Category: Gender Roles

Introduction to Gender Roles in Modern Society

The world is constantly changing with everything involved in the lives of people who live in it. People have to be conscious that is not only something physical, the form individuals think also evolve as the time passed by. In modern society gender roles is a big controversial topic. Therefore, gender roles in society are continuously changing over time.

Understanding Gender and Its Cultural Norms

First, people must understand the elucidation of gender. The term gender role is defined as a set of cultural norms that precept the appropriate behaviors of people depending on their gender. For instance, Women are typically expected to dress in a feminine way and act well-mannered. On the other hand, men are generally predicted to be more aggressive and stronger. Each society or ethnic group has its own culture, so this means every group has their expectations. Besides, it can change in the same society.

The Reality of Gender Inequality

Currently, we tend to sleep in a world that regularly stresses to us that every man is created with equity. Whereas this sounds nice at face worth, any scrutiny tells America that this is often removed from realistic and sadly might never be. Individuals will examine any facet of society whether or not or not it’s race, religion, language, level of education, sexual orientation or economic standing and spot that that exist various characteristics and factors of identity that alter others to treat others otherwise. This truth might not be pleasant or create one feel all heat and fuzzy within. It is our society’s reality, but dismal it’s going to be.

Challenging Traditional Gender Stereotypes

Challenges in separating sex jobs in the advanced social orders can be an ideal case of the negative social impacts of utilizing generalizations. A division of sexual orientation jobs is profoundly established in the social originals. Before, men have been viewed as the money related suppliers of the family, and emphatic and free, while ladies have been depicted as low-position laborers and housewives, liable for bringing up young people. These days a family model depends on an association between the mates, and the women’s activist condition has significantly affected the adjustment in this circumstance. They guaranteed that there ought to be no qualification between women and men occupations and that the attributes of character ought not to be allotted to just single-sex. In spite of the fact that females and guys are as yet not rise to, the contrasts between sexual orientations are not all that immense any longer. In any case, numerous social organizations. For instance, broad communications, still use sex generalizations, basing on the supposition that they are not able to everybody and help the general population comprehend the substance of the message.

Outrageous sexual orientation generalizations are hurtful because they don’t enable individuals to completely communicate and their feelings. For instance, it’s hurtful to manly people to feel that they’re not permitted to cry or express touchy feelings. Also, it’s unsafe for female people to feel that they’re not permitted to be free, keen or confident. Separating sexual orientation generalizations enables everybody to be their best selves. People normally observe sex generalizations all around. Individuals may likewise have seen or experienced sexism, or separation dependent on sexual orientation. There are approaches to provoke these generalizations to help everybody regardless of their sexual orientation or sex character individuals feel equivalent and esteemed as individuals.

Notwithstanding the reasons that individuals who still have confidence in the pertinence of sex jobs present, there is a great deal of proof that negates them. With respect to religion, there are many religions around the globe, just as individuals who don’t put stock in any religion whatsoever. Additionally, religion itself is an individual conviction framework and lifestyle. Because of these realities, religion can’t be utilized as a reason for sexual orientation jobs since it is additionally a social development that is explicit to an individual; it is diverse for each individual.

For the individuals that accept that sex jobs are innate and happen normally, it has been seen that sex jobs create as an individual grows up. Kids embrace a sexual orientation character from the get-go throughout everyday life and create a sex job. This record likewise clarifies how the sexual orientation character of a youngster is a type of articulation, varies depending on their inclinations, and ought not to be compellingly impacted because it can contrarily influence a kid later in their mental, passionate, and social advancement. This shows sexual orientation jobs are impacted by society however ought to be founded on the inclinations of the person. Along these lines, individuals would not be compelled to adjust to cultural standards, enabling them to communicate all the more unreservedly, and keeping them from feeling as if something isn’t right with them.

Gender orientation jobs are affected by social convictions and speculations that have been being used for quite a long time. Like the title of “tomboy” or “tomgirl girl”, there are other sexual orientation arrangements that numerous individuals pass by, for instance, gender, omnigender, and bigender. Sexes and sex jobs are not obvious classifications that can be applied to everybody in the public arena. This can persuade that the individuals who don’t fit conveniently into the set sexual orientation jobs may be defective by one way or another, which can bring about issues like segregation or abuse. Rather, sexual orientation ought to be thought of as practices and individual recognizable pieces of proof that exist along with a range.

An approach to take care of this issue in the public arena is for the media to show progressively relatable, constructive depictions of individuals who don’t pursue conventional sex jobs, for example, a transgender or transsexual young person who is going to class like some other adolescent, or a football player who dresses or carries on in a female way. Another arrangement would be increasingly exhaustive exercises in schools that show the contrasts among sex and sexual orientation, just as the various sentiments children and youngsters may understanding as they experience adolescence. It would assist young people with bettering get themselves and their bodies as they create and change.

The Evolution of Gender Roles and Societal Expectations

A large number of the sexual orientation generalizations we realize today were not constantly exhibited before; they are moderately new patterns in human culture. This is on the grounds that social desires for every sexual orientation change after some time, and frequently grow distinctively in societies around the world. This shows that the traits individuals interface with conventional sex classes were altogether different just a couple of hundreds of years prior, and can’t be utilized as a solid reason for building up jobs today. Numerous sexual orientation jobs far and wide were directed by the earth and the necessities of the general public.

Ladies started to remain at home or inside the settlement to deal with their child, make garments, and other local errands, while men tilled the ground to develop nourishment, train creatures, and keep on chasing, even though to a lesser scale. While youngsters and ladies tended to the fields with the men, they were regularly not as physically able as the men, and in this manner started to be esteemed as less. This shows jobs were not really founded on sexual orientation, but instead they depended on cultural needs, and, since needs remained moderately the equivalent, they became seen as the conventional jobs that people expected to satisfy. This shows how sexual orientation jobs were made dependent on the necessities of the general public. Anyway today, most of the employments that are seen as significant, for example, being a legal advisor, specialist, lawmaker, business official, and so forth., are achievable by both genders. This implies past sex jobs ought not to make a difference any longer, in light of the fact that both genders are presently similarly equipped for adding to society.

