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Gender inequality in literature topics
Analyzing gender roles in literature
Gender inequality in literature topics
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Throughout the time period of when Dodge was a writer, being someone who spoke the way she had was a very courageous and bold thing to do because of the criticism that came with it. However, she destroys the hurt of criticism and condemnation through her use of allusions. By her use of allusion, the audiences is sensed in on how her mind is set about her position as a writer and her position in society. An example of this would be in line 21 “I do, therefore, with spartan firmness depose and say that I am a woman.” Her use of spartan firmness establishes the basis of her opinion on herself and her work. Her opinion clearly stated here is that she is strongly confident with herself as a female writer and the work she produces. By exemplifying her confidence, it allows the men targeted in some of her audience to believe that many women may have felt this way therefore concluding their opinion is in fact inferior to theirs. Also in line 20 “Let us have everybody christened before we begin.” The allusion towards giving a name to someone supports one of her main goals in the writing which is to give a clear name for all women writers during this time period.
Introducing a character that will be seen in the story is one of the most vital parts when creating a piece of literature. Whittier begins his story by writing, “Woman’s attributes are generally considered of a milder and purer character than those of man.”(348) Right of the bat, the reader has a stereotypical idea in his or her mind about how a woman should act and what characteristics she should hold. Whittier does this to show how different and unique his main character, Hannah Dustan, will be seen throughout his piece of work. Whittier then goes on to say, “Yet, there have been astonishing manifestations of female fortitude and power in the ruder and sterner trials of humanity; manifestations of courage rising almost to sublimity; the revelation of all those dark and terrible passions, which madden and distract the heart of manhood.”(348) Here, Whittier romanticizes Dustan’s journey and the events that occurred by stating that the actions were actually manifestations that occurred because of the situation she was in. Before even beginning the story, Whittier gives the reader an idea that Dustan did what she did because the situation overpowered her.
The readers are apt to feel confused in the contrasting ways the woman in this poem has been depicted. The lady described in the poem leads to contrasting lives during the day and night. She is a normal girl in her Cadillac in the day while in her pink Mustang she is a prostitute driving on highways in the night. In the poem the imagery of body recurs frequently as “moving in the dust” and “every time she is touched”. The reference to woman’s body could possibly be the metaphor for the derogatory ways women’s labor, especially the physical labor is represented. The contrast between day and night possibly highlights the two contrasting ways the women are represented in society.
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses an allusion to compare Walter Lee to the mythical Prometheus. This allusion was conveyed by George Murchison in the Act I, Scene II, when George and Beneatha went on a date. Walter’s reaction to George calling him Prometheus was not a good one. Walter was upset with George Murchison because he did not necessarily know what Prometheus means. If Walter would have known what George Murchison meant by calling him Prometheus, he would have reacted a totally different way than he did at the moment. When a person call another person Prometheus, it should have a positive connotation to it.
Carl Sandburg's short poem "Grass" represents a metaphor for the disguise of history. The persona tells how histories that have taken place are sooner or later disregarded. The persona tells that the histories should not be disregarded, but be left the way it is as cited in the poem "I am the grass .Let me work." People should notice the events that took place and learn from their mistakes and be better people. The places that are mentioned in the poem are allusions. The allusions are indirect references that Carl Sandburg utilizes to exhibit the seriousness of the past events.
The time that began the poem is completely shattered and served as a jolt of reality to the reader. Yet that raises a pertinent question: why is, in line 4, she is weaving a garland for “your living head”? In the 1930s, who would have perpetrated violent acts against women in the name of sexual gratification yet still hold expectations that women take care of them? By making men in general the placeholder for “you” in the poem, it creates a much stronger and universal statement about the sexual inequality women faced. She relates to women who have had “a god for [a] guest” yet it seems ironic because she is criticising the way these women have been treated (10). It could be argued, instead, that it is not that she sees men as gods, but that is the way they see themselves. Zeus was a god who ruled Olympus and felt entitled to any woman he wanted, immortal or otherwise. He encapsulates the societal mindset that men were dominant and women were there to benefit them. In all the allusions to the Greek myths, Zeus disguises himself in order to trick the women of his desires. The entitlement men felt towards women and their bodies was easily guised as the “social norm”. Embracing a wider meaning to “you” than just as a reference to a single person adds complexity to the poem; it creates a sense of universality. Not all women can identify with an act of violence
...“A war-maker” “A ruler” From this the reader learns that there has been a distinct split between men and women since the beginning of time. It is interesting that Alette is hearing this information from a headless woman. (Notley 91) The woman being headless symbolizes women being praised for their bodies, sexuality, or feminity not for their brains or education. The headless woman says, “my body” “still danced then-” “but my head” “played audience” “to the achievements” “of males” (Notley 91)
In both of the poems, "Introduction to Poetry" and "Trouble with Poetry", Collins makes an interesting form of observation of the world he lives in while possibly explaining his daily life or experiences.
