In the case of Hedda Gabler, the leading character Hedda through depicting a feminist character is truly deprived of the feminist traits that women commonly possess. Ibsen has intentionally failed to mold her into a true feminine character and has only achieved to strip her of all the characteristics that make her a woman such as faithfulness, loyalty, love, care and sacrifice. The play is a feminist one but its leading character is in no respect feminine, rather is a harsh, sharp and masculine one. The so-called feminism is merely a source of destruction for many women depriving them of motherly love and injecting them with frustration, depression and annoyance. Thus, women such as Hedda are not capable of being called a woman.
plays. The reading, although borrowed from the feminist perspective, is not a fully blown feminist reading of Shakespeare’s works. The focus of the study comprises of the social circumstances and the misogynistic actions of the male characters and how these impact on the lives of the female characters. The relationships between the male and the female characters are often characterized by the physical and the psychological victimization and their feelings. Men allow their egos to persuade their decisions, attack their internal emotions and demolish virtuous women who are forced to become victims of political intrigues and machinations.
This damned with Sycorx,/ For mischiefs manifold and sorceries terrible/ to enter human hearing, from Algiers.” (1.2 263-5) Since Prospero provides no evidence as to why she is evil or a witch, it is clear that men fear women who realize their own power and who can have power over men. All we can infer about Sycorax is that she was an independent and powerful woman. Men fear women who realize their power since they pose a threat to their own. Prospero’s fear is demonstrated through her name being mentioned multiple times and giving warnings to Ariel throughout the play. It is important to note that Sycorax is never actually present in any scene or the play in general.
However, in actuality, both women defy the traditional Elizabethan standard of femininity—Gertrude in her sexuality, and Ophelia in her madness—serving to create tension in the story and elicit unease in the audience. In Shakespeare’s day, the ideal woman was revered for her youth, beauty, compliance, and purity. Gertrude stands in stark contrast to the ideal, the antithesis of the traditional standard of femininity. When accused by Hamlet of “[living] … in corruption” (3.4.103-5), Gertrude denies nothing, never pretending to be anything but a sexual being. Neither is Gertrude young, nor is she compliant in any way—she routinely defies the wishes of those who, socially, would have been considered her “superiors.” Following the announcement of her marriage to Claudius, Hamlet
Once her father hears these accusations, he commands to “let her die” as a result of the crimes she committed (IV.i.163). These incidents in the play illustrate Hero’s sacrifice of her angelic and pure character. Hero does little to convince others of her innocence. Moreover, clinging to the traditional views of women, men are unlikely to listen to what women have to say. Shakespeare portrays women 's ranking in relation to men by illustrating Hero’s great sacrifice, and how her closest mentors refuse to help support her.
This idea of female freedom, however, is not embraced by the male characters, who feel it threatens their masculinity: “It was they who were embarrassing us” (4). When Lengel, the “kingpin” of the A&P takes notice of the girls’ actions, he quickly steps up to protect his masculinity. In removing the girls from the A&P, he is attempting to put them back in their established place. As one critic noted, the male characters feel that “Either women were to stay in one place and allow themselves to be walked on as ‘houseslaves’ or mothers or they were to provide their sexual services when men so desired” (Douglass). The male characters expect
You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so. ” Even though marrying him would prevent the man to inherit her family’s estate after her father dies in this passage the main character explains that she can’t marry Collins because they do not love each other. She also rejects Darcy’s first proposal even though that also would have accommodated and ameliorated her family situation. At the end she accepts Darcy’s proposal after she felt in love with him and he respected her. Additionally, Elizabeth defies gender roles by educating herself by reading, even though women in early nineteenth-century could not go into higher education.
In the play ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen, the role of macaroons play a major role as they represent Nora’s dishonest behavior towards Torvald. Nora is completely a different person in front of Torvald; however, she tries to shield things that she does which Torvald doesn’t like. In reality, their marriage seems to be falling apart as she is not happy being with her husband as he tells her not to have macaroons, as the macaroons will damage her teeth and destroy her beauty. The macaroons present image of Nora’s longing to be liberated. She wants to have her own personality and will to live a life where no one stops her from doing what she gets pleasure from.
Women were subject to marriages without regard for their personal preference. Mathilde revealed her detest to such norms as she stated, "What kind of love makes you yawn? You might as well be pious and devout" (Stendhal, 1830). These thoughts show how Stendhal's novel blend of romanticism and realism (external and internal problems) marries to mirror the ruminations of individuals and group mentality. Moreover, an oppressed and alienated group has been societally discriminated: women.
It’s rather difficult for them to revolt against traditional methods as they will be contradicted by the society. If they accept it their life becomes disastrous. It’s the duty of the modern writers to focus on the feministic points of view. The modern writers are challenging the position of women in male-dominated society. The male writers show women only as a show piece, as a puppet in the hands of the head of the family.