Villette Gender
the varied interpretations of texts. It is from discussions about gender roles and expectations that have been able to understand the social construction of gender and the power of the patriarchy. Both Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Villette’ (1853) and Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ (1815) use three dimensional female protagonists who must overcome obstacles to find their own places in a “man’s world”. Despite the differences between the contrasting female characters, their authors similarly use them to highlight the injustice and gender inequality entrenched in 19th century society.
Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Villette’ (1853) is open to feminist readings due to the construction of Lucy Snowe, the protagonist. Lucy, more than any Victorian heroine, shows internalised
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‘Emma’ is a tale of marriages; it opens with the marriage of Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston and ends with more weddings (Johnston, 1997). Readers who misread Austen may interpret her discussion regarding marriage as an endorsement, but such is not the case; Austen uses these marriages to convey that it was a woman’s sole purpose (Johnston, 1997; Moffat, 1991). However, fiercely independent Emma defies social expectations of a woman in the 19th century. Emma is the personification of Austen’s advocacy of women’s rights and equality of the sexes (Moffat, 1991). Emma is a strong female, possessing the luxury of independence. Emma’s independence differs from Lucy’s, but creates a contrast between the two females; one must work for her independence, and the other has not need – Emma was born into wealth (Moffat, 1991; Newman, 1983). Like Lucy, Emma is a woman of faults and virtues, which makes her more accessible and relatable to …show more content…
Her spiral into severe anxiety is triggered by the disparity between expectations of her; public and private (Bertrandias, 2001). In exploring the male dominated power structures of ‘Villette’, it is notable that the ‘ideal’ female is conveyed during the text – just not through Lucy. Polly has been taught since an early age that social standing and gender expectations are important and ought to contribute to her character. Polly uses her social skills to repress her emotions - her anger, grief and the hurt of her father’s absence – and Polly “wept under restraint, quietly and cautiously” (9) (Brennan, 2006; Brontë, 1853). Polly and Lucy share similarities; both orphaned, they repress their emotions, however, Lucy’s independent spirit and determination to not sink to complacency prevents her from conforming to the desired female; silent and submissive, like Polly (Brennan,
The Handmaids Tale Analysis
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Culture Of Domesticity Analysis
986 Words | 4 PagesThey are also seen as mentally subordinate because of their health conditions, with Jane having a nervous condition and Louise having heart troubles. Both of these literary works reveal how the Culture of Domesticity made its mark on the ideal image of women and their place in
Lucy Snowe Analysis
1108 Words | 5 PagesAs Lucy grows up and experiences hardships – though what exactly, she as our narrator doesn’t tell us – she is determined to remain an unobtrusive observer and her own observations become more decisive as she chooses whether to act on this knowledge or not thus earning her autonomy through her own decisions based on information she gathered. Our narrator learns how to take the expectations of female repression and use them to her own advantage, allowing her to being to break free of the confines placed on women and take back her own freedom. For instance, when she catches Madame Beck searching through Lucy’s room while the latter is sleeping, becomes a prominent example of another female spy that Lucy build off her own surveying: “I divined her motive for this proceeding, viz., the wish to form from the garments a judgment respecting the wearer, her station, means, neatness, &c. the end was not bad, but the means were hardly
Gender Norms In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin
632 Words | 3 PagesShe exists in a time when women are classified as objects of beauty and property, and her heart trouble suggests that she is fragile. Louise’s initial reaction to the news of her husband’s death suggests that she is deeply saddened and grief stricken when she escapes to her bedroom. However, the reader is caught off-guard with Louise’s secret reaction to the news of her husband’s death because she contradicts the gender norm of the 19th century woman. Her contradiction to the stereotype / gender norm is displayed when she slowly reveals her inward
Comparison Of Moll Flanders And Jane Eyre
786 Words | 4 PagesDaniel Defoe illustrated tales as “true histories” moreover he wrote about singular people in particular circumstances for instance: Moll Flanders and her mental and physical conditions. In the 19th century there also was a technological improvement and a higher ability to read. At that time female authors could already be in a comparable position with male ones. Charlotte Brontë used realistic and gothic elements to express the wide range of social classes, the mystery and thus she could create a “Cinderella story”. In this essay, I am going to discuss the main female characters in Moll Flanders and Jane Eyre such as the personality of Moll and the typical features of Jane.
