“Mademoiselle de Scudéri,” written by E. T. A. Hoffman, is the first German language detective story ever written. Inspired by the story of La Voisin, an old woman involved with the art of making poisons and poisoning members of society, this novel intertwines aspects of history and fiction, creating an entertaining short story that feeds off the fear of citizens who are knowledgeable about La Voisin and her poisonous crimes. Within this novel, Hoffman portrays a variety of characters, all of which can be separated into two distinct groups in regards to the perception of societal classes: male characters and female characters. Each group perceives the different societal classes in their own way, creating clear distinctions between the two groups. …show more content…
In the story, the female characters are depicted as more accepting of all people and do not make distinctions based on class. For example, Scudéri, a female character who epitomizes the female perception of social classes, believes that there should be “No blind laws, touching the innocent and the guilty alike” (Hoffman 9). The “guilty” can be referred to as the lower class citizens, for all the accused criminals in the story are from the lower class, while the “innocent” can be referred to as upper class citizens, for all the presumably law abiding citizens are from the upper class. This statement means that the female characters believe that there should be no discriminatory laws or societal attitudes towards the “guilty,” or lower class citizens, and the “innocent,” or upper class citizens. On the other hand, the male characters do not believe the same thing. Instead of respecting everyone and ignoring social classes in their interactions with others, they have an unwavering belief that the hierarchy of social classes dictates interactions among citizens, as seen when La Regnie agrees to see Scudéri with “all the consideration which was the due of a lady of her worth,” or societal status (Hoffman 19). However, there is one character that doesn’t fit into the expected category. Unlike most male characters in the story, Olivier ignores societal boundaries and interacts with others regardless of class distinctions just as the women do. For example, Olivier speaks openly to Scudéri and trusts that she will “be so compassionate as to listen” to him tell his story, even though she is from a higher class (Hoffman 25). By portraying Olivier as a character that aligns with the more feminine qualities of respect and equality as presented in the story, Olivier shows what the male characters could be like if they aligned with the female
Equality is perhaps one of the most controversial concepts that has plagued human society and communities as well as nations, since Earth’s earliest days. The idea that all are deserving of an equal amount of respect and acceptance, however appealing it may be, is quite impossible. There will always be factors (ie. economic situations, former methods of servitude, personality, etc.) that will affect the way in which humans treat one another, no matter the circumstance. It is a ridiculous idea to even attempt to comprehend that one’s feelings and thoughts and history as a person could ever be the equivalent to another’s. As a result, we are able to achieve a sense of individualism within ourselves and are able to clearly notice the differences between one another. One specific aspect of each and every person that is notably different as you begin to analyze people for who they are is the concept of values. Each and every person upholds contrasting values, which may range from education and gaining knowledge to simply being happy and making others happy. This is no different for fictional characters—or at least well-written fictional characters—and one I can specifically mention is Lyddie, from the novel of the same name, written by Katherine Paterson. During a time of sexism, poverty, and child labor as its main issues, Lyddie is a 12-year-old girl who is forced to undergo all of the mentioned, paired with her own personal matters. She works at a textile mill in Lowell, working in gruesome, repulsive working conditions, with the primary objective of freeing her and her family from debt. Throughout her time working at the mill, a petition is proposed to Lyddie and her “coworkers”, requesting of the owners of the mill to shorten work...