Today, most of the workers satisfy double or even numerous jobs, procuring a living and meeting numerous family and family unit obligations. The change from sexual orientation isolated to multi-job interest in employment and family obligations is still in progress. Past convictions and practices keep on bearing their blemish on current job definitions and desires are as yet restricting for the two people. For society overall to push ahead, and for individuals to live satisfying and remunerating lives both in the proper economy and at home, a portion of these old frames of mind and sexual orientation-based jobs need a transformation.

Conclusion: The Fluidity of Gender Roles

In conclusion, gender roles tend to change over time. It is important individuals have present that the world was not always as they know it today, and the future can be completely different. How the future may look depends on humanity and the way they think. In brief, roles for women and men will continue evolving.

Works Cited

1. Derman, Lynne. “Are Gender Roles Still Appropriate in Today’s World?” Business.Com, 6 Oct. 2015, www.business.com/articles/are-gender-roles-still-appropriate-in-todays-world.
2. Time. “Gender Roles in Modern Society | One World Education, Inc.” ONE WORLD EDUCATION, June 2016, www.oneworldeducation.org/gender-roles-modern-society.
3. Weingarten, Elizabeth. “Https://Time.Com.” TIME, 20 June 2015, time.com/3672297/future-gender-norms.
4. “What Are Gender Roles and Stereotypes?” Planned Parenthood, June 2019, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-identity/what-are-gender-roles-and-stereotypes.
5. Lewis, Katherine. “How Gender Roles Are Changing in the U.S.” The Balance Careers, 25 Sept. 2019, www.thebalancecareers.com/gender-roles-changing-in-the-us-3545177.
6. OXFORD. “Gender | Definition of Gender by Lexico.” LEXICO, June 2015, www.lexico.com/en/definition/gender.

When someone thinks of video games, one would mostly think of men designing, playing, and streaming the game. However, there is a community of female players who are breaking this stereotype. Unfortunately, women are facing sexism, sexual harassment, triggering language, explicit pictures, and sexual assault from men who feel inferior that women are in the gaming industry as a player or developer. This isn’t current problem, sexism since 1982 when there was a leaked design for Texas Instrument’s,”Hunt the Wumpus” which contained an early sketch of the game’s monster that resembles a fanged vagina and blood stains left by the monster as menstrual. There has been many attempts to deescalate certain aspects of sexism but yet there is still sexism existing in the world.

In the production of video games, there is a term called male gaze. Andy Simmons provided the definition as ,” the sexual politics of the gaze and suggests a sexualised way of looking that empowers men and objectifies women.” To go into more detailed in male gaze, woman are positioned or framed to please a man’s desire. In video games it can just be when a camera rests on a character’s butt or breasts during a cutscene, the clothing, or even the way the character is talking or walking. For example, Anita Sarkeesian found modern video games such as Uncharted 2 when the main character is climbing up a wall, the player can stop moving and the angle makes the main character’s butt more prominent. This can be seen with many games such as Destiny 2, Batman, Saints Row, and other big name games. Most of the games provide subtle details such as the swaying of the hips when a female character moves, focusing the attention on the butt.

Many games are dominated by a male hero whose goal is to save a women, objectifying women and making them a goal. Some people are perceiving these messages as a women’s inability to protect themselves and require a strong male character to provide support and protection. However, when female character are strong enough to protect themselves, they are often sexualised in armor that is revealing and would result in a quick and immediate death. Chainmail bikini armor is a staple in many fighting games and massively multiplayer online games. A male and female character could be the same level with the same perks and wear the same armor but the male character would be more concealed. Most users who see this considers it inappropriate and have made it known that it is unacceptable. Unfortunately developers and publishers are just hiding behind their sales.

Sexual harassment doesn’t escape from users who play video games, an escape from reality. Twitch is a popular live streaming website, where anyone can stream the games they are playing and have an active chat. However those who hide behind their screens takes advantage of their ominosity and sexually harass the streamer, mostly females. In a World of Warcraft live stream, a man known as MetaphorSX was live-streaming World of Warcraft on Twitch and, during a break, decided to rate female Twitch streamers along with his viewers. In his chat, someone linked him to another streamer, a woman with a red top and glasses. Everyone who was watching MetaphorSX can see what was on his monitor so they also saw the woman. In his chat, they were rating the woman and explicitly making sexual references. The woman was Khaljiit, playing League of Legends. She quickly got on and felt offended since she did not do anything wrong or reveal anything yet the little exposure to her breasts gave birth to an everlasting topic to the World of Warcraft streams. Most women like Khaljiit have to carefully pick out their clothing before the stream in order to prevent their chat from insulting them. Only a handful of clothes can do this such as a jacket or hoodie. Why would a woman have to cover up but men can go shirtless and have no-one insult him.

There is a stigma where men think they are better at games and computers than women. However, there are women out there who have been playing or working with computers their whole life. By the Internet Advertising Bureau reveals that 52% of the gaming audience is made up of women in 2014, which means the majority of the gaming industry is played by women. Jennifer Boisier said, “No matter what I did, he kept going…. Then he said, ‘I’ll just do it for you’ and utters the phrase, ‘The PC gaming thing, it’s kinda hard.” Little did the man know, Jennifer has been playing games since she was 14 yet, the sexism was apparent here. The man talked about the very basics of computer such as frames per second. This shows how belittling men are towards women. Men think they are superior in this category, not knowing how capable women are in terms of gaming.

Often women admitted to feeling excluded around expos and conventions and end up not attending the opportunities for connections and networks simply because they are sick and tired of being harassed. David Gaider said that repelling women was a decision that people can just stop. The culture of sexism is deeply ingrained in the industry and the community but slowly, stigmas towards women are slowly changing. With more women coming out and speaking against their treatment and encouraging others to do the same, they are being accepted for positions in the gaming industry. This can be seen in the #Metoo campaigned.

