“Cassandra” Florence Nightingale Historical Analysis

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“Cassandra” is about Florence Nightingale’s effort to overcome her frustration of discrimination of sexism, as well as how she is affected by such a judicious and dictated society, and how her representation of women’s rights helped evolve the outlook of women during the Victorian Era.
In the excerpt “Cassandra” by Florence Nightingale, Nightingale directs the passage toward the tragic condition in which women lived in the nineteenth century. In the excerpt, the character “Cassandra” is compared to those women of Ancient Greek. In comparing the ancient Greek prophet in which was forbidden to say what she wished to an audience of disbelief, just as Cassandra struggled to be heard during the Victorian Era. (Shaddock)

The Victorian period in England was from 1837 to 1901. During this time people witnessed many polarized gender based roles, that were analyzed upon the different expectations of both men and women, this was known as the ideology of separate spheres. The ideology of separate spheres states “men possessed the capacity for reason, action, aggression, independence, and self-interest. Women inhabited a separate sphere, private sphere, one suitable for the so called inherent qualities of feminist: emotion, passivity, submission, dependence, and selflessness, all derived, it was claimed insistently, form women’s sexual and reproduction organization.”
("Women as “the Sex” During the Victorian Era")
The excerpt can sometimes be read in such a way that it seems as if the writer is screaming as opposed to talking in a calmly matter. This was probably due to the fact that Nightingale was infuriated with the way women were being treated. “Cassandra” is a discussion or dialogue between two sisters and their mother and father dis...

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...way they wished to live their lives. This being said, Florence Nightingale was just one of many author’s whose words and writing helped change the outlook on women everywhere.

Works Cited:
Bostridge, Mark. "Women of the World Unite." The Guardian.com. N.p., 28 January 2005. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .

Shaddock, Jennifer. "Florence Nightingale." Project Muse. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .

"Florence Nightingale, Cassandra (1852) on women's vocation." . N.p.. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .

"Women as “the Sex” During the Victorian Era." Victorian Women:The Gender of Oppression. N.p.. Web. 4 Apr 2014. .

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