibly 11th grade to get married. Parents seek desirable husbands for their daughter and send her away to live with him and her in-laws’.
They were forbidden to work, leave the house without a male escort, not allowed to seek medical help from a male doctor, and forced to cover themselves from head to toe, even covering their eyes. Women who were doctors and teachers before, suddenly were forced to be beggars and even prostitutes in order to feed their families. Since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, many would agree that the political and cultural position of Afghan women has improved substantially. The recently adopted Afghan constitution states that "the citizens of Afghanistan - whether man or woman- have equal rights and duties before the law". So far, women have been allowed to return back to work, the government no longer forces them to wear the all covering burqa, and they even have been appointed to prominent positions in the government.
“My boyfriend and all my relatives do not want me to become a stewardess,” repeats the girl and she does not even try to make her dream come true. Culture’s gender stereotypes imposed by the society girls live in, have an enormous influence on their lives. The conception of the Good Girl presented by Lucy Gilbert and Paula Webster in their essay “The Dangers of Femininity” clearly describes the proposed model of girls’ behavior. Good Girl should dedicate her life to other people, in particular to her husband. Being always ready to help she is obliged to forget about her own wealth.
World War Two required women in the munitions factories and as land girls which due to the shortage of men gave, women a definite place in the working environment, and the argument of women being incapable was now of no consequence. Another huge landmark in feminism was the abolition of the property law that stated that women could not own property; all property would be their husband's or father's. Previous to this in the 60s the birth control pill helped liberate women by giving them highly effective control over their own fertility. As the 60s progressed, the women's liberation movement gained momentum. Later in the 60s the sex discrimination act was put in place, making it illegal to discriminate against someone on the grounds of their gender.