“Cassandra” is about Florence Nightingale’s effort to overcome her frustration of discrimination of sexism, as well as how she is affected by such a judicious and dictated society, and how her representation of women’s rights helped evolve the outlook of women during the Victorian Era.
In the excerpt “Cassandra” by Florence Nightingale, Nightingale directs the passage toward the tragic condition in which women lived in the nineteenth century. In the excerpt, the character “Cassandra” is compared to those women of Ancient Greek. In comparing the ancient Greek prophet in which was forbidden to say what she wished to an audience of disbelief, just as Cassandra struggled to be heard during the Victorian Era. (Shaddock)
The Victorian period in England was from 1837 to 1901. During this time people witnessed many polarized gender based roles, that were analyzed upon the different expectations of both men and women, this was known as the ideology of separate spheres. The ideology of separate spheres states “men possessed the capacity for reason, action, aggression, independence, and self-interest. Women inhabited a separate sphere, private sphere, one suitable for the so called inherent qualities of feminist: emotion, passivity, submission, dependence, and selflessness, all derived, it was claimed insistently, form women’s sexual and reproduction organization.”
("Women as “the Sex” During the Victorian Era")
The excerpt can sometimes be read in such a way that it seems as if the writer is screaming as opposed to talking in a calmly matter. This was probably due to the fact that Nightingale was infuriated with the way women were being treated. “Cassandra” is a discussion or dialogue between two sisters and their mother and father dis...
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...way they wished to live their lives. This being said, Florence Nightingale was just one of many author’s whose words and writing helped change the outlook on women everywhere.
Works Cited:
Bostridge, Mark. "Women of the World Unite." The Guardian.com. N.p., 28 January 2005. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .
Shaddock, Jennifer. "Florence Nightingale." Project Muse. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .
"Florence Nightingale, Cassandra (1852) on women's vocation." . N.p.. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .
"Women as “the Sex” During the Victorian Era." Victorian Women:The Gender of Oppression. N.p.. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
women and the people who have been misjudged and looked down upon.Minerva died a heroine
Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key, though speaking about a particularly touchy subject, identifies feminist/ gender equality through a series of historical hardships that many had endured during the Holocaust. Keeping this in mind, Sarah’s Key is used for Mrs. Rosnay’s approval of the advances of feminism, and how women were limited by a low glass ceiling.
To “be a lady” in Victorian times, women had to repress their “instincts,” meaning that they must not have sex. Lead by the “cult of true womanhood,” which dictated piety, purity and submissiveness in women, females were directed to become almost asexual. Women went into sexuality thinking that it was something not to be talked about, that women were not supposed to have a libido, and that the act of sexual intercourse was not something that they should enjoy.
Throughout history, women have struggled with, and fought against, oppression. They have been held back and weighed down by the sexist ideas of a male dominated society which has controlled cultural, economic and political ideas and structures. During the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s women became more vocal and rebuked sexism and the role that had been defined for them. Fighting with the powerful written word, women sought a voice, equality amongst men and an identity outside of their family. In many literary writings, especially by women, during the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s, we see symbols of oppression and the search for gender equality in society.
Knowing this you would think women would portray themselves more seriously, but the exact opposite is happening. These continuous loops of failure have severely weakened women’s physical presence, and because of this, are continuously singled out in world discussions on topics such as war or threats to national security, and are constantly burdened with tasks regarding health and family life. In my research I read many books from the nineteenth-century onwards, such as, Stuart Mill’s book ‘The Subjection of Women’ (1869) to Butler’s ‘Gender Troubles’ (1990), both of these and many more books has helped in my quest to conjure up a personal concept of women, but out of all of them I found Berger’s ‘Ways of seeing’ the most fruitful in terms of a literal explanation of women.
