Beauty comes in many different forms. According to John Webster in “A Fair and Happy Milkmaid” the milkmaid’s beauty comes from her honesty and humility. Webster honors her goodness and grace through personification, hyperbole, and imagery.
Personification describes the milkmaid’s grace and respect. Webster says, “She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not” (3-4). The “fair look” is a “dumb orator” and it cannot be trusted because it is superficial and can be false. The milkmaid knows this and therefore avoids it. Webster admires her wisdom and attributes it to her beauty. Webster also marvels at her virtues and humility. He notes that, “All her excellencies stand in her so silently, as if
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they had stolen upon her without her knowledge” (4-5). He states that the milkmaid’s “excellencies” or virtues are subtle. She, even though she does not really know about them, she beautifully embodies them. Her humility is graceful and excellent. Later, Webster talks about the milkmaid’s attractiveness. He says that even, “The golden ears of corn fall and kiss her feet when she reaps them, as if they wished to be bound and led prisoners by the same hand that felled them” (14-16). The corn wants to be near the milkmaid. The corn desires to be taken as “prisoners” by her. Even though corn cannot be held prisoner, the idea is that everything around the milkmaid instantly falls in love with her and her grace. The personification not only shows how beautiful the milkmaid is in her virtues, but it also how everyone and everything sees her beauty. Webster uses hyperbole to show how the milkmaid’s wisdom and beauty that transcends to the simplest of tasks. He describes how even, “In milking a cow, and straining the teats through her fingers, it seems so sweet a milk-press makes the milk the whiter or sweeter” (11-13). The milkmaid causes even the simplest task to become better. When she milks a cow, the milk becomes, “whiter” and “sweeter.” Through her natural grace and beauty, the milkmaid makes everything taste and appear better. Webster later says, “She doth all things with so sweet a grace, it seems ignorance will not suffer her to do ill.” (19-21). Here, Webster is saying the milkmaid is so honest and fair that she is almost unaffected by ignorance. She will always be graceful and good. While no one is immune to ignorance, the milkmaid is so good and pure-of-heart it seems as if nothing will make her ignorant. Not only does Webster admire her presence, but he also is entranced by her immunity to ignorance. Imagery describes the milkmaid’s humilty and goodness.
Webster begins talking about how, “A fair and happy milkmaid is a country wench, that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of hers is able to put all outsides face-physics out of countenance” (1-3). Webster considers the milkmaid to be “fair” and “happy” despite her not appearing outwardly beautiful. The milkmaid does not concern herself with improving her appearances. However she is happy with the way she looks and because of this humility, Webster finds her beauty. He also talks about the milkmaid’s humility through what she wears. He says, “The lining of her apparel…is far better than the outsides of tissue: for through she be not arrayed in the spoil of silk-worm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing” (5-7). The “innocency” she wears, according to Webster, looks much better than fine clothes. Because of her simplicity and humility, she is extraordinary. Webster writes about the milkmaid’s work ethic and how it makes her beautiful. He says, “She makes her hand hard with labor, and her heart soft with pity” (17-18). The milkmaid works hard and therefore her hands are calloused. Her heart, however, remains soft and loving. She is an honest worker whose work is shown not only through her rough hands, but also her kind heart. Because of her honest and hard work she earns love and admiration from Webster. The milkmaid, while humble, is beautiful in a way that does not involve her
appearance or her clothes. The milkmaid is admirable and praise-worthy. Webster uses different rhetorical strategies to describe the milkmaid’s respect and grace. Her humility and beauty make her a unique person unlike any other.
