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Gender equality in gender literature
How is gender represented in literature
Women inequality in literature essay
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In William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost, the four principal female characters are superior to their male counterparts, for they display maturity in the face of the men’s foolishness. Alexis de Tocqueville and John Locke also work to explore the status of women in relation to men. Like the women of Love’s Labor’s Lost, women in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America are superior to men. Unlike Shakespeare, Tocqueville portrays women as superior to men as instillers of democratic mores. He also argues that in order to have this superiority, women must place themselves in the inferior position within marriage. Furthermore, Tocqueville maintains the equality of the sexes, as does John Locke in his Second Treatise of Government, but unlike Locke, who claims that husband and wife …show more content…
Locke begins by explaining that “paternal power,” or “power over children,” should not be properly called “paternal” because it “belong[s] to the mother too” (Second Treatise of Government, 31). The equality of the power of mother and father is evident as children have “a perpetual obligation of honoring their parents” (Second Treatise of Government, 37). Thus, pertaining to their children, husband and wife are equal. Furthermore, husband and wife are equal in marriage since “conjugal society is made by a voluntary compact between man and woman” (Second Treatise of Government, 43). In the marriage “compact,” both parties naturally have or are allotted rights so, for example, “the wife [is] in full and free possession of what by contract is her peculiar right” (Second Treatise of Government, 44). Locke even extends a wife’s right as far as to say that she “has in many cases a liberty to separate from [her husband], where natural right, or their contract allows it” (Second Treatise of Government, 44). Thus, concerning rights within marriage, men and women are
In Tartuffe and The Country Wife, women are largely portrayed as rational and wise in contrast to the illogical patriarchy that oppress them. Female sexuality was viewed as a tool that could be employed by both men and women for economic, social and personal advantage.
In his treatise, Locke addresses the equality of all men. In order to correctly understand political philosophy, one must first understand the State of Nature man is born into, which is a state of perfect freedom. In the State of Nature, man has perfect freedom and is equal to all other men. Man’s freedom allows him to act as he pleases and to use or dispose of his possessions as he sees fit (Locke II.4). The freedom man enjoys is coupled with a state of equality, in which it is understood that all men entitled to the advantages of nature and the use of its resources. In the state of nature, no man has more “power or jurisdiction” (Locke II.4) than any other man. Although natural man is in a state of liberty, Locke takes great care to stress that man is not in a “state of license” (Locke II.6), for man is only free to act within the bounds of the law of nature (Locke II.4). The law of nature, which is reason, claims that because all men are “equal and independent,” and therefore, no man ought to cause harm to another man’s “life, health, liberty, or posses...
It is a declaration for the equal rights of man and women. The political significance of Mary Wollstonecraft cannot be overstated—her work is regarded as one of the first greatest feminist treatises in history and is also seen as the first step towards liberal feminism. She fought equality for women in the political sphere, but she also addressed the need for equality in the social, private realm. She emphasized the need for reform in women’s status, education, and maternal duties. In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft argues that men and women are born with the same ability to reason. Therefore, men and woman should equally be able to exercise reason and attain knowledge. And conclusively, educated women would ultimately improve society; they would become better wives and mothers (72, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman). She argues that the current education system (i.e. Rousseau’s ideas of women education) restricts women and subjects them into passivity. Women are not perceivably “smart” as men because they have not been given the opportunity to be; women receive a “disorderly kind of education” (46, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman). Women are kept in passivity, forced to superficiality and shallowness. She derides these traits that are seen as inherent to a woman’s nature and asks the powerful question: how are women supposed to contribute to society if they have been reduced to their appearance and bodily function? For a thriving, modern and true civilization to succeed, each and every individual must be encouraged to seek moral and intellectual development, including
As the years dragged on in the new nation the roles of men and women became more distinct and further apart for one another. Women were not allowed to go anywhere in public without an escort, they could not hold a position in office let allow vote, and they could only learn the basics of education (reading, writing, and arithmetic). In law the children belonged to the husband and so did the wife’s property and money. The only job women could think about having was being a ‘governess’ which would give other women education.
