Both poets use both color as well as natural imagery in order to depict the emotions of these women throughout the length of the poems. In Plath’s ‘Spinster’, the protagonist in the poem realizes that she does not desire to share her life with this man because it may result in her losing control over her own life, Duffy’s ‘Havisham’ is a reimagining of Dickens’ infamous spinster, and ‘Mrs. Midas’ is a poem written from the viewpoint of the wife of the mythological King Midas, who had a wish granted which caused everything he touched to turn to gold. The use of color within the poems “Spinster” and “Havisham” are portrayal of the feeling of the speaker at the given moment in the poem The use of color within the poems “Spinster” and “Havisham” are a portrayal of the feeling of the speaker at the given moment in the poem. It can be noted that brighter, vibrant colors, appear at the beginning at the poem, and begin to deteriorate into bleaker, darker colors as the poem progresses, along with the speaking voices emotions.
Caroline Cory 12/2/12 AP English Scarlet Letter In Nathanial Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, we do not see the characters to be heroes at first glance. In fact, the dark mood set by Hawthorne in the story makes many of the characters seem dark and troubled. However, with further examination of the story we are able to see true heroes emerge. Pearl is an important character in the symbolism of the story. Pearl is a sort of living version of her mother’s scarlet letter.
At the end of Curley’s Wife’s life, Steinbeck presents her in a way that makes us feel sympathy for her. She is described as ‘sweet and young’ in her death. The use of the word ‘young’ reminds us that was quite healthy and youthful and that her life had just begun. This creates a powerful contrast because death is ugly and evil and Curley’s Wife is pretty and young. It makes the reader visualize Curley’s Wife in a new light and realize that she maybe did not deserve this outcome and deserved a second chance.
As an example two influential short stories will be discussed in depth in order to shed light into the lives of the two authors and their stories. The short stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) and Angela Carter (1940–1992) both sideway the same idea; the confinement of women in particular roles and positions in both personal and professional lives, posed on them by patriarchal figures. Toril Moi quotes in her examination of feministic criticism, Sexual/Textual Politics (2002), Elaine Showalter’s idea that “women writers should not be studied as a distinct group on the assumption that they write alike, or even display stylistic resemblances distinctively feminine” (Moi, 2002: 49), which comes across when reading the two stories which are stylistically already very different. It might be so that a feminist reader of both times (there’s some 80 years difference between the two stories) did not only want to see her own experiences mirrored in fiction, but strived to identify with strong, impressive female characters (Moi, 2002: 46), and looked for role-models that would instil positive sense of feminine identity by portraying women as self-actualising strong identities who were not dependent on men (Moi, 2002, 46). The two stories bring out two female characters, very different by position and character; the other a new mother, scared and confused of her own role, and the other a young newly-wed girl, still a child, being fouled by a much older man, mainly as a mark of his authority over women in general.
The wings are symbolic of women in the C19th and in particular the Victorian era. The manner in which this image is composed suggests ideas in relation to values and attitudes pertaining to individuals in their social context. They include the longing and desire under the facade of morality present amongst this society, the possessive and incarcerating temperament of patriarchal figures over their female counterparts. These concepts are conveyed through the allegorical poetry of Robert Browning, particularly the aubade ‘Meeting at Night Parting at Morning (‘Meeting’)’ about an illicit rendezvous and the dramatic monologue ‘My Last Duchess (‘Duchess’)’ where Browning’s renaissance influence is evident through the poem acting as a revelation of the Duke Alfonso’s sinister actions and the objectification of women. Further, the 1996 film The Portrait of a lady (Portrait) about a woman’s desperate choice between her autonomous, love-driven spirit and the demands of social convention encapsulates these paradigms and the struggle of women in expressing themselves.
She finds the courage to rise up above societies expectation that she stay in this marriage, and walks out: “S’posin’ Ah wuz to run off and leave yuh sometime” (30). When Janie runs off with Jody, she knows that society will not approve, but she does it anyways because she is after that feeling of lust and desire that she experienced under the pear tree. Jody makes Janie feel good, at least at first. He spoils her with the finest treats and he treats her like a true lady. Also, he was perceived as “socially acceptable” by most everyone; he was a prominent businessman and Governor.
Arushi Ghai Ms. Meehan ENG 3U0-D October 22, 2012 Exploring Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper Influenced by women’s lives in the 1800’s A short story author of the eighteenth century, Charlotte Perkins Gilman is famous for her tough life and her personal stories such as The Yellow Wallpaper. A short story that includes gothic element, with a story of a women who has a nervous disorder and is controlled by her husband and is not allowed to do what she loves which is write. Gilman certainly proved herself as an creative writer, with the capability to create the life of a girl with issues and is depressed and unhappy. However with a closer read of the text, it becomes apparent that many of the themes and issues raised
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.
In this amazing poem- The Lady of Shalott is a helpless lady, who is trapped in a tower on the silent Island of Shalott. She is under an unfortunate curse which forbids her to look out of the window towards the beautiful Camelot. The only knowledge she gains is from the reflection of the passing world through a mirror. One day as she entertains herself, weaving a tapestry of excitement that awaits her outside the cold metal bars of the window, she caught a sight a handsome knight passing by. His good looks forced her to say “I’m sick of shadows” and break the curse by leaving the tower, which results to her tearful death.
How does Tennyson present the two main characters in the Lady of Shalott? 'The Lady of Shalott' is a poem written by Alfred Tennyson in the 1830s. The 1830s consisted of a patriarchal society therefore, society was dominated by the male gender compared to the women who were subservient. 'The Lady of Shalott' focuses on the plight of a Lady who is imprisoned within a tower overlooking Camelot. However, she is cursed to never look out of the window as the curse will awaken.