Though, when actually examined, the females portrayed in both literary works do show signs of bravery and rebellious spirit, which represents the actual mind of authors, they are still oppressed by the patriarchal society to a large extent. In Frankenstein, superficially, most female characters are portrayed as “heaven-sent” angels (Shelley, 34). The soul of them is like “a shrine-dedicated lamp” and they are “the living spirits of love to soften and attract” (38), which are fully consistent with the image of women in people’s minds in mainstream society in the 19th century (Sunstein, 4). Nonetheless, the weaknesses of them, which are used by the author to criticize the unfairness of the society, cannot be neglected. The two main female characters in Frankenstein: Caroline and Elizabeth are carefully analyzed in this essay, and from Frankenstein’s narration of them, we can see the author’s deep thinking and criticism about the unfairness of society.
Both of these writers includ women as an element of their Gothic fiction, but they are used in contrasting fashions. In the Gothic genre, women are often times portrayed as either oppressed by a tyrannical masculine character, or in a forced position to make a tough decision. The former is the case in “The Black Cat,” although the beginning of the story makes it seem otherwise. This is exemplified by the narrator when he states, I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others. I suffered myself to use intemperate language to my wife.
Paper # 2 English 206 This paper will discuss the character of Daisy Miller and Lilly Bart and their place as women in society, and how they did not conform to the normal role of women in their eras. Both “Daisy Miller” and “ House of Mirth” reflect similar approaches; each story has a male character that is intrigued by a powerful, engaging, beautiful woman. Both stories also have a similar plot lined up for their female characters; focusing on women having a certain place in society and having them stray from these norms, eventually leading to their downfall. Both Lily and daisy are extreme flirts, who know how to seduce men. They are not your typical 19th century gals, but not fitting in with the “expected” norms doesn’t seem to affect their ability to attract men.
He documents a complex woman’s struggle to cope, as she is suffocated by the male dominated society that she has been forced to subject herself to. The following essay will in particular discuss the relationships between the women of Hedda Gabler. Ibsen uses the themes explored in the play to examine and challenge the role of women in society. This is evident through the relationships that Hedda has not only with the male characters in the play but from those that she has with the two other prominent female characters in the play; Thea Elvsted, the delicate love interest of Ejlert Lövborg and Aunt Julie the benevolent aunt of Hedda’s new husband Jörgen Tessman. Both women are contrasting representations of Hedda.
Byronic heroes were used to describe Lord Byron by his jilted lover, Lady Caroline. She would describe him as “mad, bad and dangerous to know” (Wikipedia). The term reflects a flawed character and has some of the same characteristics of a Gothic character, with more of Byron’s “negative” characteristics thrown into the mix. Such character istics would include: bipolar, hates social norms, outcast, sexuality (homosexual, prostitute), cynical, loner, and self-destructive (Wikipedia). The features of Gothic fiction are both psychological and physical.
Medusa is told in the first person as a dramatic monologue by a woman who is insecure and worried that her husband is cheating on her. The poem begins: ‘A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy’ and it is this jealousy which has turned the woman into a gorgon and now everything she looks at turns to stone. This feeling of doubt resonates throughout the poem, exemplified in the line, ‘but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray from home’. Unlike our feelings towards the traditional monstrous character, this poem evokes empathy for the character as she is clearly distressed and suffering. Especially when she reminisces in the final stanza about the time she was young and beautiful, illustrating her complete lack of confidence.
The film's title refers to a British feminist writer Virginia Woolf who employs the use of a 'stream of consciousness' that observes the psychological and emotional motives of the characters. This ties in with the film's emotionally draining plot along with the suffering marital discord displayed by the main actor and actress. The title is also a parody of a Disney song in Three Little Pigs named “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” The story is ultimately about a bitter aging couple who with the help of alcohol use a young couple to stir torment and emotional pain towards each other. The old couple named Martha and George are played by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The young couple is played by Sandy Dennis (Honey) and George Segal (Nick).
Most analyses of this piece have been from prominent feminists, who targeted the patriarchal structure of the society in the 19th century as the major cause of insanity of the narrator. Some of the most extreme feminist critics have even stepped further to claim that the narrator is initially not ill at all, hinting that the societal bonds of marriage imprisoned and twisted the mind of the poor narrator. Though this claim has not yet been verified, there are indeed several conspicuous signs that showcased societal imprisonment of women in The Yellow Wallpaper. For example, John’s overconfidence of his own medical knowledge led to his misjudgment of the narrator’s condition; whereas societal norms seem to force the narrator to believe in that misjudgment: “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? (1.10)” And under these torturing social rules,[change] the narrator, as a women and a wife, has no control over the pettiest details of her life, and she can do nothing for herself except from asking help from men, who dictates her life: “My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing” (1.11) And it is obvious that the chauvinistic ideas during
In this time many modernist authors and artists sourced to change and challenge society’s expectations and their inflexible, harsh conventions that not only restricted free thinking but repressed the ideas of change in their beliefs. The idea of gender roles and the role of women in a patriarchal society are challenged and questioned in Hedda Gabler as Ibsen confronts the audience with the isolation and plight of women that was created out of extreme patriarchy during the Victorian period. The destructive consequences of society’s barriers and women turning away and escaping from established gender roles is also presented in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening with the two spheres of men and women being challenged with their desires. The rapidly changing world, socially and technologically, brought many people to a dilemma on choosing to stay in their traditional superficial world, or to welcome the new. The superficiality of life is constantly contrasted with the differing social structures within society in Katherine Mansfield’s The Garden Party and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway with her continuing fear of aging and the new that constantly rocks her world.
The Techniques Used in “My Last Duchess” The poem “My Last Duchess”, written by Robert Browning, is an example of a Victorian love story but with a twist. The words that describe this poem are murder, mystery, and deception. The entire poem is written as a dramatic monologue and deals with the theme of controlled love and jealousy. The main character, the Duke, talks about the murder of his duchess, revealing more than what he intends to. Now, I will discuss the many different features Robert Browning has used in the poem.