The industrialization of the nineteenth century was a tremendous social change in which Britain initially took the lead on. This meant for the middle class a new opening for change which has been continuing on for generations. Sex and gender roles have become one of the main focuses for many people in this Victorian period. Sarah Stickney Ellis was a writer who argued that it was the religious duty of women to improve society. Ellis felt domestic duties were not the only duties women should be focusing on and thus wrote a book entitled “The Women of England.” The primary document of Sarah Stickney Ellis’s “The Women of England” examines how a change in attitude is greatly needed for the way women were perceived during the nineteenth century. Today women have the freedom to have an education, and make their own career choice. She discusses a range of topics to help her female readers to cultivate their “highest attributes” as pillars of family life#. While looking at Sarah Stickney Ellis as a writer and by also looking at women of the nineteenth century, we will be able to understand the duties of women throughout this century. Throughout this paper I will discuss the duties which Ellis refers to and why she wanted a great change.
Peterson, M. Jeanne. "The Victorian Governess: Status Incongruence in Family and Society." Suffer and Be Still: Women in the Victorian Age. Ed. Martha Vicinus. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973.
These women authors have served as an eye-opener for the readers, both men and women alike, in the past, and hopefully still in the present. (There are still cultures in the world today, where women are treated as unfairly as women were treated in the prior centuries). These women authors have impacted a male dominated society into reflecting on of the unfairness imposed upon women. Through their writings, each of these women authors who existed during that masochistic Victorian era, risked criticism and retribution. Each author ignored convention a...
In conclusion, the woman of the Victorian Era had her role in life planned out from before she was born. Although it was a dreadful role these women carried it out in a way that shows their purity of the heart and willingness to do so many of things for others and for little return. They were truly a remarkable testament to hard work and ingenuity of the time that even the men of the time could have learned from.
78. 77) Florence Nightingale brought together statistics and her good heart to become a very important role model for the women in Europe in her time. Works Cited:.. 1. What is the difference between a. and a Head, Edwin.
However, her shyness didn’t interfere with her willingness to help others. Being the youngest of three, her opinion and beliefs were often overlooked as she was expected to follow in the footsteps of those before her; find a husband, reproduce and spend the rest of her life serving them. Although that sounds grand, Florence responded with “I think I am got something more good-natured and complying.” Nightingale belonged to an upper class family, her mother Francis Nightingale, belonged to a family of merchants who took pride in their social interactions with those of the same stature. This however was completely opposite of Florence Nightingale and because of it, they often found themselves bumping heads with one another. However, her father, William Shore Nightingale encouraged her
The Mistreatment of Women During the Victorian Era “The day may be approaching when the whole world will recognize woman as the equal of man.” (Susan B. Anthony) The Victorian era was an extremely difficult time for women in Great Britain. They were subject to gross inequalities such as not being able to control their own earnings, education, and marriage. As well as having a lack of equality within marriage, women had poor working conditions, and an immense unemployment rate as well.
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been hardly recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman of society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women character in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a
In an essay on feminist criticism, Linda Peterson of Yale University explains how literature can "reflect and shape the attitudes that have held women back" (330). From the viewpoint of a feminist critic, "The Lady of Shalott" provides its reader with an analysis of the Victorian woman's conflict between her place in the interior, domestic role of society and her desire to break into the exterior, public sphere which generally had been the domain of men. Read as a commentary on women's roles in Victorian society, "The Lady of Shalott" may be interpreted in different ways. Thus, the speaker's commentary is ambiguous: Does he seek to reinforce the institution of patriarchal society as he "punishes" the Lady with her death for her venture into the public world of men, or does he sympathize with her yearnings for a more colorful, active life? Close reading reveals more than one possible answer to this question, but the overriding theme seems sympathetic to the Lady. By applying "the feminist critique" (Peterson 333-334) to Tennyson's famous poem, one may begin to understand how "The Lady of Shalott" not only analyzes, but actually critiques the attitudes that held women back and, in the end, makes a hopeful, less patriarchal statement about the place of women in Victorian society.