Defining and Understanding the Role of Women in Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”

Marjane Satrapi’s first novel “Persepolis” is an autobiographical graphic novel that narrates the experience of a young Iranian girl growing up amid the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Within her novel, many themes are utilized and highlighted to further her story and create a compelling novel. One such theme that is heavily emphasized throughout the novel is the important role and differentiations of gender within a certain time, place, and culture. More specifically, the role of women within that sphere, and how they shape and mold Satrapi’s main character in her novel, her younger self.

How does gender play a role in Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis”

Gender, specifically the role of women in the novel, significantly impacts Marji, Marjane Satrapi’s younger self and main character of the novel’s, growth and understanding of the world around her, and more so the immediate cultural sphere she finds herself in during the Islamic Revolution. Being a woman in this setting is both suppressive and empowering. These two contrasting characteristics make for a unique situation in Satrapi’s book. Evidence of this is depicted in many different places throughout the graphic novel.

In chapter one of the novel, the first issue depicted is of Marji and other female students wearing obligatory veils enforced by current leaders during the Islamic revolution. From page one, there is already a disparity between boys and girls. The frustrating part for Marji is that she, and other girls her age, do not understand the reason behind wearing the veils. This distinction of gender and lack of rationale for the veils also creates separate castes in gender.

In more subtle panels of the graphic novel, religion also plays a role in how gender affects Marji and Iranian women’s lives. For example, on page 6, Marji wants to become a prophet due to her deep religious affiliation. However, in (panel 5, pg. 6) the men she speaks to think it absurd to have a woman prophet. This again shows a divide in the societal roles of women. However, not all distinctions made in gender are based on religion and religious circumstances. Gender roles as a whole are not completely separate from societal, religious, cultural, historical, and political factors of a given landscape. However, there does tend to be some overlap between the different factors. This panel emphasizes the humor men find in associating women with positions of power.

One unique character in the graphic novel is Marji’s mother. She perfectly emphasizes the contrast between a suppressed and empowered woman. First and foremost she does not wear a veil. This appears to be a subtle disruption from conformity against the Shah and the Iranian government. She also actively participates in protests, and sometimes demonstrates, along with her husband, Marji’s father. The contradiction, however, becomes apparent when readers are shown her being fearful of her picture in the newspaper, and consequently, her identity being revealed to government officials and the military. This contrast portrays Marji’s mother’s passion and bravery for activism coupled with her fear and suppression from the government. Marji’s mother also plays an uncommon role in Marji’s home life while. She as well as Marji’s grandmother, promotes a lifestyle of education and understanding of the world going on around her. They want her to be well-read and informed if not actively participating in the revolution. “The adolescent female protagonists from Middle Eastern cultures desire to empower their own identities through utilizing Western media and its images of independent women, as well as the role models they encounter in their actual lives.”

Similarly, Marji’s grandmother plays an important role in Persepolis.

Marji’s family appears to be more Westernized than the average Iranian at the time. This is typically seen as being more liberal in comparison to other Middle Eastern countries. Also, before the Islamic Revolution, Iran was a much more westernized country. Women ran their households, held jobs, and participated openly in society. The society and culture of Iran appeared much more Matriarchal. Women also need not wear veils.

After the revolution, however, there became a quiet fear women possessed that disinclined them from speaking out against the new regime. Women were made to wear and their traditional roles were pushed into the background instead of remaining at the forefront like those of men. “From Marji’s viewpoint, women still had power in some households; unfortunately, they just had to hide it.”

Even in Marjane Satrapi’s art style, gender presents an important role. Because a graphic novel was a unique presentation of Marji’s story as opposed to a typical novel of that period, it is important to reflect on how that medium reflects on gender. When Satrapi set out to visualize Marji’s story, special attention was given to the illustrative art depicted. Marji’s character, even though she is only a child, is not overtly feminine. “It is also a challenge to the very genre that Marji inhabits, suggesting that Satrapi’s globalized version of the graphic novel does not subscribe to the cultural or gender-based stereotyping, historical flattening, or caricature-based humor often associated with the cartoon medium. “While readers can differentiate between genders in the novel, it is more so by comparing female characters to the more masculine features of men. For example, the women are portrayed as having slightly longer hair, but not too many curves, while the men have more distinct facial hair and features like distinct jawlines.

As Marji grows and matures, her rebellious nature develops. Marji also comes to understand the role of women under the current Islamic regime, and how heavily dependent it is on the regime’s interference in her life. Throughout the graphic novel, Marji also begins to understand that to be a woman under this is to be subjugated to a lesser role than the one she perceived herself to have when she was younger. At the age of 10, she imagines herself to be the last prophet, which specifically contradicts the fact that all the other prophets were men. However, as the novel progresses, she realizes that she “wanted to be an educated, liberate woman”. As her comprehension develops, she learns that this “dream went up in smoke” with the Revolution.

In this essay I will analyze gender roles and psychoanalysis in the Big Little Lies series based on Liane Moriarty’s novel with the same name. The action takes place in a small town where the life of the three women are presented: Madeline Mackenzie, Celeste Wright and Jane Chapman.

The base of the serial is a crime for which the three friends are investigated. The story is an interesting and a mysterious one. In the following lines I will analyze / describe the toxic relationship between Celeste and Perry (her husband). “The domestic violence is chronic and daily repeated, creating an experience in which mind and body merge into sensations of disintegration, helplessness, and fear. The experiences in the relationship of intimacy with the other make this fear emotionally unreachable and ‘almighty’ in relation to the victim’s life and body.”

’’Psychoanalytical theory of domestic violence could account for the specific social-historic dimension of this phenomenon. Some psychoanalitical interpretation literalize or imaginarize Freudian and Lecanian texts through notions of an essetialised feminine masochism or a reductive reading of the phallus . “Men with more traditional gender roles including misogynistic gender-role attitudes are more likely to practice doestic violence and women are more likely to blame themselves for the abuse .

At the beginning Perry it is shown to us like a great husband but actually he is a monster. He is a rich and influent man ,he is controlling Celeste’ schedule .her life actually ,he is pushing her around, he is beating her ,he is a classic abuser .