Early on in the story, there is a phrase about an older woman explaining an image. It says, “A woman with shorn white hair wearing tennis shoes and a shapeless gray sweater over a summery calico dress. She is small and sprightly, like a bantam hen; but, due to a long youthful illness, her shoulders are pitifully hunched.” She dresses comfortable but we know
Thus the illusion of beauty is still possible and even Gorgeous displays emotion despite knowing this “she adores her work from a distance for such a long time and it makes her cry”. Therefore, the irony in this story still exists for Gorgeous to end up being in a relationship with an artist. The personification of beauty continues as Wels’ remarks “Their relationship is the usual kind in which beauty and appreciation are dancing partners”. As she becomes a ‘model’, again ‘stillness’ is idealised as the trademark of beauty. As a result, the humour in Wels’ story also becomes tragic with Gorgeous’ realisation that beauty is fabricated and that the most beautiful are those that are
First, Connie and her mother focused on outward beauty rather than inward beauty, which can never be tarnished. Connie’s mother was jealous of her daughter’s beauty, because she knew she could no longer attain the beauty that she once possessed. She often scolded her daughter for admiring her own beauty in order to make herself feel more secure inside. Connie did not try in the least bit to make her mother’s struggle any easier, but instead gawked at her own beauty directly in front of her mother, and often compared her own beauty to others.
The Handmaid's Tale This is a futuristic novel that takes place in the northern part of the USA sometime in the beginning of the twenty-first century, in the oppressive and totalitarian Republic of Gilead. The regime demands high moral retribution and a virtuous lifestyle. The Bible is the guiding principle. As a result of the sexual freedom, free abortion and high increase of venereal diseases at the end of the twentieth century, many women, (and men also, but that is forbidden to say), are sterile. The women who are still fertile are recruited as Handmaids, and their only mission in life is to give birth to the offspring of their Commander, whose wife is infertile.
In any society, laws and restrictions are placed upon the individuals living in it. These regulations can not only be a determinant of how one acts, but also how one perceives themselves. One issue that is undoubtedly going to happen to an individual is unfairness concerning one of society’s laws. Even if one is innocent of actions, regulations can cause an individual to feel as if that law is creating injustice. Does an individual have a right to oppose and rebel against perceived unfairness? Or shall one simply accept the unfairness thrust upon them? In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, we meet a woman named Offred, who is a handmaid. She describes how her society is not always a positive influence towards the people living it. In connection to Offred’s opinion, in Plato’s Critio, Socrates argues that an individual needs to accept these regulations placed upon oneself. Both Socrates and Offred gives great reasoning behind their argument, but the connection found between both stories is that an individual needs to accept the terms given to them. To right against unfair regulations creates a huge controversy and can even cause injuries to a group or an individual. Society’s laws are not always positive influence however one needs to adapt life to make it more bearable. Laws are not always going to be fair and even if these laws interfere with individual needs, a person needs to corporate and find different alterations in order to survive.
The early nineteenth century which was in the Regency Era consisted of harsh judgments towards what was believed to be a “wealthy” look and what was considered to be “proper.” In Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the clothing is more than just a fashion statement, it determines how they are perceived and their overall rank and social class in society. Therefore, fashion represents the importance of self appearance during that time.
The Character of Offred in The Handmaid's Tale   Offred is one of the main characters in The Handmaid's Tale. She was the faithful wife of Luke, mother of an eleven month old child and a working woman, before she entered the Republic of Gilead. She was given the name "Offred" when she entered Gilead. This was to make it known that she was a handmaid. Offred becomes psychologically programmed in Gilead as a handmaid, and the mistress of the commander who is in power of all things.
In Toni Morrison’s story and in real life, beauty is described by people as having blond hair, blue eyes , perfect figure, etc. It’s been said that if you have good looks, you can make it in life with just looks alone. People only strive for becoming beautiful because they want attention. As is the case in Toni Morrison’s story. The characters in her story think that they are ugly , by others opinions of them , and want to become beautiful so they will be recognized and be the center of attention. But the harder both characters try, the worse things get.
Another way the women in The Handmaid’s Tale are unequal to men is in dress. In modern society it is normal to think of clothing as a way to express our personality and individuality. What you wear helps others know who you are. In the novel, the main character Offred grew up in a westernized world –freedoms like self expression and speech- but it was taken away from her when she became a handmaid.