Considering that many authors use figurative language techniques in their writing to help convey a specific message; there is no wonder why Fitzgerald and Twain both use the tools for the purpose of criticising people in more of a low key fashion. Fitzgerald uses many different figurative language devices in The Great Gatsby, like similes. Because it is set in the roaring 20s, partying is a big element to the storyline. When Gatsby throws extravagant parties, Nick thinks to himself “...men and women came and went like moths among the whispering and the champagne and the stars.” (Fitzgerald 44). Nick refers to the social statuses of the young people in the 1920s. It proves that they really just want to party, get wasted, and that they absolutely
1.) Allusion is utilized in this quote to show a reference to the popular 1850s novel by Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, where the title character's melancholy journey starts at birth.
Her voice expresses the individual power to select the people whose opinions matter as well as who the individual lets in.“The Soul selects her own Society - / Then - shuts the Door - (354).” It also represents how the individual has the power to make choices independent from the majority view. Dickinson also voices that individualism can come along with unacceptance because you are not conforming yourself to the standards of society,“This is my letter to the World / That never wrote to Me - “ ( This is is my Letter to the World 354). Her voice mainly speaks to women whose voices are repressed from the overbearing society of men. Challenging the idea around the nation that women must be dependent upon men instead of being an individual with there own thoughts and
In the short story “Araby,” James Joyce uses religious and biblical allusions to portray a young narrator’s feelings about a girl. Through these allusions, readers gather an image of the narrator’s adoration of his friend’s, Mangan’s, sister. James Joyce’s allusions to the Bible and religion relate to the idolized image the narrator has of a girl.
In conclusion, the poem “Medusa” challenges subordinate traits of women. Duffy strips both the female protagonist and the male character of their names and titles in the poem thereby making them equal. She also illustrates women as domineering shown by the defeat of the male personae. This is Duffy conveying the fact that women are as valued as men regardless of stereotypical attributes and concepts of society.
The first female that is introduced in the novel is Margaret Saville, Robert Walton’s sister. The novel opens with the letter addressed “ To Mrs. Saville, England”, which seems oddly informal considering it is her brother writing her. Immediately, it is known that she is married. Married women during Shelley’s time had limited freedom (Evans). Sir William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765-69) declared that married women could not be legally independent (Beard). In addition to being married, Margaret has no dialogue of her own in the novel, but rather serves as an audience for her brother while Robert is credited to be the one who sets up the novel. While Margaret is never heard, her disputes against her brother’s travels can be seen in his words, “You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings… you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation” (Shelley 13). In this way, Shelley criticizes the male need for fame and
Being a feminist in a nineteenth century modernistic era, she helped broke the inequality of gender issues in America during that time. She questioned the order of what was deemed to be normal, and so helped move the tide of gender equality in America. A stepping stone, which of one of the many, for women to stand up and fight for their freedom. Something that people in society as a whole still fight for, whether it’s gay marriage, gender inequality, racial conflicts, to even about religion. Dickinson dashes at first glance may appear to be random and irrelevant, but with a closer look it add to deeper meaning to the text entirely. The breaking up of lines and rhythmical patterns, forces the reader to examine in closer detail in why it is that she decides to add such inputs to her
This, in fact, is an example of “dynamic decomposition” of which the speaker claims she understands nothing. The ironic contradiction of form and content underlines the contradiction between the women’s presentation of her outer self and that of her inner self. The poem concludes with the line “’Let us go home she is tired and wants to go to bed.’” which is a statement made by the man. Hence, it “appears to give the last word to the men” but, in reality, it mirrors the poem’s opening lines and emphasises the role the woman assumes on the outside as well as her inner awareness and criticism. This echoes Loy’s proclamation in her “Feminist Manifesto” in which she states that women should “[l]eave off looking to men to find out what [they] are not [but] seek within [themselves] to find out what [they] are”. Therefore, the poem presents a “new woman” confined in the traditional social order but resisting it as she is aware and critical of