Women’s Issues in the Past In both Trifles and A Doll’s House the reputation and appearances of the two women are examined within nineteenth century marriages. The men believe that the women only focus on trivial matters. These two poems are so powerful because of the metaphors, emphasis on gender roles, and tone the narrator uses to convey the way women were treated in the nineteenth century. In both dramas the characters are forced to live in an environment where they are belittled. They are believed to be home makers, which for this particular time was what women were thought to only be able to do.
The author Dorothy W. Hartman provide research of study done on the role of women in both urban middle class and of immigrant women. Hartman illustrate that both type women were tied to household duties and taking care of children. Hartman acknowledge that in the mid 1800’s, that “Cult of Domesticity” arose in society believed and stated that women’s role is simply to mothers and a wives. Women had little contact with others and little relief from everyday tasks other than household responsibilities. Under the subtitle labeled Keeping the Home, the author refers to an article written by Catherine Beecher that states “ a really good housekeeper is almost unhappy… she nearly ruins her own health and life” (The Household, January 1884).
(Bronte). Woman in this age were supposed to be passive, pure, and idle; they were not well educated and were expected to marry. Throughout Brontë 's novel, Jane Eyre learns the realities of these social expectations and directly and indirectly speaks against them. Jane doesn’t accept Mr. Rochester due to Jane is not on his social status. Charlotte took jobs that any woman in her time could take, such as a governess and a teacher.
For many years, the suffrage of women was debated, as equality seemed far from the minds of men. Women were trained to believe their place was in the home caring for the children, cooking, cleaning and guiding. In Rev. John Todd D.D.’s, paper , Women’s Rights, the only area Dr. Todd allows a woman to have rights is within marriage, and only in the caring of the home and children along with helping to control the character of her husband. This concept alone is flawed as Gail Hamilton points out in her paper, Women’s Wrongs, which debates Dr. Todd’s writings.
During the Victorian Era, women were expected to be demure, asexual and obedient and society confined their roles to mothers and wives. The subject of the dramatic monologue, however on several occasions appears to defy these conventions and establishes herself to a certain extent as an independent woman from which there occurs conflict as the Duke resents this strength of nature and instead desires to control her. The Victorian ideal that women were property is embodied in the quote, ‘twas not/Her husband’s presence only, called that spot’ where the Duke suggests that he should have sole ownership and control in her life, and he would be the only man who was of any importance to her. This concept of ownership and property is reinforced throughout the dramatic monologue where the first line, ‘That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall’ which illustrates a possessive nature borne out of his supposed masculine superiority. The Duke views the Duchess as an object, more valuable and pleasing to him when inanimate than alive, the adjective ‘last’ also creates the impression that the Duke has had many wives and they were all similarly disposed of, treated like throwaway items rather than human beings.
Written Assignment Investigative Question: How does Ibsen define a beautiful death, and to what effect? Hedda Gabler is a work of literature focused on realism. In Ibsen’s writing he depicts an accurate representation of everyday life at the time, where women were not regarded outside their houses, and were enslaved in gender roles. Hedda, the famous daughter of General Gabler, married George Tesman out of desperation, but she found life with him to be dull and tedious. Hedda is repressed both socially and sexually.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the author develops the fictional character, Jay Gatsby, to illustrate that romantic love and an ideal life is an illusion that would not reach our expectations. In the beginning, Gatsby views Daisy as an important symbol to his life and forms and obsessive intimacy in his relationship with her. When Daisy first reappeared in his life, she entranced him with her physical appearance. Gatsby was taken away by her appearance that he described her as a woman who lives "high in a white palace the king's daughter, the
In 19th century society, marriage was considered a sacred institution between a man and a woman. A woman was considered her husband’s property. However, the antiquated idea that relationships should contain an aggressive husband dominating over a passive wife perpetuates negative stereotypes that still plague women in modern day society. The interactions between Nora and Torvald in A Doll’s House illustrate how the heteronormative ideal of marriage should be challenged to progress beyond the damaging idea of a patriarch and his simple, submissive wife. A scene from act 3 of the play can be performed to show how marriage requires both parties to be satisfied with their roles and identities within the relationship.
In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, appearances prove to be deceptive veneers that disguise the reality of situations and characters. Ibsen’s play is set in 19th century Norway, when women’s rights were restricted and social appearance such as financial success and middle class respectability were more important than equality and true identity. Ibsen also uses realism and naturalism, portraying the Helmer’s Marriage through authentic relationships, which are relatable to the audience. In A Doll’s House, Nora represents 19th century women entrapped by society to fulfill wifely and motherly obligations, unable to articulate or express their own feelings and desires. Initially, Nora appears to be a dependent, naïve girl, yet as the play unfolds, we see her as strong, independent woman, willing to make sacrifices for those who she cares about as well as herself.
I choose her because she was a brilliant female in a society where they wanted women to be beautiful, submissive wives, and mothers. Frida was a modern woman, but her art had an indigenous background. The most familiar genre was a self-portrait and a dramatic view of herself that I liked. Frida's art was controversial and attracted attention. Frida was capable of showing her view of the world.