Oppression Of Gender Roles In Feminist Literature

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Patriarchy is a system lead by males. Therefore, patriarchal societies are run by and favour the male gender, thus based on this male dominated system, females have the potential to be marginalized. Literature often mirrors society's ills. Authors highlight oppression so that awareness can be drawn towards the betterment of society. One of the quintessential authors of feminist critique is Jane Austen, in her novels, the protagonists exist in patriarchal societies and their struggles are the universal female struggles. Although other authors may not associate themselves with feminist critique overtly, Esi Edugyan focuses on social justice, still there are undertones of female characters who do not fit the norms of the patriarchal societies …show more content…

Camelia Boarcas (2014) writes about the feminine consciousness present in Austen's characters. Specifically, the character of Fanny is seen as inferior amongst her cousins because she is not rich. As a result, she listens to Edmund's commands and awaits opportunities to be useful. Boarcas helps identify the passivity of Fanny as part of the binary roles associated with the feminist critique. On the other hand, the men are stunned because they anticipate women to be emotional. Delilah "sometimes just stand[s] up mid-sentence and walk[s] away" furthermore the men discover she is intellectual: "Delilah, she a right bone-grinder. For real. Ain't none of us prepared for her odd flattery, her strings of teasing insults, or for the careless, distracted way she offer up her opinions" (Edugyan 123). The concept of binary roles maintain that men are intellectual and women are emotional. Contrary to this binary system, rooted in patriarchy, Delilah is intellectual. The men are surprised by her intellectuality since the men expect Delilah to be intellectually inferior and highly emotional. Moreover, Delilah proves her intelligence by …show more content…

Austen's character Maria does not actively react to her husband Henry's flirtation with other women. Although her husband flirts with other women, Maria cannot do the same thing with other men. Maria is jealous and agitated at the sight of Henry's flirtation yet all she does is feel insignificant, " Henry Crawford had trifled with her feelings … she either sat in gloomy silence, wrapt in such gravity as nothing could subdue, no curiosity touch, no wit amuse" (Austen 125). Women are not permitted to do what men do. Maria displays a passive behavior when "Henry Crawford had trifled with her feelings" and flirt with various women. Conversely, when Maria flirts with Edmund it devalued her as a result. Maria must obey Henry's male dominance. Mark Canuel (2005) cites Jane Austen as being an author whose novels focus on the importance of female characters being "wrong" to make male characters feel more significant and contrastingly making female characters appear marginalized. Through the lens of marginalization as applied to the character of Maria, who is made to feel insignificant when her husband flirts with other women. Maria lives in a system where men are permitted to flirt, while women are not and may not criticize the men for flirting. When Maria flirts with Edmund, it is frowned upon, and seen through the lens of misogyny. Similarly, women's feelings and needs are expected to be secondary to men's

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