Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Gender roles of women in literature
Social identity and self identity
Gender roles of women in literature
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Gender roles of women in literature
Society’ Affect on Self Identity Throughout history it is seen that gender roles have a large influence upon women and their place within society. It has been seen to affect the way women are discerned and feel about themselves as individuals, as well as their role within their marriages. “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, and “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen are all examples of how women’s feelings about themselves, as individuals, and within their marriages are affected by gender roles. These effects can be seen about the main women protagonist in each story and how their respective societies affect them. Within their respective story setting Delia, the main protagonist of “Sweat”, Edna, the main protagonist …show more content…
In Nora’s case she saw that she was failing at her role as a mother because she had done so many immoral actions, including committing fraud. When talking to Torvald he says “And still this Krogstad’s been going home year in, year out, poisoning his own children with lies and pretense; that’s why I call him morally lost.” (1041), showing where this idea that Nora’s immoral actions are going to poison her own children just like Krogstad’s actions poison his own children. She did not want her negative actions to be rubbed off on her children, so she saw her only escape was to walk away from her household so that her children would not be “poisoned” with the same immorality that she possessed. Still this shows how she views her role in her marriage as a failure because she is unable to raise her children right. This is similar to Edna’s view of her failing role as mother for her children. She was in a unfulfilling marriage and decided to have two affairs with men that she knew. When she reflected back on her choices she realized how this would negatively affect her children. Edna realized that she did not want to have her unfavorable choices be rubbed off onto her children, so she committed suicide to save them from her “poison”. These two women saw that because of their immoral actions that they were at an indifference with their …show more content…
In these respective texts, each woman protagonist had to face a problem whether it was put onto them because of them or another. These plights that they were put into helped them realize their true identity and who they really were. In “A Doll’s House”, Nora had committed fraud and had brought much dishonor to her household, helping her realize in the end that she is truly immature. She realizes that she is just like a child and that everyone in her life is always making decisions for her. The best example of when people make her life decisions for her is when Mrs. Linde decides for Nora that Krogstad should let Torvald read the letter with the truth of what she has done. She always needs someone to make the hard decisions for her, just as of she was their child. Nora finally sees that she needs to mature before she can take care of a whole home and family. Her realization that she needs to become mature and a capable adult that can solve her own problems, is what leads her to leave. She knows that she can not take care of her children because she, too, is a child at heart. This is very similar to Edna in “The Awakening”, how she realizes that her true identity is not what society wants from her. She does not want follow the societal rules that are in place during this Victorian time period. She is in an unfulfilling marriage that leads her to cheat on her
Zora Neale Hurston’s short story “Sweat” is about a woman, Delia who is physically and emotionally abused by her husband, Sykes, whose actions she struggles to overcome towards her. Through all the abuse, Delia takes pride in her hard work and her religion. In this story, Hurston uses religions and moral symbolism that controls the character’s actions throughout the plot.
Throughout her life Nora had spent her time pleasing the men around her, first her father and then Torvald. As the reality erupted that her marriage to Torvald was loveless and not salvageable, she ignored Torvald's demand that she not leave him. He even made attempts to sway her decision by insinuating they could go on in the house as brother and sister. Her need to be a valued human in society had prevailed over the dependent, frail, creature that once belonged to Torvald. She set out to find her independence in spite of the limitations that society had placed on women. Her displeasure had burned a path beyond her little, secure world and the burden of being a plaything was lifted.
In A Doll’s House Ibsen focuses on the way women are seen, especially in the context of marriage and motherhood. This can be seen clearly by Torvalds narrow views of a women and her role as a “good” wife and mother. He explains to Nora that women are responsible for the morality of their children. He sees women as children and the helpless creatures that are detached from reality. Women are also the influential moral forces that are responsible for the purity of the world by their influence within the home. As a first impression Nora plays a very generous and open role. She seems to be very content in her surroundings and acts toward her husband in a very caring and loving way. She gives the impression that she is extremely dependent on her husband and would do nothing to hurt him. In the beginning of the play there are a few hints that contradict the true nature of how Nora really is deep down inside. There are a few instances in which Nora lies to her husband even before we ever find out about the big lie which is her marriage. She is confronted about eating some cookies she flat out lies to Torvald and tells him no. Another example is displayed when her hus...
Through their quest to find their own freedom and individuality, Nora Helmer, from A Doll’s House, and Edna Pontellier, from The Awakening, each uniquely discovers themselves. Since the beginning of the play, Nora was very loyal to her husband and even told him how she would “not think of going against your [his] wishes” (Ibsen 6). However, she does not act like an individual because she is controlled by her husband, along with other men, and acknowledges their role as her superiors (Ibsen 20). After Torvald, Nora’s husband, finds out about her secret, she finally understands, that since she was little, her role in society was primarily to be a “doll-child” and a “doll-wife” for the men in her life (Ibsen 87-8). In contrast, Edna got to a point in her life where she just neglected her role established by society because she was tired of being treated as property rather than a person. She spends time without her husband, grows accustomed to the idea of freedom, and discovers her longing for a role as an individual in the world (Chopin 23). Edna tries to escape the obligations that belong to many women of that time like raising the children or waiting for visitors. As Nora is compared to a “doll-wife”, Edna is portrayed as a bird,...
