Huxley's Brave New World: Gender Criticism

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Recommended: Literary analysis of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

SCRIPT:

Hi, everyone. Today I am going to be analysing the text, “Brave New World” and explain to you the link between the literary theory, gender criticism and how Huxley cleverly links it to the theme of a dystopian society.

Gender criticism explores the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and examines how Huxley has influenced the gender perceptions in the text. Men and women read and write differently and use different symbols and images. It takes a deeper look at patriarchal societies and how they have dominated society.

Huxley has made sure women aren’t in any positions of power. All the important roles are taken by men. For example, Henry Foster and the Director lead the Hatchery, whilst Mustapha Mond leads the government. Men are …show more content…

Huxley has a massive impact on the gender stereotypes depicted in the novel because of the way he has written it. Huxley has scattered many sexist comments and statements in which women would find sexist. In the caste system in “Brave New World” of Alphas to Epsilons, any gender can fit into any caste. However, Huxley decided that the Alphas are just men. As Lenina and Linda are both Betas. When they are both taken to the Savage Reservation they both depend on their Soma. As they are the only female characters, Huxley suggests that all women are the same, mindless and powerless. Women have very little power in Brave New World’s patriarchal society. The women in “Brave New World” don’t set out to break the laws and rules, they only do because of faulty conditioning. However, males don’t seem to experience faulty conditioning. This suggests that women are weaker and are pathetically …show more content…

Because of the fact that Huxley is a male, it is easier for him to write as the male characters due to the different experiences and aspects of society. Both men and women have extremely different roles in society. Women, maintain a higher standing in relation to social roles and in situations or places of power, men “mentally superior”. The only time both genders are considered as “equal” is in social and sexual situations. Huxley cleverly suggests that both men and women can stabilize and destabilize society. In this case, women are encouraged to sleep with as many people as often as they can. By stopping the marriage and encouraging this type of behavior that the society once considered as “immoral”, no one has any individuality at all.

Women are considered as lower than men who maintain a minimal level of importance when it comes to these situations. When it comes to sexual relationships women are encouraged to explore. An example of this is with Lenina and Bernard. Because of their recent fame, they decide to have sexual intercourse with as many people as they can. As soon as Bernard decides to sleep around, Lenina decides to as well. This is the only situation where women have some individuality and freedom. Although women aren’t considered as higher up, they are thought of as the same

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