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american literature and women status
american literature and women status
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The insights of Martha Cutter take on a very feminist point of view, especially in the criticism of “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” by Mary Wilkins Freeman. Sarah Penn, who is “Mother” in the story, embodies the common suppressed woman of the time. Cutter, author of “Frontiers of Language: Engendering Discourse in ‘The Revolt of “Mother,”’’ explains that Sarah Penn is living in a very patriarchal time (Cutter 279). There are many instances of this in the story for example; when father wants to build a new barn, he builds it. Mother on the other hand has wanted a new house for forty years and has yet to receive what she has been promised. “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” shows a voiceless woman’s defiance under the stronghold of her husband’s influence.
From this article one can take away that Sarah Penn is in a patriarchal environment that limits her ability to speak freely. Her methods in getting her point across are very unconventional for the time such as moving all of the family’s items from their home into the new barn with the intention of converting it into a home (Freeman 160). Another example of Sarah Penn living in an anti-feminist environment is when she continuously asks Father why he is building the barn. Father’s answer is repeated almost robotically as he states “I ain’t got nothin’ to say” (Freeman 156). According to Cutter, Sarah Penn is treated this way because women had such a low stance in the society they were living in that the animals were treated in a higher regard (Cutter 279). In Sarah Penn’s case, the cows were built a new barn before she was allowed a new house, which shows the blatant disregard for her status in the home.
The article is excellent in convincing one that “The Revolt of ‘Mother’” is a short story ...
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...the language and power, and to change this status would be difficult” (Cutter 285). This was a pre-determined role for women and to break out of such a strong stereotype takes a strong woman with a lot to say. Cutter also explains the only way for Sarah Penn to break out of this stereotype is to take her future into her own hands and to do this she must master the art of language.
This article gives one a lot to think about as far as patriarchy in the eighteen and nineteen hundreds and lack of feminism in that time. It explains how, once “locked out of language” (Cutter 285), it is nearly impossible to re-enter the speaking world and gain equality. The eloquently put feminist opinion of Sarah Penn’s ascent into recognition is a must read for those who are attempting to understand one of the most logical reasons as to why women are, at times, regarded as inferior.
The novel, The Awakening, and the short story, “The Revolt of ‘Mother,’” both stories have women that are not respected by their husbands. Both of the women, Edna Pontellier and Sarah Penn, have husbands who do not respect them, but they fight back in different ways. Their battles shows the differences between these two women from an earlier and less accepting time.
Society continually places restrictive standards on the female gender not only fifty years ago, but in today’s society as well. While many women have overcome many unfair prejudices and oppressions in the last fifty or so years, late nineteenth and early twentieth century women were forced to deal with a less understanding culture. In its various formulations, patriarchy posits men's traits and/or intentions as the cause of women's oppression. This way of thinking diverts attention from theorizing the social relations that place women in a disadvantageous position in every sphere of life and channels it towards men as the cause of women's oppression (Gimenez). Different people had many ways of voicing their opinions concerning gender inequalities amound women, including expressing their voices and opinions through their literature. By writing stories such as Daisy Miller and The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Henry James let readers understand and develop their own ideas on such a serious topic that took a major toll in American History. In this essay, I am going to compare Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” to James’ “Daisy Miller” as portraits of American women in peril and also the men that had a great influence.
" Well behaved women rarely make history." This is a famous quote said by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Ms. Ulrich is a professor of history at Harvard University and she is well known for many of her publications, one of them being "Good Wives" a book written about women in Northern New England 1650-1750. Her writings offer an individualized picture of an important part of colonial society in all aspects, a society in which the boundaries of men and women sometimes were blurred within the individual household. I believe we can find a true correlation between these theories and in the story written by Mary Freeman, "The Revolt of "Mother."" Boundaries are broken within the traditional thinking of the oppressed wife and with a husband who strongly believes in dominance over women.
The setting of both stories reinforces the notion of women's dependence on men. The late 1800's were a turbulent time for women's roles. The turn of the century brought about revolution, fueled by the energy and freedom of a new horizon…but it was still just around the bend. In this era, during which both short stories were published, members of the weaker sex were blatantly disregarded as individuals, who had minds that could think, and reason, and form valid opinions.
During this time period women were not respected at all and were belittled by all med in their lives. Even though men don’t appreciate what women they still did as they were told. In particular, “Women have an astoundingly long list of responsibilities and duties – th...
Indisputably, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the most influential figures of Enlightenment, also considered the ‘first feminist’. It is certain that her works and writing has influenced the lives of many women and altered the outlook of some societies on women, evolving rights of women a great deal from what they used to be in her time. It is clear that Wollstonecraft’s arguments and writing will remain applicable and relevant to societies for many years to come, as although there has been progression, there has not been a complete resolution. Once women receive so easily the freedom, rights and opportunities that men inherently possess, may we be able to say that Wollstonecraft has succeeded in vindicating the rights of women entirely.