Firstly, Offred explains the difference between Serena Joy’s dress and her own, noting that “for [Serena Joy] it’s blue, watercolor, not this red of [Offred’s] that sucks in heat and blazes with it at the same time”. Offred discusses how she blazes with heat in it as a product of the warm weather but also with shame because handmaids are looked down upon in this society. This small detail emphasizes the class difference between Serena Joy and Offred. Also, when Serena Joy calls Offred over to her, she says “come over here, I want you”. Her statement is a command. She doesn’t bother with niceties because she knows she holds the power in this relationship and she doesn’t have to. This reinforces the power difference between the two women. Serena Joy then says, “You can sit”, allowing Offred to sit down. She then allows Offred to take the cushion and orders her to hold the wool. These sentences show that she holds the power in this scene. Serena Joy goes on to fit the wool around Offred’s hands, like a pair of handcuffs or a leash, as Offred sees it. This symbolizes how powerless and oppressed Offred is in this society. Offred also compares it to a cobweb, with Serena Joy as the spider and Offred as the helpless prey. This shows the power difference between the two women. Serena is treating her like an
Imagery is an effective element used by writers. It allows readers to be one with the story and to better comprehend the actions and thoughts conveyed by the author. In Margaret Atwood's The Handmaids Tale, actions and images of Offred and other individuals parallel with the theme of appearance versus reality. These images such as food and nature are reoccurring to further stress the theme. The gustatory and olfactory images of food and perfume, as well as the kinesthetic and visual imagery of cutting flowers and sexual intercourse juxtapose the discontentment of Offred's life as a handmaid.
The hierarchy of women goes as such: Commander’s Wives, Aunts, Marthas, Handmaids, Econowives, and Unwomen. Commanders are at the head of their household. Every woman within these ranks has settled into their roles as part of the Republic except for the Unwomen, those who refused to become a part of their society under any circumstances--those who are sent to work camps and separated from the rest of the world. Aside from them, the rest of the Republic's women all serve men in one way or another. Women are made to believe that the roles assigned to them are to be seen as a great honor. Outwardly, women accept these roles with little to no retaliation, but inwardly and amongst each other, many perform small acts of rebellion against their overseers. One woman who partook in many of these acts is referred to as Offred throughout the story; however, her real name is never revealed.
“[W]e are not slaves in name, and cannot be carried to market and sold as somebody else 's legal chattels, we are free only within narrow limits. For all our talk about liberation and personal autonomy, there are few choices that we are free to make” (Berry). In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood the protagonist Offred lives through a changing of society, in which is described by Aunt Lydia in the new society as the difference of freedom to and freedom from. The complexities of freedom are examined through social norms, relationships, and safety in society. As Offred notices the differences between her old life and her life now readers, especially North American readers, see how much freedom they take advantage of as a society.
As stated by ‘The Duchess’, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford’s famous quote “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” As a result, beauty can describe as an inspiring view present in everything that can be seen. To begin, beauty can be viewed in a building as large and extravagant as the white house to the small hometown market or even in the sight of a single flower to a field filled with a million flowers. Also, beauty can be seen in the sunrise over the peaks of the mountains and also in the sunset glowing across a calm lake surrounded by the bright colors of the fall trees. Furthermore, people have physical beauty, which can be found in a person’s features, figure, or complexion. In the poem “Beauty & Dress” by Robert Herrick he explains the beauty he sees in his wife. Herrick states,
Margaret Atwood sheds light on two concepts that are intertwined; fertility and motherhood. Nevertheless in Gilead these notions are often viewed as separate. The Republic State of Gilead views women as child-bearers and nothing more. In Gilead, these women are known as handmaids, who’s function in society is to produce children for barren females of a high status. Gilead also prohibits the handmaids from being mothers to their previously born children, meaning before Gilead was created, for instance, Offred, who is separated from her daughter. Thus it is evident that Margaret Atwood generates a state that views birth only as growth in population rather than the beginning of a relationship between mother and child.