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Compare The Successes And Failures Of Patriarchy In Colonialism, In “The Tempest”, “Translations” And “Things Fall Apart”.
In “The Tempest”, “Translations” and “Things Fall Apart”, the theme of patriarchy is evident in various aspects. For instance, there is patriarchy present when Prospero controls and dominates Caliban and Miranda in “The Tempest”. Likewise, in “Translations”, the theme of patriarchy is also present with Hugh’s dominance over Manus and Manus’s dominance of Sarah. In “Things Fall Apart”, patriarchy is also apparent, primarily seen with Okonkwo controlling his wives and children. Writers bring out the theme of patriarchy in different settings, due to colonisation, such as the colonisation of the Irish and Igbo tribe. This influences the success and failure of patriarchy as the characters will have to act in accordance to their environment and the conditions in which colonisation takes place. Prospero and Okonkwo represent the patriarchal period of the time, whereas Hugh represents old traditions.
The way in which both authoritarian figures dominate the lower classes are similar. They strongly adhere to the Great Chain of Beings, in which it categorised a strict religious hierarchical order, which saw women below men and beasts below women, thus in both cases men having complete dominance. Prospero exercises his control through Caliban, with his coarse use of language and his ability to make him complete domesticated duties, such as when Prospero tells Miranda that one of his tasks is to ‘fetch in the wood’. Hugh employs exactly the same technique, by making Manus complete domesticated duties, such as ‘get him food – get him a drink’. Both dominant figures subjugate others, in order to increase their social stand...
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...the introduction of the English forces introduces another level of patriarchy. It is clear that patriarchy is a dominant theme in both texts, and it beautifies the flow of each story in a unique approach. Despite all the similarities and differences between characters, the success and failures comes down solely to the audience viewing it.
1. However, a Jacobean audience may sympathise with Prospero as he was an archetypal father and authoritative figure.
2. Comments that it is ‘right to be masculine and violent’
3. ‘then they came to the tree, from which O was dangling, and they stopped dead.
4. Prospero’s chauvinistic treatment of Miranda
Bibliography
• Chinua Achebe
• Loreto Tod
• Michael de Montaigne – on cannibals
• Bach - 392
• The Tempest Arden Shakespeare Vaughn
• Translations Brian Friel
• Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
• Vaughn
Women have always played a major role in history. Despite the hardships, pain and trials most of the women experienced, they still succeeded in enduring some of the differences between their opposite sex. Throughout history, women have always been fighting for their freedom, thus this fight still goes on in this present time. Women had a great role in shaping America as what it is right now. They, not only the fact that took care of the welfare of their family, but also were responsible to the increase in the population of early settlers causing expansion, diverse ethnicity and distinct cultures among the early colonies.
The colonial woman has often been imagined as a demure person, dressed in long skirt,apron and bonnet, toiling away at the spinning wheel, while tending to the stew at the hearth. In reality, the women of the early settlements of the United States were much more influential, strong and vital to the existence of the colonies. Her role,however, has shifted as the needs of the times dictated.
In the play, The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Prospero took control of Caliban and made him his servant. Prospero was able to do this because he viewed Caliban as an uncivilized being; Caliban was portrayed as a beast. Thus, Prospero was able to assume power over Caliban. It can be seen from Prospero’s speech that he thinks that Caliban is inferior to him when Prosper says, “I have used thee, Filth as thou art, with human care […]” (1.2.348-349). Prospero tries to justify enslaving Caliban, but all he really does is place Caliban into a category of bestial and uncivilized and as a result enslaves him.
Many readers feel the tendency to compare Aphra Behn's Oroonoko to William Shakespeare's Othello. Indeed they have many features in common, such as wives executed by husbands, conflicts between white and black characters, deceived heroes, the absolute vulnerability of women, etc. Both works stage male characters at both ends of their conflicts. In Othello, the tragic hero is Othello, and the villain is Iago. In Oroonoko, the hero is Oroonoko, the vice of the first part is the old king, and the second part white men in the colony. In contrast to their husbands, both heroines—Desdemona and Imoinda—seem more like "function characters" who are merely trapped in their husband's fates, occasionally becoming some motivation of their husbands (like Desdemona is Othello's motivation to rage, Imoinda's pregnancy drives Oroonoko restless to escape). While Shakespeare and Behn put much effort in moulding them, to many readers they are merely "perfect wives". This paper aims to argue that, Desdemona and Imoinda's perfect wifehood may be the product of compliance to male-dominated societies, where women are
Susan Migden Socolow’s The Women of Colonial Latin America provides a comprehensive account of the varied roles of women in the colonial societies of Spanish and Portuguese America, spanning the three centuries between the conquests of the late-fifteenth century and the commencement of independence in the early-nineteenth century. Professor Socolow writes that “the goal of this book is to examine these [gender] roles and rules and thus understand the variety and limitations of the female experience in colonial Latin America” (1) and manages to carry this argument clearly and convincingly throughout the work. She argues that the patriarchy, Iberian patriarchy in particular, was encompassed in the church, laws, and traditions of colonial society
Men and women were held under drastically different expectations in Spain and the Spanish colonies in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. These set gender roles are effectively demonstrated through the life of Catalina de Erauso, who experienced the entire spectrum through her adventures as a transvestite in this time period. Opportunities and freedom in culture, politics and economy, and religion varied greatly between men and women. Men were capable of living out their lives independently and ambitiously. Women, on the other hand, were taught to be reliant and mild-mannered characters in the background. De Erauso shatters this idea of a woman’s role by fulfilling a life of adventure and power. In doing so, she briefly dispels the obligations of gender roles, if only for herself. Catalina de Erauso was a nun, a lieutenant, and a history-maker.
