Animal Farm Feminist Analysis

The Crippling Nature of the Patriarchal Society
Both Feminist and Marxist theories analyze exploitive relationships and how they bar certain groups in society from enjoying the full legal, political, and economic rights available to others. The marginalization and oppression of women by a male patriarch is the central focus of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. In comparison, Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegorical, fable–like retelling of the founding of the Soviet Union that captures how the acts of a dictatorship create a whole class of the underserved. Though both the animals and women are victims of inequality, the women are more severely affected due to fact that they are aware of the social conditioning, physical

As a Southern belle, Blanche's narrowly defined social role prevents her from admitting her sexual desires and pursuing them forthrightly. She rejects Mitch’s advances and explains that “it is just that [she has] – old-fashioned ideals! [She rolls her eyes, knowing he cannot see her face.]” (Williams 91). Her blatant lie captures that she feels obliged to lie to the New Orleans residents about her sexual urges, especially because of how harshly she is ostracized for her previous escapades in Laurel. This is a stark representation of the double standard the women face; while Stanley’s carnal virility is readily accepted and even encouraged as a feature of masculinity, Blanche’s sexual experiences are considered to be scandalous. The quintessential image of the Southern belle, manufactured and perpetuated by society, forces her to repress her sexual desires and erect a façade of chasteness. The harsh societal expectations cause Blanche, who is struggling as a single woman in an extremely oppressive atmosphere, to descend into insanity. The damaging effect on her mental health is apparent as she pursues both traditional methods of escape, such as alcohol, as well as nonconventional ones, including baths. The baths are symbolic of her attempts to cleanse herself of her lascivious past, and to fit herself into

Stella’s decision to stay with an abusive husband is a reflection of the constraints placed on women in a male-dominated society. At the play’s dénouement, Stella understands that she “couldn’t believe [Blanche’s] story and go on living with Stanley. [Eunice consoles her by explaining that] life has got to go on” (Williams 133). She feels compelled to remain with Stanley to prevent the possibility of poverty and the harshness of life as a single mother. In order to have a home and a father for her baby, she must endure his cycles of abuse. Stella’s experiences capture how women’s financial situations force them to tolerate physical and psychological abuse that is detrimental to their well-being. She “represents a more classic example of a female victim in patriarchal society where a woman accepts spousal abuse in order to be provided for, and deludes herself into thinking that she is happy in this role” (Foley 49). In comparison, the animals in Animal Farm are unaware of their predicament, as well as the extent of their financial exploitation. The prospect of material gain causes the pigs to utilize their intelligence immorally. Throughout the novel, Boxer “worked like [a] slave. [Even though] the long hours on insufficient food were hard to bear, Boxer never faltered” (Orwell 79). Boxer is a symbol of the working class; he is