While these differences alter the experiences felt by each character due to their respective cultures, each aspect that differs between the two societies still adds to the overall oppression of women. Othello was set in the late 16th century in a hierarchical, status oriented society. The effects of a culture focused on rank and class level are reflected by the reactions that Othello, Brabantio, Iago and Cassio had throughout the play when their status was threatened. Iago’s ability to so easily manipulate these men by threatening their position shows the importance honour had in this society. Brabantio’s reaction to Othello’s and Desdemona’s marriage, Cassio’s anguish over his lost title, and Othello’s ease in being influenced by Iago are examples of this. The society in The Yellow Wallpaper differs in this way because while John did put himself as superior to Jane, he did not harm Jane in the name of his status, but rather a misguided medical belief that she was sick due to her gender’s pathology. The actions of the men in Othello were motivated by honour, while it was John’s arrogance that instead caused him to mistreat Jane. In The Yellow Wallpaper, the oppression towards women was led by the belief that women were pathologically inferior to men, where in Othello, as explained by Hammons, “[a]ccording to The Lawes Resolutions, because Eve’s transgression
Nora and Mrs. Wright’s social standing when compared to the men in each play is inferior. Both works expose their respective male characters’ sexist view of women diminishing the women’s social standing. Each work features egotistical men who have a severely inflated view of their self-worth when compared to their female counterparts. The men’s actions and words indicate they believe women are not capable of thinking intelligently. This is demonstrated in “Trifles” when Mr. Hale makes the statement about women only worrying about mere trifles. It is also apparent in “A Dollhouse” when Torvalds thinks his wife is not capable of thinking with any complexity (Mazur 17). Another common attribute is of the women’s social standing is displayed as both women finally get tired of feeling like second class citizens and stand up to the repressive people in the women’s lives (Mulry 294). Although both women share much in common in their social standing there subtle differences. Torvald’s sexist view of Nora is more on a personal level in “A Dollhouse” while the male characters’ sexist views in “Trifles” seem to be more of a social view that women are not very smart and their opinions are of little value. This attitude is apparent in “Trifles” as Mr. Hale and Mr. Henderson’s comments about Mrs. Wright’s housekeeping (Mulry 293). As the women in both works reach their emotional
Which is caused by the narrator having a male perspective. The narrator does not give the women and credit or redeeming qualities. All the women follow a general stereotype. If they tried to break away from the stereotype, they would me more important and influential characters. Paquette, a chambermaid in the Baron’s castle, is described as “a pretty and obedient brunette” (5). She is identified obedient not because of her job as a chambermaid, but because she is willing to exploit her soul and body to the men around the castle. In regards to the old woman, she doesn’t even have an actual name, which does not matter since is ugly and useless. The old woman has the mindset that she is; an object; a mistake; a disgrace. That her time has passed as a beautiful useful woman. All the rape and abuse has physically affected her and she is out of luck. In fact, she is lucky if men talk to her, or even look at her without
The birth of classic detective fiction was originated just in the mid nineteenth century, and was producing its own genre. Classical detective fiction follows a set of rules called the ‘Ten commandments of detective fiction’. The genre is so popular it can bee seen by the number of sales in any good book stores. Many of these books have been created a long time ago and there is still a demand for these types of books. The popularity is still ongoing because it provides constant entertainment, and also the reader can also have a role of detective trying to solve the crime/case committed. Classical detective fiction has a formula, the detective story starts with a seemingly irresolvable mystery, typically a murder, features the astute, often unconventional detective, a wrongly accused suspect to whom the circumstantial evidence points, and concludes with a startling or unexpected solution to the mystery, during which the detective explains how he or she solved the mystery. Formula that includes certain elements such as, a closed location to keep the number of suspects down, red hearings spread around the stories to keep the reader entertained yet interacted.
Indeed, Antoinette’s husband does not love her, but he wants to control her. “Rochester’s preestablished knowledge and presentations produced by the Victorian ideologies of racial and cultural superiority are not just directed at his wife, but infuse his interactions with the black and colored population even more imposingly”( Roper 83). As an knowledgeable English man, Rochester, Antoinette’s husband, has extremely different background from Antoinette. He thinks he is powerful and noble. The ideologies makes him arrogant-- he wants to conquer and control; he wants to become the master of Antoinette even though he knows that Antoinette might become a madwoman staying with him. This is an proper example can be used to explain class and gender. Class makes the husband superior; through gender, it is clear that men strongly owns power and property, but women are victims.
Amateur City, a city filled with confusion and intolerable human behavior. In this detective fiction novel, Katherine Forrest demonstrates the social, sexual and power dynamic of each character which all leads to the curious homicide of Fergus Parker. In Forrest’s Amateur City there are multiple analysis regarding the characters of the “Modern Office” also including the detective Kate Delafield. Amateur City portrays a huge hierarchy of the predominant human society in which the class of race, ethnicity and gender are all divided in the image of Forrest’s characters. The social, sexual and power dynamic of the “Modern Office” provides a powerful message in Forrest’s Amateur City, which clearly magnifies the realistic and true nature of humanity. This essay will stress upon the representive of Forrest’s characters relating to the modern world.
