Powerful and Submissive Women in Literature Female behavior may vary depending on the role they play within their families, jobs or lives. Since the inception of several feminist movements, women behavior has changed and evolved over the years and we see today many women of power exuding confidence and independence. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and Dashiell Hammet The Maltese Falcon, ideal women are perceived to be passive, obedient and dependent on men. Elizabeth, The Intended and Effie are, respectively, examples of idealized women in the literature written by the above authors. The portrayal of women in the three stories mark the submissive role expected from women in literature and society as a whole.
Compare and contrast the ways in which Atwood in HT and Churchill in TG present the pressures on woman in male dominated societies in the light of the opinion that Atwood focuses on woman as victims whilst Churchill explores the price woman pay for success. The male dominated environment is a force that every woman has to find a way to deal with so it is common for female writers to use it as a key theme when exploring the forces that shape us. There are many similarities in the way Margaret Atwood and Caryl Churchill Portray Male dominance and the way it affects females. In spite of Atwood’s ‘The Handmaids Tale’ being set in a fictional future dystopia the hostile patriarchal environment she describes has many features in common with today’s society. Maya Angelou’s book ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’ also deals with the problems of being female.
The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the female characters in The Great Gatsby reveals an underlying hatred for women. With reference to appropriately selected parts of the novel, and relevant external contextual information on Fitzgerald’s own experience of, and attitude to women, give your response to the above view. It was in the 1920’s when women become more independent, delegated, and responsible for more things in the world than just keeping the house tidy, as was the mentality back in those days. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a true literary masterpiece based on the tragic life of Jay Gatsby through the eyes of his acquaintance, Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald openly shows his opinion that women generally have low moral qualities, and demonstrates this by the actions and speech illustrated by the three main female characters in the novel; Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson.
An example of this is the scene right after Thelma and Louise go back to the hotel and Louise realizes that J.D. has stolen all her money, in this scene Thelma gets closer to Louise that is devastated from the occurred and for the first time Thelma gets in charge of the situation and encourages Louise to go on. Now, on the other hand, Louise acquires courage and confidence when she sees that her friend Thelma is in trouble. This is seen on the scene where Thelma is about to get raped by Harlan. In this scene, Louise takes the gun and points at him without fear of using it, if he tries to hurt Thelma.
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.
Women had tasted power while the men were away at war and now that the men were back to take their jobs again, the women had to go back to working in the home. Most Women did not agree with this and began to voice their opinions, so did Doris Humphrey. Humphrey voiced her opinions through abstract movements known to us now as modern dance. Women won the right to vote in elections in 1917, setting the way for women in the 1920s to become more prominent in the public eye. These changing roles of women have been reflected in Humphrey’s choreography.
She continuously lies (such as in the golfing tournament) in order to maintain her status (of an excellent gofer). She also pries in other people’s business such as when Tom and Daisy’s argument when the phone (Myrtle) rings during dinner. Jordan also encourages Daisy to have an affair with Gatsby, despite being a friend of the Buchanans. Furthermore, all three women are guilty of being money, status
As the night goes on, the sisters receive another knock on their door. This time from Caliph Harum al-Rashid and Ja’far claiming they had been partying as well and were running from the police. The sisters took their story into consideration to let them in under one condition which is to not ask questions about what they see. They agree and everyone drinks and parties. Finally, after every one is drunk, the sisters sit the seven men on the couch and continue doing some sort of ritual as the men watch.
Sustained by the decade’s prosperity, young people threw wild parties, drank illegal liquor, and danced new, sexually suggestive steps at jazz clubs. A strong fear of death, which was something real and unpredictable, prompted attitudes of impatience and carelessness. This was true for women and men. One of the symbols of this revolution was the flapper, a term that describes a "new breed" of young Western women who flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were looked down on for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms.
“The Awakening” is a story about a woman named Edna Pontellier who figures out her true identity. She fights an internal battle with society standards as well as finding her own independence. The title of this story actually gives out the true meaning of the story, and it was often hinted to the readers that she was having an “Awakening” within herself. There are also real life instances that can relate to the meaning of this story. Edna Pontellier often shows a rebellion in her throughout the story, and there are many reasons as to why she feels like she has to rebel.