Between Celeste and Perry it is a sexual energy ,she is addicted to her husband ,she like a blind woman, she is like traditional roles require the woman to cook ,clean ,care for the children and fulfill a man’s sexual needs .For me it was painful to watch because I could feel the anxiety and the desire to help her made me feel frustrated .Celeste is a beautiful woman ,she is envied by all for her seemingly perfect marriage ; even her friends don’t know about this secret. In his defense Perry is acting like he is sick ,he is saying constantly that he needs help ,he justifies his actions by saying that he loves her so much ,he is insecure and he is afraid of losing her ,she is like a prize for him .

There are some episodes when Celeste wants to help her friend Madeline to win a case ; she is preparing herself just for a meeting to be in her “old job” again-as a lawyer and she feels alive when she is doing what she loves .This think makes Perry furious and he doesn’t want to let her practice law; he suggest her to make another child ; he is just seeing her staying home with the kids (they have two six-year-old twins ).He is manipulating her ; he reminds her that he is the one who brings money in the house ,he is always asking her : “Why didn’t we had a conversation about this ? Why you didn’t discuss this with me?”

Celeste is staying with him because he is loving him , also because he is not hurting the boys .It is a strange ,emotionally muddled relationship. Perry brings her every time gifts and surprises her just to be forgiven.

However the story ends, women like Celeste should never be judged for how they respond to abuse. We should not be asking “why doesn’t a woman just leave?” Instead the question we should be asking is: “why do men abuse women?” Men abuse because society gives them tacit permission to do so. Abusive men are simply reflecting in their individual relationships how women are treated in society as a whole – a society that still allows women to earn 20% less than men, and uses women’s bodies as “objects” to sell everything from cars to cocktails. As long as there is gender inequality at the levels we see today, there will be men who treat their wives and girlfriends with their contempt. In portraying the myriad ways a woman’s life is controlled by her abuser, I hope Big Little Lies shows viewers that it is never as simple as “just leaving”.

References

1. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0104-12902016000200422&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en

In “Pride and Prejudice”, Jane Austen established the impact of how social class and gender roles are influenced by the expectations of the society. Jane Austen classified social class and gender roles as a hierarchy group set by society, in order to limit the freedom of lower class and women. Explaining how one class was favored than the other. Austen illustrates how the lower and average class can’t possibly get rich because the society made a whole barrier separating both the lower class and upper class. In the novel, social class and gender roles are the major themes that influenced the decisions made by the characters. Austin utilizes imagery in the novel to engage her audience and interest them on how women and the lower class were being treated unfairly. Society only gives high-ranks choices on what they want whether it’s a female or a male. In the novel, Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet are in the middle class, they have five daughters and they are all unmarried, Mrs. Bennet fantasy is to get her daughters married to higher classmen in order to ensure that they’re safe and happy, which would be difficult in this case because her family isn’t classified as part of the upper class. Women consider marriage to get rich rather than true happiness or true love. The lower class women you have absolutely no role in society unless if you are married or have a functioning male family member. Both females, average class and lower class had difficulty making their decisions because their freedom is limited.

In this novel Austen demonstrated how Elizabeth’s intention about societal expectation changed rather than marrying for power, she chose to wed for affection and find true love which every Women lacks potentially because the society isn’t based on such instead, they believe in power. “ I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.” ( Austen 338). However, Mrs. Bennet couldn’t see Elizabeth’s point of view, and what she desires and focuses on was based on her getting her daughters’ married, in order to ensure their protection because she won’t always be there to help them neither is their father. Women are seen as powerless with less ability, they have no access and depend on their spouses or father most especially if they’re rich. In this case, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters rely on Mr. Bennet who is the head of the family, he is the only one able to provide for the family. Elizabeth didn’t come from a rich family neither is she poor, but the fact that she isn’t as privileged as the high class, getting married was difficult for her. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” (Austen 5). This quote explains however wealthy men have the right to decide to marry anytime without being questioned, they may need a wife just to have a companion while women who aren’t as rich as the upper class have to be married in order to be protected. In this novel, marriage is being taken as negotiation in order to protect females and to secure their pride, wealthy women have the right to choose what they want based on their financial background but the low-class decision has been determined even before they realize. Marriage is the only thing women rely on as their future.

In this novel love isn’t viewed as a commitment before getting married. Marriage is seen as an obligation that needed to be carried out, such agreement benefits lower-class women such as Elizabeth and her sisters. There are three categories Austen described in the novel, the lower class, middle class and the upper class. The lower and middle class are seen as a disadvantage to society while the upper class is seen as the pillar of the society, they have the ability to make their own decisions on whatsoever they want. In “Pride and Prejudice”, not only the lower classmen are less privileged but also women that are from either lower class or middle class. “Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley.” (Austen 8). Mr. Bennet visited Mr. Bingley to see if he was interested in one of his daughters. Mr. Bingley is a man of honor who is well known for his richness along with his friend Mr. Darcy. Since Mr. Bennet is an average man, he tried to take advantage of his position associating with the rich for social benefits and for his daughter’s safety. Women have absolutely no right to claim their father’s properties because only the heir has access to it. Therefore they can’t possibly make their own decision on whom they want to marry, except their parents are in agreement with it. In this case, Mrs. Bennet doesn’t want to marry her daughter to whoever except they are capable of providing for themselves and also taking care of their daughter’s needs. Women from the lower-class couldn’t make decisions unless a male member of the family stands out. As the male of the house, Mr. Bennet had to take further steps in getting his daughters married because when he dies only the next male of the family gets to keep the property and females are always left with nothing other than marriage. Without Mr. Bennet’s connections, he wouldn’t have come across Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, because Mr. Bennett is in the middle class, he had slightly more opportunity than that of the lower class forgetting to meet with the high position individuals, even though the chance of them negotiating is poor.

