The Great Gatsby Femininity Analysis

Patriarchal Norms and the Deterioration of Femininity

During the 1920’s women were fervently depicted as inferior to men and incapable of the success. In the novel The Great Gatsby female characters are subject to gender based stereotypes and blindly follow culturally accepted norms which dictate their place and position within society. The expectations placed upon the female characters to comply with the norms of society limit their potential to become successful in comparison to the male characters, who are successful in the 1920’s. Within The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald illustrates the female characters as socially and economically limited and dependant, due to the strong implementation of patriarchal roles of men in society. Women are confined

to insignificant roles placed upon them by society through the degradation of femininity, patriarchal attitudes, and the socially constructed dependency on men.
In The Great Gatsby, both Daisy and Myrtle are represented as being dependant on the men in their lives. When Daisy is given the opportunity to rekindle her first love and leave her current deceitful husband, she dismisses the idea due to the social position in society which only Tom can provide her with. She chooses to turn a blind eye in the face of his affairs, and maintain her status and high-class among peers. Daisy accepts her position in society and critiques the nature and naivety of women through reference of her daughter. Convincingly, Daisy declares “‘I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’” (Fitzgerald 18). Daisy wallows in self-pity and wishes she could be naive and oblivious to the affairs Tom indulges in. The accepted gender roles of women are stressed, “‘hope she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world’” (Fitzgerald 18). This emphasizes how females are perceived as subordinate to men, and the importance of naivety for a successful marriage. According to the Women’s Bureau, only 23% of American women were employed during the 1920’s, meaning the other 77% was fully dependant on their husbands for support. In contrast to Daisy, Myrtle is both socially and economically dependent on Tom. Tom becomes Myrtle’s sole source of happiness, as she desires to escape her penniless, dull marriage. Mrs. Wilson demands, “‘I want to get one of those dogs,’ she said earnestly. ‘I want to get one for the apartment. They’re nice to have- a dog.’” (Fitzgerald 28). Myrtle’s need for a dog displays a yearning for a lifestyle she cannot claim without the aid of Tom’s money. Similarly the importance Myrtle places on appearing wealthy can be achieved only through thoroughly pleasing and obeying Tom’s every whim. Myrtle’s facade of an appearance in New York emphasizes what she stands to gain by maintaining the socially constructed stereotype of a submissive woman. The dependency placed on men in the novel is deeply reflected within the characters of Myrtle and Daisy as they strive to maintain status and wealth.
Throughout the novel, during many occasions women are displayed as inferior and suffer indignity at the hands of men. Myrtle suffers the most indignity of all notable female characters, as she is more vulgar and physical than any of the other females in the novel. She inevitably suffers as a result for her desperate ambition to better the circumstances fate dealt her. Within the novel the first account of indignity towards Myrtle is physical, as she provokes Tom by repeating Daisy’s name several times. Later on, it is revealed that George physically confines Myrtle inside a room upstairs within the garage he works at, after discovering her infidelity. Mr. Wilson announces, “‘I’ve got my wife locked up in there,’ explained Wilson calmly. ‘She’s going to stay there till the day after tomorrow, and then we’re going to move away.’” (Fitzgerald 144). George is explicitly displaying an assertion of power over Myrtle, and the ability he holds in controlling her. Fitzgerald emphasizes the airy tone George takes on, “explained Wilson calmly.” (Fitzgerald 144), further reinforcing his dominance and capacity to subdue Myrtle and prevent her from leaving him. During the 1920’s while a sexual revolution was at play, experimentation and infidelity were common aspects of society. Myrtle, attributing as a promiscuous, floozy character, fit in with such stereotypes challenging George’s firmer Victorian beliefs when it came to sexual freedom. Men were more socially deem able to have affairs than women, and were also considered more superior. Nick remarks,
“One of the men was talking with curios intensity to a young actress, and his wife after attempting to laugh broke down entirely and resorted to flank attacks- at intervals she appeared suddenly at his side like an angry diamond, and hissed: ‘You promised!’ into his ear.” (Fitzgerald 55).
The woman portrayed in this scene is inferior to her husband and feels the injustice of his actions as he openly flirts with another woman in front of her. This further underlines the treatment of women in society and how they did not hold much value in the eyes of men, besides to maintain social status and the lineage of old money. The stark imagery Fitzgerald uses to show the severity of the culturally accepted social issue strengthens the reader’s perception, “she appeared suddenly at his side like an angry diamond, and hissed: ‘You promised!’ into his ear.” (Fitzgerald 55). A mental image is illustrated of an angry woman suffering the cruelty of her husband’s affiliations. This simile also magnifies the situation as the woman is perceived in contrast to a diamond, sharp and poignant. The limitations placed on women by men cause indignity and create a sense of inferiority among women, placing them below men.
Within The Great Gatsby, the idealisation of Daisy, and the struggle between Tom and Gatsby over Daisy, causes her to be objectified as a possession or token.

Tom within the novel is an epitome of patriarchy, and his dominating demeanor comes out as he and Gatsby fight over Daisy. She is referred to in third person and bears neither of their arguments until her hand is forced. Daisy remains rigid and takes on the weak, damsel in distress stereotype. Tom boastfully states, “‘She’s not leaving me!’ Tom’s words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby. ‘Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger.’” (Fitzgerald 141). Tom’s attitude and tone is forceful in nature and arrogantly brings to Gatsby’s attention that he is a long forgotten lover. It is evident that Tom enforces his position and radiates dominance, “‘She’s not leaving me!’” (Fitzgerald 141). Daisy, subject to the will of Tom becomes fearful of what she stands to lose and complies submissively with what he declares. It is his patriarchal attitude that distinguishes the cause for his firmly held belief that he is superior and no woman would ever wish to leave him, especially not for a ‘common swindler’ as Tom suggests Gatsby is. His supremacy suggests that it is well within his conviction that extra-marital affairs should be forbidden for women such as his wife. Tom sneeringly

states,
“‘I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out... Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.’” (Fitzgerald 137).
The hypocrisy in Tom’s words is ironic as he engages in multiple affairs himself, yet still finds the audacity to place himself above Daisy and other women. His contemptible ideology further appends the severity of the situation and objectifies Daisy as property that has been stolen from him by another man. The stark comparison of Daisy’s infidelity to intermarriage between blacks and whites, displays how blasphemous Tom regards this situation. Not only does he not believe women of Daisy’s class can have affairs, but he also believes it is something that should never occur, similarly to intermarriage. The incessant struggle over the possession of Daisy’s heart expresses the patriarchal, dominant role Tom plays.
The deterioration of femininity within The Great Gatsby is made apparent through patriarchal attitudes, the indignity of women, and the socioeconomic dependency women bear on men. As infidelity is abundant, both Myrtle and Daisy are subject to suffer the consequences as they struggle to maintain a means of class in society. Socially constructed patriarchal norms are the cause for the degradation of integrity and dignity in women.