Both Mead and Mill echo the idea that women have fallen victims to the cult of domesticity. Mead talks about how women are subjected by society and culture to be homemakers. In Mead’s “Sex and Temperament” she enumerates the duties of women in society. Mead asserts that a woman’s “sole function is motherhood” (714) and that a woman’s “place is the home” (714). In Mill’s “Subjection of Women,” he talks about the role of women in society. Women are not taught to be self-reliant, they are condemned to rely on others for their subsistence. They are not given the tools to be independent. Mill affirms that women are “[destined] to receive everything from others” (681). Mead talks about how men are seen to merely be slaves of the home; whereas, Mill talks about how women have become dependent on others for their subsistence rather than being self-reliant. Mead and Mill both believe that women have fallen victims to the cult of domesticity; echoing Wollstonecraft’s view of the role of
In “The Revolt of Mother,” written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, along with the narrator, we can experience how human beings communicate. Time and setting are the most important definitions of a person’s life. A person cannot change the time he lives in. He lives in the present, the past, or the future. However, his place in location, he is able to choose himself. If a person lives in a city, on a farm, in the mountains, or by the ocean—this can define the nature of his daily activities and even his character. The heroes of this story lived nearly a century ago. They resided on a farm. This was a time when there weren’t a lot of modern accommodations. That’s why Mother and Father had to do everything themselves. Mother raised the children, milked the cow, and cooked the food, which she produced on her own farm. Father also had many responsibilities, such as tending to the animals and farming. They both worked a lot—completed their own given tasks. This separates them from each other, and at the same time, adds to their character.
Early Modern English." Feminist Studies 19.2 (1993): 377+. JSTOR. Feminist Studies Inc.,. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
“The Revolt of ‘Mother’” by Mary Wilkins Freeman, was a story of a woman who lived in New England around or before the author’s time. The mother, Sarah Penn, was kept out of the families decisions by the father, Adoniram Penn, until one event that lead to her taking drastic actions while her husband was gone. There are many religious symbols and actions taken by “Mother” within the story. Through the story Sarah moved from a feeling of servitude to her husband, to a feeling that she was in servitude to the Lords will and this led her, in the end, to hold power over her husband.
Throughout history, women have struggled with, and fought against oppression. They have been held back and weighed down by the sexist ideas of a male dominated society which has controlled cultural, economic and political ideas and structure. During the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s women became more vocal and rebuked sexism and the role that had been defined for them. Fighting with the powerful written word, women sought a voice, equality amongst men and an identity outside of their family. In many literary writings, especially by women, during the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s, we see symbols of oppression and the search for gender equality in society. Writing based on their own experiences, had it not been for the works of Susan Glaspell, Kate Chopin, and similar feminist authors of their time, we may not have seen a reform movement to improve gender roles in a culture in which women had been overshadowed by men.
...present powerful characters, while females represent unimportant characters. Unaware of the influence of society’s perception of the importance of sexes, literature and culture go unchanged. Although fairytales such as Sleeping Beauty produce charming entertainment for children, their remains a didactic message that lays hidden beneath the surface; teaching future generations to be submissive to the inequalities of their gender. Feminist critic the works of former literature, highlighting sexual discriminations, and broadcasting their own versions of former works, that paints a composite image of women’s oppression (Feminist Theory and Criticism). Women of the twenty-first century serge forward investigating, and highlighting the inequalities of their race in effort to organize a better social life for women of the future (Feminist Theory and Criticism).
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been hardly recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman of society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women character in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a
“Girls wear jeans and cut their hair short and wear shirts and boots because it is okay to be a boy; for a girl it is like promotion. But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading, according to you, because secretly you believe that being a girl is degrading” (McEwan 55-56). Throughout the history of literature women have been viewed as inferior to men, but as time has progressed the idealistic views of how women perceive themselves has changed. In earlier literature women took the role of being the “housewife” or the household caretaker for the family while the men provided for the family. Women were hardly mentioned in the workforce and always held a spot under their husband’s wing. Women were viewed as a calm and caring character in many stories, poems, and novels in the early time period of literature. During the early time period of literature, women who opposed the common role were often times put to shame or viewed as rebels. As literature progresses through the decades and centuries, very little, but noticeable change begins to appear in perspective to the common role of women. Women were more often seen as a main character in a story setting as the literary period advanced. Around the nineteenth century women were beginning to break away from the social norms of society. Society had created a subservient role for women, which did not allow women to stand up for what they believe in. As the role of women in literature evolves, so does their views on the workforce environment and their own independence. Throughout the history of the world, British, and American literature, women have evolved to become more independent, self-reliant, and have learned to emphasize their self-worth.
Women have always been essential to society. Fifty to seventy years ago, a woman was no more than a house wife, caregiver, and at their husbands beck and call. Women had no personal opinion, no voice, and no freedom. They were suppressed by the sociable beliefs of man. A woman’s respectable place was always behind the masculine frame of a man. In the past a woman’s inferiority was not voluntary but instilled by elder women, and/or force. Many, would like to know why? Why was a woman such a threat to a man? Was it just about man’s ability to control, and overpower a woman, or was there a serious threat? Well, everyone has there own opinion about the cause of the past oppression of woman, it is currently still a popular argument today.