Womens Role in Literature Essay - 1267 Words

Womens Role in Literature In many works of Literature women play a controversial role, one in which their actions are the cause of conflict in many situations. There are more often then not two reasons for this. One reason why the female character is always caught in the center of the conflict is ignorance, such is the case Shakespeares Hamlet; Prince of Denmark with the character Queen Gertrude as an example. The second reason why women are the cause of the central conflict are that in many instances they are trying to make a stand against society by defying what society holds to be the norm. An example of this would be Sophocles Antigone. In either case, the woman character is cause of the central conflict within the†¦show more content†¦Through their actions, both of these women brought upon much stress upon not only themselves but members of their family as well, allowing for the central conflicts to take place. In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, it is Queen Gertrudes marriage to Claudius that c auses Hamlet to act as though he has gone crazy. His fathers death was hard enough on him, especially due to the fact that his Uncle Claudius was his fathers murderer. His mothers hasty marriage to him only causes Hamlet to speculate about his mothers involvement in his fathers death. Shakespeare does not make it entirely clear as to whether or not Gertrude took part in the elder Hamlets death, nor does he make certain as to whether or not she took part in any extramarital affairs with Claudius prior to the kings death. It is this uncertainty that drives Hamlet to the brink of insanity. Hamlet is unsure as to whether or not he should hold his mother responsible for his fathers death, and this causes him to act mad towards the others in the court, especially his lover Ophelia. It is the ghost of the elder Hamlet that tells his son not to harm his mother, that she is innocent of his murder. Hamlet listens to his fathers ghost but still resents his mothers remarriage, seeing it as an insult to his father. As a result Hamlet remains in his mad state, and in the classical tragic ending, allShow MoreRelatedFeminism in Novel Makaan of Paigham Afaqui1301 Words   |  6 PagesPaigham Afaqui Feminist literature, as the name suggests, is based on the principles of feminism, and refers to any literary work that centers on the struggle of a woman for equality, and to be accepted as a human being, before being cast into a gender stereotype. Not all these works follow a direct approach towards this goal of equality. It is only through such media that women believed a change was possible in the way they were perceived in society. Not all feminist literature has been written by womenRead MoreGoddess, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Classical Women of Antiquity, written by Sarah B. Pomery1327 Words   |  5 Pagesfocuses on the main categories of women in the literature and society of ancient Greece and Roman over a time period of fifteen hundred years. Pomery focuses on these roles and how they are significant in the development and structure of these great ancient civilizations. Her goal in writing this book was to expand upon her first book, entitled Goddesses as she discusses in the Preface of this book. She wanted to include the significance of all women’s roles beyond just that of Olympian women becauseRead MoreLiterature Review - How to Do It?1653 Words   |  7 PagesWriting A Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix My professor says I have to write a literature review, what do I do? Well, to begin, you have to know that when writing a literature review, the goal of the researcher is to determine the current state of knowledge about a particular topic by asking, â€Å"What do we know or not know about this issue?† In conducting this type of research, it is imperative to examine several different sources to determine where the knowledge overlaps and where itRead MoreThe Cult Of True Womanhood And The Cult Of True Womanhood1194 Words   |  5 Pagesidentity was strictly enforced. The roles of men and women in were sharply defined and as a result, society was very structured. Women were expected to be domesticated due to their physical and emotional nature. In fact, this ideology was so wide-spread that it had a name: The Cult of True Womanhood. The Cult of True Womanhood was characterized by women’s magazines, gift annuals and religious writings of the time. Through the analysis of these mediums, specifically women’s magazines, it is evident thatRead MoreEssay about The Facets of Womans Studies783 Words   |  4 Pagesethnicity, socioeconomic status and sexuality. Women’s studies emerged in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s as a concerned women being misrepresentation and trivialization in the higher education curriculum and as well as being excluded from many positions of power authority as colleges faculty and administrators. An example from the â€Å" Women’s Voices /Feminist Vision† book written by Susan M.Shaw Janet lee was â€Å"the entire course in English or American literature to include not one novel written by a womanRead MoreLiterature And Everyday Life : Toni Morrison s The Dark, And White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesFrom the role it plays in literature to its looming existence in our everyday lives, race has an undeniable influence on many aspects of our lives. Toni Morri son and Peggy McIntosh, a writer and an activist respectively, both have the urge to understand this presence and impact of race in literature and everyday life specifically. Through self-reflection and attempts to see from others’ perspectives, both Morrison and McIntosh manage to answer their own questions regarding race and its role in literatureRead MoreCompatison of Spotty Handed Villainesses and Keynote Address at the Beijing World Conference on Women.879 Words   |  4 Pagesshe had embraced the dogmatic feminism she dissociated with, the speech would be far more context dependent and the textual integrity of the speech would have been lessened. Atwood challenges the representation of women in literature, arguing that lack of evil women in literature is suppressive to women in society, while Suu Kyi argues that the lack of women in politics is suppressive to women. The title of Atwood’s speech alludes to Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, emphasising that wome n are multidimensionalRead MoreEssay about Feminism in The Awakening986 Words   |  4 Pagesfor freedom.† Ultimately, this shows how most women, especially Edna Pontellier, try to break free from the burden of society. Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, showcases the feminist critical approach through women’s roles, women characters, influences, and independence. Women’s roles had a major impact on the feminist involvement in the novel. Women are portrayed as being very motherly, and willing to do almost anything for their husbands. However, many women did not have the courage to standRead MoreSocial Issues In American Literature972 Words   |  4 Pages American Literature from its beginnings is shaped by a demand towards reforming society by bringing awareness towards towards social issues and a need to question societal norms.American literature from its beginnings has focused around establishing the American identity , and has also served as a means to address social issues that have plagues American society. The three authors that are representative of these ideals are the following; Hector De St John Crevecoeur Benjamin Franklin, andRead MoreThe Fight For Women s Rights1711 Words   |  7 Pagesmost lasting effects through two large waves in the early 1900’s, whilst fighting for women’s suffrage, and the 1960 ’s to 1970’s, which focused on women in the workplace and counteracting the submissive roles assigned to women in the 1950’s. These political battles for gender equality have left lasting footprints on today’s society by giving women opportunities previously unattainable. Still, the fight for women’s rights is far from over, as today’s females face a new struggle involving the media.