Adele had learned these values by living in Poland, which possessed a far more egalitarian view of women’s roles in the community, which allowed Adele to evaluate American patriarchal society from a differing point of view: “I—a servant? Even in our worst poverty in Poland none of our people have ever been servants. Tailors, storekeepers, but never a servant. Should I be the first to go down? In this perspective, Beauvoir’s theory of the historically constructed gender roles of women as the “other” are subjective, since many differing societies can possess egalitarian views of women: Beauvoir focused not on an individual consciousness but on a relationship…She redefined feminist discourse through her epistemological privileging of female voices.” These are important aspects of Adele’s view of the world, since she has an alternative perspective on how women should be educated from her experiences in Poland,. Beauvoir argues that women can make an actual choice about their gender role identity, since many subservient aspects of female identity are artificial creations by patriarchal social institutions. Certainly, Beauvoir’s The Second Sex defines the social aspects of women’s choices, which Yezierska implies in her main character, Adele, as she struggles to eventually start
The female characters in Molière’s Tartuffe display feminist behaviors years before the feminist movement emerged historically. Many of their actions, words and behaviors are completely out of character for women of their time. Moliere makes a strong statement with this play by presenting female characters that go against convention. The gender inequality when the Enlightenment began was extreme. The women in this play try to fight against this inequality and in the end it is the patriarch of the family that is fooled by Tartuffe yet most of the female characters remain un-fooled throughout the play. Two of the female characters in this play, Doreen and Elmire play significantly different roles in the home. They have different personalities, different household duties and drastically different social standing. As different as these women are, they both show signs of early feminism. To various degrees they fight for want they believe is right. Dorine speaks her mind openly and does not hold anything back. Elmire is sneakier and uses her sexuality to get what she wants.
...held with a different responsibility for there actions. Women had a fear for there husbands more than a respect. While Alison cheated on her husband, she worried that he would have her and/or Nicolas killed. She didn't worry that he would be hurt in the matter. The only character that had any sensitivity was Absolon. He chose to declare his love for Alison in a more courteous and classic manner.
In Othello, the titular character is a visible minority who holds a high position in the army but falls victim to manipulation by his seemingly trustworthy ensign and friend. While the theme of jealousy remains the main reason for the eventual death of both Emilia and Desdemona, the preservation of honour and reputation also fuel the characters’ actions toward the women. Therefore, the men in the play act cruelly and unjustly in order to defend their honour. While the conflicts between the Othello and Iago seem to be due to jealousy, the play suggests that the men are scared of the women and their power to destroy their honour and reputation.
The society presented in Othello, based on the ideology of Elizabethan England, seems to treat women as second-class citizens. Men view the women in the play as possessions, who they believe should be seen but not heard. The only power that women do seem to be able to hold in Othello, their sensual power, is thought to be an ‘evil’ which must be resisted by the men in society. There are only three female characters in Othello: Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca. The way that these women behave and conduct themselves is undeniably linked to the expectations of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan society that he creates. Throughout Othello the three women characters are treated with apparent sexism, portrayed as objects to be bought, and push to combat these
Shakespeare's female characters are represented over an assortment of social classes. In this essay I will investigate how Shakespeare depicts women in A Midsummer Night's Dream. I will be analyzing particularly the characters and depiction of Hippolyta, Helena and Hermia and how they relate to the stereotypical nature of how ladies were dealt with by men, as well as how this issue is present in modern society.
His lack of education has deprived him of good manners as well as good sense. The scene itself initially seemed inconsistent with the rest of the play. The prejudice the women tolerate is evidenced by their tendency to dress in men’s clothing in order to be heard or considered (Olson). As women, their voices are inhibited or disregarded; they are overshadowed and overlooked by society. Portia, for example, has little choice but to consent to being the prize in her “loving” late father’s lottery.
The play Othello is presented as a male-dominated society where women are only recognized as property; objects to own and to bear children. Women in the Elizabethan society and in Shakespeare society were not seen as equal to men and were expected to be loyal to their husbands, be respectful, and to not go against their husbands judgements or actions. Shakespeare presents Desdemona, Emilia , and Bianca as women in the Elizabethan time where they were judged based on their class, mortality, and intelligence. Shakespeare makes his female characters act the way they would be expected to act in an Elizabethan society. The role of these women in Othello is crucial because they show how women were treated and how unhealthy their relationships between men really were in both Elizabethan and Shakespeare's society.