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Binley first met the Bennet sisters at the Meryton ball, where Mr. Bingley asked Jane for a dance. After some time they both developed an affection for each other but Mr.Darcy thought Jane didn’t like his friend but just wanted to take advantage. When Elizabeth found out Mr. Darcy was the main problem, she thought Mr. Darcy was prideful. Elizabeth hated Mr. Darcy because of his he thinks women from the lower class can’t give true love but rather wants riches. Mr. Bingley and Jane liked each other even though they both know the consequences they will face, they still decided to be together. Mrs. Caroline who is Mr. Bingley’s younger sister was against the relationship between her brother and Jane Bennet. “ I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she was well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such a low connection, I am afraid there is no chance of it.” (Austen 36). Jane tried to endure whatever comes her way with her love with Mr. Bingley, with the fact that society won’t accept them. Jane Austen established the significance of love in comparison with social status. Both Jane and Elizabeth want a man with a genuine heart instead of a prideful man. Even though the society already set a standard, they want to go beyond limitation and back the “Love” most females desire. “ A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” ( Austen 26). The society makes vanity out of the lower class by controlling every aspect of them, rich people have authority over the poor. Even though Jane and Elizabeth are aware of their social status they still stood by their words and made their decisions. Mr.

Bingley decided to marry Jane instead of Darcy’s sister Georgianna. Both the society and Bingley’s family aren’t in support of Jane and Bingley’s relationship. Mr. Bingley’s sister Caroline thinks if Georgiana could marry her brother, both parties will benefit from each other because both individuals have a high position in society. “ Mr. Bingley, if he had been imposed on, would have much to suffer when the affair became public.” (Austen 85). Due to Jane’s status as a lower class, she wasn’t qualified to marry the one her heart desires and her sister Elizabeth developed grudges against Darcy, which made her become prejudiced. Elizabeth describes Mr. Darcy to be a prideful man without knowing the reasons behind his actions. In the novel, Jane Austen explained how upper-class men are all classified as a “prideful” in the society, even though Elizabeth never spoke to Darcy, she has always had in mind that he was prideful because of his position in the society.

In “pride and prejudice”, Austen described the mutual affection both Darcy and Bingley had towards the Bennet’s sisters. Both Elizabeth and Jane exceeded the limitation bound by society and engaged their emotions rather than a benefit. Even though the society describes the higher class as “prideful”, Darcy and Bingley lowered their standard for their loved one and eliminated the mentality to social status. Even though Jane had a slight doubt about Darcy’s affection for her because she isn’t compatible with him and she knows marriage is a negotiation that is supposed to benefit both parties but since Darcy is one of the richest in the society, there isn’t anything to offer him. The society made the situation harder for these couples by making their difference separate their motives. Austen explains why women always seem to care about their pride since it’s the only valuable thing they seem to have. Women are meant to be in the kitchen, doing house choice and keeping the family safe instead of working and experiencing life outside their homes.

In the novel, Jane Austen described how social class and gender roles influence the characters by limiting their freedom. Austen explained how the setting of this novel was greatly impacted based on the circumstances both females and the lower class faced in making their decisions.

Roald Dahl is a very famous British author, who had written many novels as well as short stories. One of such short stories is the darkly humorous story, “Lamb to the Slaughter.” This story talks about a woman in an almost oppressive marriage, who then, after hearing that her husband is planning to leave her, manages to successfully murder him, leaving no incriminating evidence for the police to find. “Lamb to the Slaughter” through the use of expected gender roles and their reversal portrays a successful escape of a woman from her oppressive marriage and the role that society had given her.

The beginning of the story sets the scene, showing how Mary Maloney and her husband fit their marital roles. The story starts with the pregnant Mary Maloney waiting for her husband to return home. She has embraced the role of a dutiful and loving wife wholeheartedly, seemingly feeling satisfied with fulfilling the duties that are expected of her. When her husband arrives from work, they act in the typical fashion of what is expected from a couple in this time period – the wife tries to do everything to make the husband happy, offering to help him and doing every little thing that she thinks might satisfy him. She is even completely content in this role, saying “She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to feel — almost as a sunbather feels the sun — that warm male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone together” (Dahl, 1). He, on the other hand, does not treat her with respect and acts entitled to her attention, which is again what was almost the norm in those types of relationships. The characters falling into their expected roles so easily is used as a contrast to the later part of the story, and with how normal and expected it seems, it puts focus on the sudden twist that happens.

The role reversal that shows Mary Maloney’s triumph starts after she finds out that her husband is planning to leave her. She goes to prepare dinner, but then suddenly, and unexpectedly, murders her husband with a frozen leg of a lamb. In that moment, Patrick Maloney goes from the dominant role of a successful man but uncaring husband to the role of the victim, and Mary Maloney goes from being a submissive wife to becoming a killer. However, instead of panicking, Mary Maloney embraces this role reversal. After the police arrive and after Mary manages to successfully hide the evidence, the way the policeman treat Mary can be compared to the beginning of the story. They do treat her with a bit of condescension, but still, they are the ones who are offering her drinks and trying to help and satisfy her. In this relationship, she is the one in control, which contrasts with how her husband was the one in control of their relationship in the beginning of the story. The way these interpersonal relationships are shown, between Mary Maloney and her husband, and Mary Maloney and the other policemen highlight the fact that Mary has manages to successfully escape the predetermined role that society has given her.

Conclusion

“Lamb to the Slaughter” is a short story written by Roald Dahl, that presents a typical relationship of a husband and a wife, which then goes sour when the husband decides to leave, and the wife murders him in retaliation. It shows the wife first in her typical submissive role, and then, after the murder, in the role of someone in control, showing how she successfully, albeit through murder, managed to escape her given role.

Works Cited

1. Dahl, Roald. Lamb to the Slaughter. Harper’s Magazine, 1953.

The exquisitely decorated Ellesmere Chaucer is considered to be one of the most significant and high quality illuminated manuscripts of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, currently owned by the Huntington Library in California. Chaucer wrote the Tales during the fourteenth century, a time when the social structure was rapidly progressing. He addresses this change of events through “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale,” which illustrates the unequal distribution of power within the male governed Medieval society. Women were not identified by their occupations or social status, but solely by their affiliations with men; a woman was either maiden, spouse, or widow, who was solely capable of ‘women’s work’ such as bearing children and cooking. “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale” challenges this double standard and the Medieval social belief that women are inherently inferior, attempting to establish a defence of secular women’s sovereignty that opposes the conventions available to her.

