The Evolution of Women in Literature

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Recommended: Modernism literature

Modernism, first introduced in literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is the breaking of tradition and boundaries that have developed in society. Women have been seen as “lower” than men in society and have been treated as such. In Victorian society, women are seen as the keeper of the home while men are still the head of the house hold. Women are supposed to prepare all the meals, take care of the children, support their husbands without question, and clean the house. Through the works of Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Portis, and Charlotte Perkins the evolution of gender roles of women in society is visible. In Scott Fitzgerald’s writing, Great Gatsby, the reader will see his portrayal of the “roaring twenties” in America witch shows the downfall society and the loss of morality in the public. Fitzgerald’s fictional characters all help further show this breakdown in society through the eyes of our narriortor Nick Carraway. Nick gives the reader a firsthand look into the personal lives of some of New York’s wealthiest citizens Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. The women of the time were just starting to break the mold of the idea that women are housewives and mothers before everything. With the introduction of the “flapper” in the 1920s woman felt more independent and powerful through the search of “pleasure, self-fulfillment and self-realization” (Glasgow 12). “Flappers” were women who wore more revealing scandalous clothes, drank and smoke, and more sexual then women of the past. The three main women in this novel, Daisy, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson, are indeed modern woman who are in search of their own independence. Daisy sees this change in society that is causing to view women differently. She rec... ... middle of paper ... ...anything that would break the mold and give there life meaning. Over the years women have overcome many obstacles to get where they are today in modern society. Although they still are striving for equality today one must appreciate the advancements they have made over the decades. Through the breaking of the traditions of their time women have made a culture for themselves in society that is all their own. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print. Glasgow, Ellen. “Feminism.” New York Times 30 Nov. 1913: 656. Proquest Historical Papers. Web. Gordon, Stephanie. "modernist poetry." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Portis, Charles. True Grit. New York: The Overlook Press, 2012. Print. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. "The Feminine Mystique." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

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