The two societies found in The Yellow Wallpaper and Othello are both patriarchal in nature; the stories themselves take up the issue of women’s oppression in each society. Patriarchy “is defined as the source of women’s oppression and gender inequalities in which men, as a group, dominate women as another group” (Johnson as cited in Ravari 155 ). Male superiority is demonstrated in the two texts in the way female characters serve and obey their husbands, and how the male characters patronize and cause detriment towards the female characters. Although there are similarities in the effects and consequences the women feel, the differences in culture, era and location of the two stories causes a discrepancy in the experiences of the women from
The Tempest reflects Shakespeare's society through the relationship between characters, especially between Prospero and Caliban. Caliban, who was the previous king of the island, is taught how to be "civilized" by Prospero and his daughter Miranda. Then he is forced to be their servant. Caliban explains "Thou strok'st me and make much of me; wo...
The author Shakespeare analyses the overcoming process of male ruling desire for the femininity in The Tempest. In the early modern period, colonization was the significant issues, especially in England and other imperialistic nations. They have been watching over the new world, in order to govern and control it as under their supervision. During the process of colonization, a colony and colonized people, especially women consider to be less important. The colonizers have no fear to feminine subversive power; even desire to maintain their male dominance over them. As the result, Colonialists civilizes the natives by taking advantage of a colony under the misrepresentation of enlightening.
In this paper feminist aspect of post colonization will be studied in “Season of Migration to the North” novel by Tayeb Salih. Postcolonial feminism can be defined as seeks to compute for the way that racism and the long-lasting economic, cultural, and political influences of colonialism affect non-white, non-Western women in the postcolonial world, according to Oxford dictionary. As it mentioned earlier about the application of Feminism theory in literature, the provided definition of postcolonial feminism also is not applicable in literature analysis. Therefore, Oxford defines another applic...
In the 1600s, married women were expected to do anything for their husbands. Husbands were urged to be good heads of their families and to treat their wives with kindness and consideration. The woman were considered to be the 'weaker vessel ' and thought to be spiritually weaker than men and in need of masculine guidance. During this time, women were treated as inferior being who were meant to look after the house and were to children . Women were treated with little dignity. In “The Tempest,” William Shakespeare was able to show the oppression of women throughout the play. Scenes with Prospero and Miranda have shown significant hidden evidence to prove that the colonial era was a time of female oppression. Shakespeare uses Prospero as an
Having been usurped and wrecked on an Island Prospero and his young daughter Miranda have to settle. It is here in Prospero's past that it first clear to see where any confusion about his character may appear. As a learned and powerful man Prospero is able to take direct control of the island, he frees a trapped and tortured spirit (Ariel) and befriends the inhabitants (Caliban). Prospero 'helps' Caliban, he tries to educate him and teaches him to communicate, in exchange Caliban helps Prospero to survive on the Island. But in taking power of the Island Prospero is committing the same act that happened to him as Duke of Milan, now Prospero himself has become the usurper. In this act of goodness Prospero has unknowingly shown his evil side.
It is in Caliban’s nature to accept a little and work as a slave. He does not want to possess people as his servant or take advantage of his work as Ferdinand. Caliban does not want to assassinate Prospero, for the purpose of winning the throne of Prospero or owning his daughter, but he just to move him from one master to another. The only freedom in his slavery is he chooses his master. Caliban says: “ 'Ban, 'Ban, Ca-caliban / Has a new master. Get a new man” (2.2.174-75). He does not have a hope for better as Ferdinand. He tells Stephano “Ay, lord. She will become thy bed, I warrant. / And bring thee forth brave brood” (3.2.101-02). He wants his new master (Stephano) enjoy his life and marry Miranda. Caliban, as the half beast, follows his sexual desire as Prospero’s says: “to violate / the honor of my child” (1.2.350). Caliban sexual desire “estranges him from his foster father, Prospero, and causes him to be imprisoned in the rock. When a more appropriate suitor appears in the person of Ferdinand, Prince of Naples, Prospero will be sure to stress the importance of chastity before marriage” (Garber
William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest tells a story involving unjust acts, and Caliban trying to take over Prospero’s power of authority, Prospero’s mission to was to build righteousness and honesty by returning himself to rule. The idea of justice and injustice that the play works toward seems extremely independent meanwhile the impression of the play shows the view of one character who controls the purpose and fate of others.
Prospero treats his two servants in very different ways as their behavior and attitudes towards him are contrasting. From this, the question arises why he treats his equally hard-working servants in different ways and if he is wise in his actions.