Double Standards in Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
analytical Essay
984 words
Within most forms of literature there seems to be a representation of a double standard. Even in our societies double standards not only exist but are prevalent. In literature though double standards are sometimes not always noticeable to the reader, however in the texts that we have read double standards are not only noticeable, but are written in a way as if the author wants the reader to pick up on this. It’s fairly comprehensive how when it comes to adultery that the female characters suffer far more from their consequences than the males. Within each culture’s literature though, some might find adultery to be more acceptable based on that culture’s views. Altogether it is through the way the authors choose to depict the apparent double standard, how their own cultural morals for punishment in infidelity become reflected in the text, and how they choose to have the morals of their characters reflect on the act of adultery in itself that we are able to see how these books are able to find themselves in such a category of being “big books about bad girls.”
Writers throughout time have all sought ways to point out flaws in their society. They use their work as a way to present to the reader that the culture they live in isn’t as pretty as they assume. The double standard is an example of flawed human logic that decides to hold women and men to different standards when it comes to their way of life. The most obvious double standard in the text was the punishment for each sex when they committed adultery. One of the best examples is Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. The mere fact that Stiva isn’t punished for cheating on his wife Dolly is one thing, but to follow with her considered to be wrong for wanting to end the marriage depicts how c...
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... standards that we as a society can move on from that time period. Now in our present time there isn’t as strong of a double standard because we are fairly aware of it when it is present. Yet in the time that these novels were published it was considered normal and ok by society. In the end though all of the great pieces of literature that we’ve read really do offer us what the class promised and that was “big books about bad women,” although maybe is should say “bad women and men.”
Works Cited
Balzac, Honoré De. Cousin Bette. N.p.: Penguin, 1998. Print.
Laclos, Choderlos De, and Douglas Parmée. Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1995. Print.
Thackeray, William Makepeace, and Nicholas Dames. Vanity Fair. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.
Tolstoy, Leo, and David Magarshack. Anna Karenina. New York: Signet Classic, 1961. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how literature depicts a double standard and how s' cultural morals for punishment in infidelity become reflected in the text.
- Analyzes how the double standard in tolstoy's anna karenina shows how flawed human logic holds women and men to different standards when it comes to their way of life.
- Analyzes how each country had a different view on committing adultery as well as the punishment for it.
- Analyzes how the double standard can be shown through the morals of the characters in the novel.
- Analyzes how laclos' les liaisons dangereuses was the only novel that left out the double standard because it had both cheating characters punished by death or having to flee the country with an illness that made them forever ugly.
- Analyzes thackeray, makepeace, and dames. vanity fair. new york: barnes & noble classics, 2003.
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In this essay, the author
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1327 wordsRead More - Themes In Blackrockopinionated essayThe final concept of “Double standards” is also shown in the play. In my opinion double standards are used mostly to protect people (usually parents and children) however in the play double standards are used with males and females. One instance that this is shown through is different genders and their sexual activity, which is shown in act six. In act six Ricko, Scott and Davo sleep with multiple women however when Shana sleeps with multiple partners she gets called
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- Opines that women should not be disrespected just as much as men should. males ignoring and treating them like slaves is shown in scenes one and six.
- Opines that ricko could have acknowledged what tiffany had said, although he did ask her to get him the things. he treats tiffany as a slave in many other parts of the play.
- Analyzes how women are disrespected in the play, where the males don't care about tracy's death but only care for themselves or about ricko'
- Opines that people should care about someone's death no matter what gender they are. the second concept of victim blaming comes up a few times in the play.
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- Opines that if people dress down, they deserve people getting the wrong idea but they don't deserve being raped and murdered. however, when it comes to dancing suggestively, it really depends on how they dance
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- Explains that composers' perspectives and cultural paradigms are of a peculiar and often hidden nature. through textual analysis, one can observe and appreciate how different ways of thinking have developed over time.
- Analyzes thackeray's use of a sanguine tone to communicate that cultural value, or rather inequality, was not thought of as out of the ordinary.
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- Analyzes how the novel shows women like calpurnia and miss maudie to have strong morals that they not only follow, but share with people around them.
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