Women have been given by society certain set of duties, which although change through time, tend to stay relatively along the same lines of stereotypical women activities. In “A Doll House” and “Simply Maria” we see the perpetuation of these forms of behavior as an initial way of life for the two protagonists. Nonetheless; we see a progression towards liberation and self discovery towards the development as a human being by breaking the rules of society. Such attitudes soon find opposing forces. those forces will put to the test the tenacity of these women; and yield freedom and ownership for their lives which are owned by others at the start of their stories.
The one thing that every person is granted in life is having the option to choose. Choosing whether to stand or to sit; to go or to stay; to speak up or to stay quiet and fictional characters should be no different. In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, the protagonist Nora Helmer is always making decisions that she feels are beneficial. Nora is like a typical housewife: devoted to her husband, children, and home. Just in the beginning of the play, she is seen coming back home after a day spent shopping for Christmas presents for her family. The reader grasps that she is a loving individual, but it also seems as if she is naïve. This all changes as the play continues. Just from how she handles situations and knowledge from her past, the reader understands that there is more to Nora Helmer than what her husband perceives. From vast choices like illegally stealing money and leaving her husband to minor ones like not wanting to see her children, it is revealed in the story that Nora is an intelligent and strong young woman.
After she reveals the "dastardly deed" to her husband, he becomes understandably agitated; in his frustration he shares the outside world with her, the ignorance of the serious business world, and destroys her innocence and self-esteem. This disillusion marks the final destructive blow to her doll's house. Their ideal home including their marriage and parenting has been a fabrication for the sake of society. Nora's decision to leave this false life behind and discover for herself what is real is directly symbolic of woman's ultimate realization. Although she becomes aware of her supposed subordinateness, it is not because of this that she has the desire to take action. Nora is utterly confused, as suggested by Harold Clurman, "She is groping sadly in a maze of confused feeling toward a way of life and a destiny of which she is most uncertain (256)." The one thing she is aware of is her ignorance, and her desire to go out into the world is not to "prove herself" but
Throughout history, women have struggled to become equals with men. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and John Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” share a theme to their readers: feminism. The two authors placed their female protagonists in male dominated worlds of the 19th Century Norway and 20th Century America. They used these characters to rebel against the passive role of woman during their time. This theme is promoted through the narration of Nora and Elisa’s marriages, an epiphany that arose from initial disappointment in a male dominated society, and the use of symbolism throughout both works.
Many women in modern society make life altering decisions on a daily basis. Women today have prestigious and powerful careers unlike in earlier eras. It is more common for women to be full time employees than homemakers. In 1879, when Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll's House, there was great controversy over the out come of the play. Nora’s walking out on her husband and children was appalling to many audiences centuries ago. Divorce was unspoken, and a very uncommon occurrence. As years go by, society’s opinions on family situations change. No longer do women have a “housewife” reputation to live by and there are all types of family situations. After many years of emotional neglect, and overwhelming control, Nora finds herself leaving her family. Today, it could be said that Nora’s decision is very rational and well overdue.
Before we explore Zora Neale Hurston’s literary content of “Sweat” in relation to feminism theory, we must first understand the meaning behind feminism theory as well as the Author and setting in which this short story takes place. I intend to use multiple sources from scholarly peer-reviewed journals and websites that help back my sentiments of Zora Neale Hurston using her literature to illustrate a time of women empowerment. While some may argue that this story paints a picture of great sorrow for women, I believe that it is that very argument that can used to show how women still thrive after being mistreated with inadequate respect in comparison to men overall. There are many aspects of “Sweat” that allows the woman to not be depicted as
Nora has been a doll all of her life, fortunately, she has an awakening that kindles her passion for freedom. Torvald restricts her freedom. Torvald adorns Nora to his wishes and desires and basically strips Nora of her identity. Nora wants a happy marriage; hence, she appeases Torvald. When she is being blackmailed, she believes that Torvald will be her savior. However, Torvald’s selfish reaction to the news is Nora’s auspicious awakening. She knows that her marriage is a sham and that she does not know who she is. Nora leaves Torvald so that she can have the liberty to gain knowledge of the world and herself. Nora’s awakening has provided her with the freedom to fulfill her life.
A Doll’s House illustrates two types of women. Christine is without a husband and independent at the start of the play whereas Nora is married to Torvald and dependent on him and his position at the bank. Both begin at different ends of the spectrum. In the course of the play their paths cross and by the end of the play each woman is where the other started. It appears that a woman has two choices in society; to be married and dependent on a man or unmarried and struggle in the world because she does not have a man.
The Struggle for Identity in A Doll's House A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that was written ahead of its time. In this play, Ibsen tackles women's rights as a matter of importance. Throughout this time period, it was neglected. A Doll's House was written during the movement of Naturalism, which commonly reflected society. Ibsen acknowledges the fact that in 19th century life the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband.
In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, and Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the works represent the unyielding social standards pressurized onto women and how they negatively affect the female protagonists. It is also shown how the women are able to triumph over the social standards and reach towards a life of greater satisfaction as individual women. While finding themselves, they also look for an outlet, an escape. The two women achieve the ultimate goal of absconding the pressures of society and domestic life by finding an escape route through abandonment, and death.
...on as a disgrace to society because women are not expected to leave there husbands. Nora proved that she can withstand enormous amounts of pressure and that she is capable of doing things when she is determined. She is eventually freed from that doll ouse, as she calls it, and it allows her to leave without being afraid to learn about her and the world around her.