Rousseau argues that “women ought to be weak and passive, because she has less bodily strength than man; and hence infers, that she was formed to please and to be subject to him; and that it is her duty to render herself agreeable to her master” (Wollstonecraft 79). Thus affirming that women were in more of a slave-like condition than an equal. Wollstonecraft views marriage as a bond of friendship and love rather than the man holding all of the power in the relationship and the woman just being there to please her husband. Women are not viewed as equals, but more so an outlet for quick pleasure and nothing more. Wollstonecraft states that, “Most of the evils of life arise from a desire of present enjoyment that outruns itself. The obedience required of women in the marriage state comes under this description; the mind, naturally weakened by depending on authority, never exerts its own powers, and the obedient
... great marriages where the husband and wife are equal, by stating how society constricts the women’s true inner genius, and by recording admirable women who stand up in an effort for equality. This article came in the beginnings of the revolution, and lead to the inspiration of many new followers. These new disciples then spread the word of women’s rights and gained even more followers leading to a snowball effect for new supporters. This now-tremendous group made many earnest court appeals which led to suffrage and many more new privileges for women. If it weren’t for this document and the new-found followers of the revolution, the United States may not be the equal and unbiased country it is today.
Imagine being a woman in sixteenth century Europe. Females were raised to believe that they were subservient and that men knew better on any subject. Basically, women had no rights. They were considered property, first “owned” by their fathers and then control was “transferred” to the husband chosen for them. Marriage was not about love, but in most cases, it was a business deal that was mutually beneficial to both families – an interesting fact is that like young women, most young men had no choice in the selection of their future betrothed. These traditions and the gender roles assumed by men and women at that time had an impact on Shakespeare’s writing and performances and a great example of this is evident in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Imagine a world where women were completely subservient to men. Imagine what it would be like to live in a society where women were home-schooled, and not allowed to attend any type of university. What would today’s society be like if women lawyers, doctors, actors, and military soldiers were nonexistent? It would be a modern day version of the Elizabethan era in England. This was a time period where women had little rights, but the dramatic arts flourished due to Queen Elizabeth’s appreciation for them. It was during this time period that literary genius William Shakespeare wrote his many plays including The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Living in this time period caused him to look at women in a somewhat submissive way and portray them as so.
In Shakespeare’s time marriage was a big deal for women and men. Unlike today’s society were marriage does not have to be the only option to leave your parents house. Men in Shakespeare’s time also saw marriage as a way of making money. Women also had no say and power in anything but men did have the power to anything. However in today’s society men and women are seen to be equal, which is the total opposite to Shakespeare’s time.
Gender Inequality may not be as apparent today in our more developed countries, but during the Elizabethan Era, gender inequality was standard and even encouraged. One of the many forms of women inequality during this era was forced marriage. Females involuntarily married men they did not accept and married at ages they did not agree with. The male population enforced these practices, making them traditional. So how did the balance between men and women become what it is today? One cause can be traced back to Shakespeare, a man who was and is widely revered as the greatest writer in the English language. With the comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare supports women's growing independence by creating strong-willed female characters that defy male authority and gender
Women in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan period lived in chains bound by the society with the leash handed first to their father and after marriage to their husbands. The higher the position in society tighter the restrictions. Women were escorted everywhere they went like Desdemona. “Good women followed the instructions of their husband and father’s.” Men did not have to explain themselves and their actions to their possessions.One of the examples of women 's role is given by Shakespeare In act 3 of Othello,when Iago’s wife Emilia says, “I know nothing but to please his fantasy”(3.3.299).
Romeo and juliet and twelfth night are about are faith and disaster. The way the story's end might hurt the way you feel about the author. The stories that will be gone going over are how the two stories relate and have differences. The two stories both have plot, theme and symbolism.
Women in Verona during the time of the Renaissance had a completely different place in society than the men did. Juliet, Lady Capulet, and the Nurse were the only female characters in the play, but were able to illustrate the roles that all women had during that time period. All women during the Renaissance time, based on the characters of Romeo and Juliet matured more quickly then women do today, played a subservient role in society, and played the role of an object to possess. Their roles show that they were powerless compared to men, but still had an important role in society. Women have gained significant control and influence since Romeo and Juliet was written, but unfortunately there are still many cases around the world where women are secondary to men.
In Shakespeare’s time, women had very limited rights. They were expected to be submissive to any man no matter the relationship. Women were supposed to do domestic services while the higher-class women were taken to nunneries to like. They were not allowed in any decision-making. If a husband said no, that was the end of the conversation. Women were required to respect their husband’s word and consider it law.
William Shakespeare has provided some of the most brilliant plays to ever be performed on the stage. He is also the author of numerous sonnets and poems, but he is best known for his plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. In this essay I would like to discuss the play and movie, "Romeo and Juliet", and also the movie, Shakespeare in Love.