Chaucer’s choice to focus on the proletariat in the stories of The Canterbury Tales validate that he is purposefully writing about women to challenge the norms in Medieval society. Written in Middle English, the story follows a group of pilgrims who are travelling the lengthy journey from London to the Canterbury Cathedral. Beginning at a London inn, the innkeeper proposes that during their journey each pilgrim tell two tales to help pass the time, and the best storyteller will be rewarded with a free supper on his return. Chaucer introduces us to a dynamic cast of characters that come from all corners of fourteenth century society, including a merchant, a prioress, a cook, a monk, a carpenter, a knight, a dyer, a clerk, a miller, and, of course, the wife in question. These characters highlight Chaucer’s ability to speak in many different perspectives. The characters’ tales range from being humorous, rude and naughty, to moral and reflective. Chaucer also made the controversial decision to write in English as opposed to French. French was the language spoken by elite aristocrats in the centuries following the Norman invasion, whereas English was the language of the common working-class people. This deliberate choice to write in the language of the masses, his history of writing about the working class, and his illustration of social commentary, prove his intent to challenge the status quo.

An illuminated Medieval manuscript in its simplest sense, “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale” showcases text supplemented with decoration such as borders, initials, and a miniature illustration. The bold use of varying colors provided multiple layers of dimension to the illumination. In quintessential Medieval manuscript style, the parchment showcases stylized curvilinear lines, consisting of abstract and natural ornamentation—such as the intertwining gems, vegetal floral patterns, and shell formations. While being decorative, the manuscript is not overly floral or “soft,” featuring an abundant use of negative space. Its simplicity is not reminiscent of femininity, but rather masculinity. These sparsely decorated qualities of the manuscript are further demonstrated in the illustration on the right of the text: the Wife of Bath astride her horse, wearing regalia, brandishing a whip, and wearing spurs.

The Wife of Bath’s riding position and her whip reinforce her dominance over her husbands and role-reversal in her marriages. Illustrations of the Prioress and the Second Nun in the same manuscript show the women riding side-saddle, while in contrast the Wife of Bath rides astride her horse (Figs. 2, 3). This choice of posture not only distinguishes the secular wife from her monastic counterparts but also demonstrates her control in marriage and life in general. Her whip further reinforces the notion of the Wife of Bath rejecting the Medieval way of life and bears strong resemblance to images of Phyllis dominating Aristotle, a popular Medieval tale (Fig. 4). The illustration of the Wife of Bath in the Ellesmere Chaucer declares her power and upper hand within marriage, that the wife describes having achieved in her own life and champions in her subsequent tale.

In her prologue, the wife entertains her fellow pilgrims with anecdotes of her five marriages and her domination over her husbands, or “maistrye” in Middle English (Poetry in Translation). The wife boastfully recounts how she acquired money, property, and marital power from her husbands through the calculated use of her wit and sexual charm. These stories along wither her clothes illustrate her rare position of self-agency. Chaucer introduces the Wife of Bath as an attractive, well-traveled woman in the cloth business who displays her affluence and trade in the clothes she wears. In the image, the wife has gapped teeth, wide hips, and wears fine kerchiefs beneath a very wide brim hat. The wife’s fur-trimmed red tunic recalls her sensuous red stockings (mentioned in the prologue), and a golden belt that cinches her waist, which draws attention to both her wealth and the sensuality associated with her wide hips. A thick netted wimple—a cloth headdress covering the head, neck, and the sides of the face, formerly worn by women and still worn by some nuns—beneath a broad black hat reminds the viewer of her material success and the travels she undertakes as a result of her uncommon independence.

In “The Prologue of the Wife of Bath’s Tale,” the wife asserts her view that the morals of women are not merely that they all solely desire sovereignty, but that each individual woman should have the freedom to make her own decisions. This illuminated manuscript, supported by its story, contradicts many of the conventional customs of the time that forced women to quietly accept their subservient position. In her tale, The Wife of Bath states, “Well I know Abraham was a holy man, and Jacob as well, as far as I know, and each of them had more than two wives. And many other holy men did as well. When have you seen that in any time great God forbade marriage explicitly? Tell me, I Pray you” (Poetry). In other words, this quote addresses why society should not condemn her or any other woman who has wed multiple men throughout their life.

Both the story and art provide insight into the role of women in the Late Middle Ages, simultaneously enumerating and critiquing the long tradition of misogyny in Ancient and Medieval literature. The use of English, the depiction of the wife’s wealth through her clothing, and the sparsely decorated more masculine manuscript, all address the double standards for men and women that were common and deeply rooted in their culture. This manuscript posits that women should have the freedom to make their own decisions in marriage and in their lives.

Works Cited

1. “The Huntington.” The Huntington, 7 Jan. 1970, www.huntington.org/.
2. “Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales.” Poetry in Translation, May 2007,
3. www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/English/Canthome.php.

‘My Antonia’ by Willa Cather is a famous novel that takes place in the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century. It has been read by numerous classes through out the twentieth century and continues to be a famous piece of literature to this day. This story has been interrupted in multiple ways and continues to fascinate critics to this day. ‘My Antonia’ is a timeless story due to its ability defy traditional gender roles of the time and its ability to show rebirth throughout the entire story.

To summarize My Antonia’ it is necessary to know that this story is what Jim Burden remembers of Antonia after multiple years of not being active in her life.The first time Jim met Antonia was when he went with his grandma to meet the Shimerdas. Antonia was the eldest daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Shimerda. Once Jim had met Antonia, he started teaching her English and then eventually taught her little sister Yulka English as well. Antonia became Jim’s best friend during at this time. One of the hardest moments for both Jim and Antonia was Antonia’s father’s suicide and is something that affected them both throughout their lifetimes. Eventually, Jim and grandparents moved to Blackhawk and Antonia stayed on her family farm. Jim became close to the Harling family this led to the Harling family eventually hiring Antonia out to do housework. Jim and Antonia went to dances together as friends.

