Editha Gender Roles

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Recommended: Traditional role of women in society and how it has changed today

The roles of women have changed dramatically over the decades. We were once given traditional roles: housewives who simply stayed home to cook, clean, and take care of the children. However, as we have progressed through the years, women can now get an education, not get married, and have an occupation. The two women in the story “Editha,” have two different roles in the story. These two types of women play critical roles in this short story. Editha, is the manipulator type of woman, and George’s mother, is the wise old traditional type of woman. Components of realism can be seen throughout the story of “Editha.” One of the most prominent components of realism can be seen through the role that the main women play. Editha lives in an idealistic …show more content…

Yes, I suppose that is what people will say.” “Do you suppose it would have been war if God hadn’t meant it?” “I don’t know. Sometimes it seems as if God had put this world into men’s keeping to work it as they pleased.” (Howells 310).
Religion was a key aspect of life during the war. Editha uses religion to her full advantage when manipulating George into believing that war is a good idea. She claims that God meant for this war to happen; and that basically, he meant for the men to go off to war. Editha has almost a war fever where everything is about the war this and the war that. She will do whatever is in her power to get George to go off to the war. Editha’s last resort is to turn to the letter that she has written for George almost as if he is already in the war. She simply gives George the letter to ensure him about how serious she is about this war. Editha has no knowledge of the war being that she can’t fight herself, she will send George off to be killed. In her letter she writes, “I understood when you left me. But I think we had better emphasize your meaning that if we cannot be one in everything we had better be one in nothing,” (Howells 310). Editha is giving George an ultimatum: that if he does not go off in to the war, there will be no more George and Editha

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