Adeline Mowbray: An Analysis
1101 Words | 5 PagesAs a matter of fact most frequently critics have looked at how prejudicial her mother’s philosophies have been for our character, and attributed to Editha Mowbray the “fallness” of her daughter. In her essay “The return of the prodigal daughter” Joanne Tong contemplates how “Mrs. Mowbray pays too little rather than too much attention to her daughter” (2004: 475) the outcome of which is a misunderstanding of her position in society with regards to the strict laws of etiquette and feminine ideology in eighteenth century England. Cecily E. Hill also blames Editha for Adeline and Glenmurray’s extramarital affair and their inevitable moral condemnation, and instead of accusing the lovers she sees Editha as the soul villain of the novel. Contrary to the typical concept of a mother who provides a safe education to Adeline, she experiments with dubious theories that ultimately foreground her daughter’s tragic
Rhetorical Analysis In Pride And Prejudice
794 Words | 4 PagesIn the Victorian era, women were forced to marry, as they needed the security of a man. However, Austen uses logos to question the real inequality in the Victorian era’s ideology, that a woman is incomplete without a man. This allows the reader to analyse the state of society from a different perspective. Austen also starts her sentence with an assertive tone further supported with her firm word choices, through using the words, ‘…truth universally acknowledged’. These words are important in her building ethos allowing her to deliver her controversial message.
Emotional And Character Development In Bronte's Jane Eyre
1588 Words | 7 PagesBronte 's Jane Eyre transcends the genres of literature to depict the emotional and character development of its protagonist. Although no overall genre dominates the novel exclusively, the vivid use of setting contributes towards the portrayal of Bronte’s bildungsroman (Realisms, 92) and defines the protagonist’s struggles as she grapples with her inner-self, and the social expectations of her gender. The novel incorporates Jane’s frequent conflicts, oppression, isolation and self-examination as she defends her identity and independence. Set amongst five separate locations, Bronte’s skilful use of literal and metaphorical landscapes, nature, and imagery, skilfully intertwines with the plot and denotes each phrase of her maturity.
Duality In Dracula
1848 Words | 8 PagesLucy's human identity is most vehemently denied in the symptomatic expression: "The Thing" (192). Eroticized and dehumanized, she is sacrificed to consolidate the male bonding. Only then can the former rivals in love transform their desire for Lucy into a firm, selfless friendship and into the love of ascetic hard work as a team, or as what Daly calls it, the "male, professional, homosocial order" (198). The description of Lucy's face after the staking as "of unequalled sweetness and purity" reassures the male "professionals" that the murder is not only necessary but merciful.” (9).
How Does Steinbeck Present Fanny's Education In Himself
3035 Words | 13 PagesEdmund molds Fanny’s personality and character based on his idea of perfection: “he recommended the books which charmed her leisure hours, he encouraged her taste, and corrected her judgment” (II, 16-17). Gilbert and Gubar argue that Austen managed the difficult task of achieving female authority by simultaneously conforming to and subverting patriarchal standards (73). Fanny’s education and growth according to Edmund’s standards reflects this duality in Austen’s works. Although Edmund acts in a very condescending way that reinforces patriarchal authority over Fanny (after all, her personality and education must reflect what he believes is appropriate), he nevertheless provides Fanny with more substantial qualities than the superficiality of physical
An Analysis Of Lucy In E. B. Du Bois's A Room With A View
1219 Words | 5 PagesWhile the Honeychurches, Cecil, and George Emerson are conversing after a game of tennis, Lucy actively participates in the conversation and even goes so far as to ignore Cecil for a little while. In this situation, Lucy is shown to be far more independent and in control than in earlier parts of the book. Here, she pursues a conversation that interests her rather than trying to fit the image of a fiance and giving Cecil all of her attention. By contrasting Lucy’s behavior indoors and outdoors, Forster shows that sometimes one needs to separate oneself from society to truly be free. He strengthens this point at the very end of the novel.
Social Status Between Men And Women In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice
2801 Words | 12 PagesJane Austen lived in a period at the turn from the eighteenth century to the nineteenth century, which was a period of mixed thoughts, which conflicted all the times. Among all the conflicts, the most important one was the disparity in social status between men and women. Not only men’s status was in the center of the society but also common people thought it was right that men were much more important than women were. In those days girls were neither allowed nor expected to study much because they did not have to work for a living. They were supposed to stay at home and look beautiful in order to get suitable husbands.
E. M Forster's A Room With A View
480 Words | 2 PagesHe represented one of the main conflicting forces, societal standards. He was introduced as a well-off, well-connected, upper-class bachelor from London who would be able to provide Lucy a stable life. But as Lucy spent more time with Cecil, she discovered that he was a weak minded individual who was a bad judge of character and critical of others, especially Lucy’s family for their bourgeois ways, therefore causing Lucy to break off her engagement. Therefore Cecil represented societal expectations and had almost bounded Lucy into an unhappy
Villette Feminist Essay
632 Words | 3 PagesAs Lucy Snowe harbors such strong feelings for these men, they take advantage of her plight of womanhood and her place in society, suggesting that the balance of power is lost in Brontë’s novel. With society as a guiding force, masculinity dominates Villette as both Dr. John and Monsieur Paul make Lucy vulnerable. Lucy claims to be independent and self-serving, yet she relies on the men in her life to ease her anxiety. At the same time, the men are dependent upon Lucy to feel
Lucy In A Room With A View
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