Eventually Antonia leaves the Harling family and works for Wick Cutter. This led to Antonia almost getting raped, but she was protected by Jim. Antonia eventually went back to the farm and Jim went to college at Lincoln University. He studied there for a while eventually Lena showed up and they became close to each other. At this time Antonia was engaged to a man named Larry Donavon. Jim Went on a went to Harvard to work with his mentor Gaston Cleric. When he finished his degree at Harvard he returned to Blackhawk. He learned that Larry Donavon left her with a child. Jim continued on with his life and became a lawyer. When Jim did go to Blackhawk again, he met up with Antonia again. They caught up with each other and discussed the past. He met her kids and her husband Anton Cuzak. Then Jim went back to New York. That’s the end of the story. ‘My Antonia’ has a couple strong females that defy the tradition gender roles of the time of when the story was written. Lena discusses about not wanting to a man in chapter four of the hired girls. “I don’t want to marry Nick, or any other man.” (pg85). This shows that Lena was more focused on being her own person and really creating her own life without the help of a man. This is shows that Willa Cather really was trying to show that women really doesn’t need a man in her life.

Lena by choice didn’t want to be a with a man. Lena wanted to create a life for herself and focus more on her sewing career than anything else. Another area where Willa Cather breaks traditional gender roles within ‘My Antonia’ is within the entire character of Antonia. When first introduced to Antonia she had some feminine qualities but wasn’t completely feminine. She is what would be described today as a tomboy. After the tough winter and the death of Mr. Shimerda, Antonia quickly help establish the farm with her brother Ambrose. She was insistent that she could do just as much work as any man could do. “Jim, you ask Jake how much he ploughed today. I don’t want Jake get more done in one than me.” (pg 66). Antonia was never scared of hard work and consistently worked hard on the farm. This shows that she was wanted to break the traditional gender roles of the time by working on the farm to the point of outworking her brother and not just be another women sitting at home doing cooking and cleaning. She too wanted to help create a good financial situation for her family. She didn’t care if it meant going out and getting dirty. She worked hard on the farm with her brothers so that her family could the life they came to the United states for no matter what it made her look like. This also means she didn’t mind not appearing less feminine and not following traditional gender roles. However, how ‘My Antonia’ defies gender roles for the time period isn’t the only thing that makes ‘My Antonia’ an amazing piece of literature that is timeless.The theme of rebirth is an underlying theme throughout the story that allows this story to remain timeless. It can be seen how a lot of the characters are being reborn when they move from their original location in the world to Blackhawk, Nebraska.

The most unique version of rebirth in ‘My Antonia’ is when Jim killed the rattle snake. “I ran up and drove at his head with my spade”(pg 30). This a version of rebirth because prior to this point Jim was still viewed as a young boy by Antonia. Once Jim kills this snake he is no longer viewed as a young boy. He is reborn as a man. This is a big turning point for him because of the way he killed it and the fact that the snake was huge. He was no longer a little child in the eyes of people around him. He was a man.

In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Macbeth by Shakespeare, we see to extraordinary lady that are fundamentally for the two disasters. In Oedipus Rex, we’ve Jocasta and in Macbeth, Lady Macbeth. These two ladies have some various viewpoints and other where they’re indistinguishable. Three focuses can be: their demises, characters and as spouse.

A first point to coordinate is their demises. Both ended it all, since they were feeling remorseful in a route by their activities. Jocasta chooses to hold herself. Jocasta murders herself in the wake of understanding that Oedipus was her child and by this finding the valid; that they submitted interbreeding. She drapes herself over the bed where she and Laius considered Oedipus and with Oedipus imagined their children and little girls.

In the other hand Lady Macbeth initially goes crazy. At that point she hops from one in everything about towers of the mansion. The blameworthy and regret are eating her from the inside out. She started by observing blood in her arms that wouldn’t came out after she continued attempting to dispose of them. At that point she sleepwalks and keeps on disposing of the blood out of her hands and starts to talk in her rest. This craziness was cause by the blame she felt by having arranged the passing of King Duncan.

In a second purpose of correlation between this to ladies are their characters. Woman Macbeth could be an alarming, arranging, malicious and pushy. She is that the one to design the death of King Duncan. This shows she is arranging and strong. Woman Macbeth is considerably more heartless than Macbeth, since she was the one that push Macbeth when he needs to backtrack. She powers Macbeth to go on and in any event, when he’s going crazy she advises him to not stop. Indeed, even Macbeth portrays her as a manly soul occupying a material body. She is fantastically manipulative alongside her significant other (Macbeth), when he delays to kill; she addresses his masculinity until he feels that he should submit murder to substantiate himself. Additionally she includes an extraordinary quality until through all the homicide, until one moment that she started to snap.

Jocasta exhibits love and security. She cherishes Oedipus impractically, however kind of a parent, she wishes to shield Oedipus’ guiltlessness from information on their connections as darlings. Additionally Jocasta isn’t as arranging as Lady Macbeth. Attempting to dodged the prescience that her child will slaughter his dad (her significant other) and marry her, she resolve to give the infant to an errand person, so he can get block him. This child was deserted inside the forested areas, find by another flag-bearer and given to an alternate family, where he get away and finished turning genuine the prediction. we can see that her resolve to slaughter the child didn’t wind up great. Additionally Jocasta isn’t as pushy and menace to Oedipus; she is increasingly quiet when she was Oedipus to illuminate her what he knows. we can see that these ladies have altogether different characters.

Another distinction during this ladies is that Jocasta could be a mother and lady Macbeth not. Jocasta has two young men, two young ladies and Oedipus. For Oedipus she is her mom and spouse, for the others she is their mom and grandma. Oedipus is that the only one from her marriage with Lauis. we can accept that they didn’t resolve to have another youngster on account of the prescience. At that point she has kids with Oedipus, in light of the fact that there was not the dread that the prediction was not existed.

