Androgynous Characters in Thomas Hardy's Novels
Androgyny may be defined as "a condition under which the characteristics of the sexes, and the human impulses expressed by men and women, are not rigidly assigned" (Heilbrun 10). In the midst of the Victorian Era, Thomas Hardy opposed conventional norms by creating androgynous characters such as Eustacia Vye, in The Return of the Native ; the title character in Tess of the d Urbervilles ; Sue Bridehead in Jude the Obscure ; and Marty South in The Woodlande rs. Hardy's women, possessing "prodigious energy, stunted opportunity, and a passion which challenges the entire, limiting world" (Heilbrun 70), often resemble men in actions and behavior.
Eustacia Vye may be considered androgynous for her passion, rebelliousness, and refusal to accept the confines of Egdon. She exists in a state of untamed romantic emotion and fantasy, and has little concern for the effects of her actions. These characteristics of Eustacia make her less typical of women during the Victorian Era, but the scene in which her androgynous behavior is most evident...
In the plays female sexuality is not expressed variously through courtship, pregnancy, childbearing, and remarriage, as it is in the period. Instead it is narrowly defined and contained by the conventions of Petrarchan love and cuckoldry. The first idealizes women as a catalyst to male virtue, insisting on their absolute purity. The second fears and mistrusts them for their (usually fantasized) infidelity, an infidelity that requires their actual or temporary elimination from the world of men, which then re-forms [sic] itself around the certainty of men’s shared victimization (Neely 127).
Captivatingly, both women act daringly, regardless of the culturally constructed labels as women, products of incest and wickedness. They use their “otherness” as a power mechanism, rather than an excuse to passivity. In conclusion, Elphaba and Antigone challenge conventional roles of gender, as they are strong, courageous figures of rebellion and exemplify a lack of traditional gender normativity.
In Christina Rosseti “Goblin Market” and Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, both authors mythologize homosexuality and the structures which hinder the agency of homoeroticism within the sphere of homosocial women’s relations; and in doing this, Rossetti and Le Fanu symbolize representations of these structures and shed a light on their society’s attitudes towards feminine desire, longing, and, ultimately, lesbianism. Their use of symbolism allegorizes their respective stories so to comment, or illuminate/challenge the realities of the Hellenistic sisterhoods of the Victorian Era, the myth of the female orgasm, and the interior/exterior representations of the patriarchal influence on women’s sexuality; being that Le Fanu’s Carmilla projects a vampiric connotation on female sexuality to its readers perpetuating the patriarchal agenda of demonizing a women’s desire, while Rosetti’s Goblins, as representation of the
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
Female Sexuality in Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd and Lawrence's The Virgin And The Gypsy
Hyman, Virginia R. "The Evolution of Tess." Ethical Perspectives in the Novels of Thomas Hardy.
In Hardy's novels, masculine identity is explored, evolving from the solid, monolithic, patriarchal role of the mid-1800s, to less typical, nearly feminine styles of manhood. With the increasing power of women during the Victorian Era, Hardy creates men who are in a state of ambivalence about their sexuality; they either reach for the well-worn stereotype of the "manly" man, or they attempt to explore their own complicated emotions, sensitive to the needs of the emerging New Woman. Though action in Hardy's novels centers predominately around the female, life is often seen through the eyes of the males in his works. The "typical" male is often associated with money, power, and prestige, while the realists and chaste men are almost "unmasculine" in thoughts and action, and frequently fall victim to the New Woman. By depicting a man like Henchard, who goes from being an obsessive power seeker to one who is, in a sense, "unmanned," Hardy shows readers the male identity which he tends to favor.
Considering a person to be a leader for an organisation is essential for successful business practises hence keeping in mind the certain characteristics an individual needs to have in order to be a leader and the responsibility of the leader to make sure that if any conflict arises they are able to handle the problem with care. They need to be able to manage themselves and people, to ‘drive them’ in order to allow them to strive to do their best.
Employee motivation is a significant element on employee performance to the success of public, private, and government establishments. Lack of motivation in the daily operations of any organization will hinder their goals. Followers are motivated for different reason to perform within an occupation satisfy his or her desire of monetary and non-monetary necessities.
is very loyal to her family if she will take a bullet for one of her
"The androgynous woman literally incorporates the independence that the male was designed to exemplify prior to the introduction of woman, but the male who depends on a woman becomes effeminate and is perceived as missing something in the outline of maleness," (Rose, 25). While in the forest of Ardenne, Rosalind is dressing in and taking on the male persona.
Motivation is therefore the force that transforms and uplifts people to be productive and perform in their jobs. Maximising an employee's motivation is necessary and vital to successfully accomplish the organisation's objectives and targets. However this is a considerable challenge to any organisation's managers, due to the complexity of motivation and the fact that there is no ready made solution or an answer to what motivates people to work well (Mullins, 2002).
In order to bake the perfect cake, you need a great recipe, quality ingredients, and the optimal baking conditions, and even then perfection isn’t guaranteed. Live is uncertain and there is always a probability of failure regardless of the method. This definitely holds true for business as well. You can be the most able entrepreneur, with a great idea, and many resources, but your business could still under. However, preparation and a thorough understanding of the situation immensely increases the rate of success. “Strategy a View from the Top” by John A. Pearce Cornelis A. de Kluyver, reveals several techniques and aspects to consider when formulating a business plan.
There are certain steps that must be followed in order to turn your idea into a successful business that not only draws in customers, but future investors. It begins with the Business Environment. Without knowing the actual definition and how important it is, you would be quick to assume it just means competition within the market. That’s part of it, but does not cover nearly everything. In the Business Environment, there are external factors and internal factors in the market. The external factors are the parts you can not control, but you must take into consideration when starting your business. The external factors are — legal environment, technological environment, social environment, and economic environment. Who is your competition? How will you differentiate yourself from the market? How will your product or service comply to social norms? Is your product legal to have? These are all questions you need to ask yourself. The internal factors
Viola's transvestism functions as emblematic of the antic nature of Illyrian society. As contemporary feminist and Shakespearean scholars are quick to point out, cross-dressing foregrounds not only the concept of role playing (a common practice during Twelfth Night revels) and thus the constructed or performative nature of gender but also the machinations of power. Viola can only make her way in this alien land if she assumes the trappings--and with these garments the--privileges of masculinity. Her doublet and hose act as her passport and provide her with a livelihood, a love interest, and friendship (just as Leonide's breeches allow her passage into Hermocrate's garden).