The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is largely based on stereotypes. The most prevalent one explores the difference between gender roles. Glaspell exerts the repression of women in the 1900s. During that time, women were highly looked down upon by men, and were only seen as the housekeepers and child bearers. This example is displayed throughout the play with the men, however, the women in this play prove that the stereotypes of gender roles held against them are completely wrong, which is shown through the characters, set design, and symbolism.
While analyzing this play one finds key themes that relate to the obligations held by men and women and how the pressure of such obligations affect the the subconscious mind. Having the ability to see this different perspective allows the reader to understand gender roles and gives one a new way of perceiving them. Even back in the pre domestic days men were thought of as the head of the household. While women were at home taking care of the children and aiding to crops, the men were the ones that went out to hunt and gather for their families. Men were the protectors of their families and this same idea has continued throughout the years.
Social Group: Fathers During this time period, fathers were the “breadwinners” and expected to work and provide for their families. However, black fathers in the 1950’s particular had to work long hours because the only jobs available to them were often low paying. This directly correlates with African-American’s low place on the social ladder during this pre-Civil Rights era. It was also extremely difficult for African-American women to find work during this time, placing the financial buren solely on the father.
They were not only the housekeepers or caretakers of children but they also helped the men in agriculture and hunting. They were equal to native men. But after the colonization, the situation of Native women became worst. They were forced to depend economically on the men. They were expected to do only the household works and raised the children.
During this time men brought in the money for the household, while the mother’s would stay at home and watch over the children of the family. With this came a sense of pride and authority for the men. Throughout the film Stanley continually abuses Blanche and even goes to the extreme of raping her. He depicts an animal-like man with no awareness of morals. When he gets angry he has no control of his reactions and results to physical violence.
The feudal system was displayed in the agricultural society of the Kingdom of Didd, as the King gained wealth from the serfs while they remained poor. While King Derwin looked down at his kingdom and “it made King Derwin feel mighty important” (Seuss, pg 3), Bartholomew looked up at the kingdom and “it made Bartholomew Cubbins feel mighty small” (Seuss, pg 5). Capitalism is displayed by the working class as they serve the nobles and the king. Bartholomew goes into town to sell
Light and darkness are often used by playwrights to symbolize the human condition. These associations are based off of human experience in which they exist. Many literatures often use the concept of light and darkness to portray the characters’ state of awareness. In ‘A Doll’s House’, Ibsen examines the role of light and dark through the human condition of his characters. He does this by examining the struggle of his characters within the play’s contextual setting of 19th century Norway - using light and darkness to play off the themes of unreliability of appearances and the sacrificial role of women in this patriarchal society.
In the XIX century, Thomas Hardy brings the gender issue to Tess of the d'Urbervilles, showing that the condition of women in Victorian England brings unique implications to their trajectory as an individual. The women in Tess of the d'Urbervilles are, in general, submissive to the patriarchal order of society. The supremacy of man over woman in life dramatises the crisis of values in Tess of the d'Urbervilles, placing the heroine, Tess, at the mercy of the masculine judgment. Tess is a victim of male prepotency. She succumbs to the abuses of Alec d'Urberville and afterwards adopts a servile posture towards her husband, even after being godforsaken and banned from social life.
Sin is a prevalent theme throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. The main character, Hester Pryne’s sin of adultery instigates the entire novel. The novel follows Hester’s journey in dealing with her sin in a strict Puritan town. Nathaniel Hawthorne provides an example of how someone’s sin can affect many individuals.
Boys/ Sons, on the other hand, imitate the way their fathers speak or behave, generally showing an authoritative personality. Childcare sector comprises of the day care institutes that have gained an increasing importance almost all over the world. The young children, usually before they begin their kindergarten schooling, are kept at the day care centers while their parents remain busy with their professional lives. The children at these centers are kept under the supervision of caretakers, mostly women. The ratio of men is either very low or is not at all present at these childcare centers.
Do you think gender issues are still a problem in modern America? As we’ve had many technological advancements has our views for civilizations remained the same? Previously in America’s society one’s gender played an important role in their life. Whereas if you were born female then you typically would stay home to cook, clean, and breed children. While males being the providers, they typically went out to hunt and “bring home the bacon.”
Blue is not opposed to the idea of her dad dating, and knows every detail of how her dad acts in a relationship. She has many crazy stories of each breakup, and finds many notes left over around the house. “Dad picked up women the way certain wool pants can’t help but pick up lint” (Pessl 29) It is unclear if Blue wants a motherly figure in her life, but in reality, since they move so often, that is not possible. Change comes naturally to Blue, and unlike others, is nothing she fears.
Women now are breadwinners and some men are stay at home dads. Due to economic pressures from society, both spouses have to work to maintain their family compared to the 1950’s where only one spouse could work and support a family. Both shows display the importance of society’s typical family structure and gender roles from each time period. In conclusion, there has been a dramatic shift in women’s roles in society today when compared to the
Elites’ taste were commonly adopted by people with lower income and status through the process of refinement which created the middle class. However, the middle class had to work in order to purchase all the material objects like tableware, china, carpets, and clocks. They earned extra income from household manufacturing. Thus, the middle class dealt with textiles and quilting to earn money and comfort. They were used to create family clothes or exchanged work with other people to create a strong fabric used to create summer working dressses.
The problem is though, that workplaces are getting away with putting larger workloads on employees because they are willing to do work outside the workplace. My mom, for example works in an office and is overloaded with work. Sometimes she will work from nine in the morning until seven o’clock at night, and even so she has to work on things at home to be caught up, unless she wants to stress about it. She often complains about how much work she is required to do, and that she just wishes her boss would hire someone to help her out. This is a huge problem, because i can see it directly affecting my moms down time at home.