Woman Macbeth has no kids. It will be accepted this is frequently on the grounds that their marriage is later. Macbeth and lady Macbeth’s failure to have youngsters influences their relationship. Macbeth accuses Lady Macbeth for not delivering kids. Additionally the witches anticipate that Macbeth will be top dog, yet they at that point foresee that Banquo’s youngsters will be best.

These two ladies have numerous angles that contrast and a not many that are marginally comparable. The two of them have one of a kind and extremely various characters. Some viewpoint that they need in like manner is that the two of them ended it all. In both of the plays they were depicted in an unexpected way. The two of them assume a genuine job inside the disasters.

Throughout William Shakespeare’s time during the Elizabethan Era in the late 1500s, societal standards and gender roles were not like how they are in most of the world today. Women in the Elizabethan Era were raised to believe that they were inferior to men. The Church enforced this, quoting from the bible to ensure that this principle was widely followed. Women were to obey not only their parents but any other male relatives of their family. Disobedience was seen as a crime against their religion. Marriages were arranged for them in order to increase the wealth and social ranking of the family and continue the family bloodline. Women were seen as a typical housewife without the ability to express themselves freely. Women were not allowed to work by themselves, nor could they live alone if they were not married. Men had it a lot less rough than women, as they were the ones that hold all the power and authority. Men were groomed to be the head of the family. They were to provide for their families and improve the lives of all members of the family. There were also homophobic attributes to the Elizabethan era, such as the belief that homosexuals marrying will threaten the sanctity of marriage according to religious beliefs. In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, he challenges these gender norms with the characters and the plot.

In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare complicated the gender role of Viola by having her disguised as a male. Viola is the primary character used to display Shakespear’s defiance of the Elizabethan gender roles and societal norms. After hearing about her brother Sebastian’s assumed death and her father’s death at her arrival in Illyria, she is left all alone. The captain explains how Lady Olivia is going through something similar to her. He claims that Olivia is going through mourning claiming that she will never leave her room for seven years and creates a huge deal out of it. However, she soon overcomes this and decides that she wants to preserve her brother’s identity by adopting his masculine persona, and becomes Cesario. With her new persona, she decides to work under Duke Orsino, the ruler of Illyria, as a servant of Lady Olivia.

Viola

I prithee, and I’ll pay thee bounteously,

Conceal me what I am, and be my aid

For such disguise as haply shall become

The form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke

(Shakespeare 1.2 55-58)

In this part of the play, Viola talks to the Captain about wanting to conceal her identity, which will end up being Sebastian, her presumably dead brother. Here, it is shown that Viola is willing to give up her womanhood to assume the role of her “dead” brother. In the theatrical performance of Shakespeare’s plays, it was a standard that men were to play the roles of the characters, even if it meant having to play as a woman. Women were not allowed to perform in theatre and would be arrested if they did. The audience may not recognize what is going on during the live performance, but Shakespeare subtly slides in his message of defying social standards and beliefs by making Viola a transvestite because she takes the role of her brother. Shakespeare most likely tried to challenge his audience by making us question what is considered to be masculine or feminine.

Later in the story, Viola (as Cesario) is sent as a messenger of Orsino and encounters Olivia. Orsino is in love with Olivia but doesn’t go directly to her to confess his love. He consistently sends messengers to display his affection for her, and Olivia wants no part in having a relationship with Orsino. After first encountering “Cesario”, Olivia starts to develop feelings for him and doesn’t really know what she wants to do about it. Shakespeare wants to mess with the audience because of the conflict of Olivia falling in love with “Cesario”.

Olivia

I do I know not what and fear to find

Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind.

Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe.

What is decreed must be, and be this so.

(Shakespeare 1.5. 315-319)

When she meets Cesario, it seems that she has caught affection for him, although Cesario’s original intent was to speak for Duke Orsino, who wanted to be with her. However, Olivia constantly rejects him, yet Orsino still sends messengers to deliver his love confession for her. Here, Olivia seems to have forgotten about her mourning for her dead brother. Olivia recognizes this when she states “I do I know what and fear to find”. This means that she knows that what she is doing is unusual and admits that she is falling for Cesario. She talks about fate and talks about how she is willing to accept whatever for coming events occur. She says that fate brought Cesario to her and will let fate decide what happens later in the plot. The irony in this affection for “Cesario” is that Olivia does not realize that he is actually Viola. To some, this can mean that she is technically gay, which heavily went against religion and societal conformity in the Elizabethan Era.

Later in the play, we learn that Sebastian, who was assumed to be dead in the beginning of the play turned out to be alive. He washed up to the shores of Illyria along with Antonio. Antonio is a sailor that rescues Sebastian and it seems to be inferred that Antonio may have ended up falling in love with him. Shakespeare does not state this homosexual relationship explicitly, however it can be heavily implied that this is occurring between Antonio and Sebastian. Some may see their relationship as a strong male bond, but the way that Shakespeare writes Antonio’s lines more likely infer a deeper affection for Sebastian.

Antonio

The gentleness of all the gods go with thee!

I have many enemies in Orsino’s court,

Else would I very shortly see thee there.

But come what may, I do adore thee so

That danger shall seem sport, and I will go

Antonio is a wanted man in Illyria and states that is not important to him and is still willing to travel with Sebastian around Illyria because of his affection for him. Antonio cares a lot for Sebastion and is willing to go through whatever length to be with him. In Elizabethan standards, women are supposed to be inferior to men. However, having two people of the same sex in a relationship, specifically men, would mean that they have equal obligations, meaning neither party is inferior. Homosexuality was looked down upon, so the conundrum was uncommon during this time.

The Elizabethan Era can be seen as a toxic time for societal standards and gender roles. In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare attacks these problems through the characters in the play. He uses Viola to defy the perception of gender roles, as well as send a message to the audience asking what exactly makes a person masculine or feminine. Antonio and Sebastian are used to make the audience question what the threshold is of strong male bond compared to an intimate affection for another man by a man. Today, society is more accepting of what was seen as abnormal and wrong back then. Shakespeare uses these characters to convey his opinions of what he thinks about gender roles and societal standards.