Proper Feminine Beauty in George Eliot's Adam Bede

In comparison to Esther Downing, Hope is the antithesis of what a young Puritan woman should be, and in turn, Hope gains a great deal of respect from the readers of the novel through her “unacceptable” behavior. Hope’s most noticeable characteristics, unusual for women of the time, are that she is assertive and aggressive, bold and daring, the opposite of the passivity that women were expected to portray. Hope speaks her mind freely, despite what consequences may follow. Those around her acknowledge her unwelcome behavior, and Governor Winthrop makes note of it to Mr. Fletcher. He tells Mr. Fletcher, “you must allow, brother, she hath not… that passiveness, that, next t... ... middle of paper ... ... who exemplify the “proper” behavior for a Puritan woman, has the ability to squash her fears and put out of her mind any possible dangers, so that she can accomplish necessary tasks.

When Daniel talks of the eyes, he is explaining the power that can be seen in her eyes. This of course is not a realistic portrayal of a woman, but rather an idea of the kind of love that is so powerful, so heavenly that it is unattainable. Daniel tries to prove that his mistress has a love so powerful and deep that it can only be an idea. When many people think of an idea of love that is perfect, many would say that women of purity and beauty would be the perfect woman. Daniel states this thought when he says "Chastity and Beauty, which were deadly foes."

She is manipulated through Kooni because she is so overcome by her own ego: “And you owe your position as the queen of a world conqueror to your beauty?” . She is further more manipulated into fear... ... middle of paper ... ...shouldn’t be. R.K. Narayan’s translation of The Ramayana brings out the characteristics of an ideal Indian woman and everything that these women shouldn’t be. The women of respect and those that should be looked up to have beauty that is both physical and spiritual. The good women make loyal, thoughtful wives and have a sense of maternal instinct.

The Virtuous Vanity of Isabella in Measure for Measure Shakespeare's work, Measure for Measure, puts the "problem" in "problem play" as it, examines the difference between law and justice, virtue and goodness. It's a case study of abuse of power that has a particularly contemporary resonance. Isabella is a very intriguing Shakespearean female. She is one of the few intelligent females who are also innocent and holy. Measure for Measure focuses primarily on her moral dilemma.

In Mary Shelley’s novel there is a defined contrast between the characteristics and behaviors of Justine and Victor. For example, Justine’s actions during her unfair trial undoubtedly represent the quiet, menacing strength of women and highlights the insufficient masculinity of Victor. Justine, the wrongfully accused murderer of William Frankenstein,possesses unwavering courage which is illustrated when Shelley writes, “ The appearance of Justine was calm and she appeared confident in innocence and did not tremble”(64). This statement refutes the absurd interpretation of Shelley’s women characters as being feeble and weak. It superbly demon... ... middle of paper ... ...wer over masculinity.

Inner Profundity or External Splendor Beauty plays a major role in the novel Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë. Throughout the novel, Charlotte Brontë skillfully contrasts the idea of inner beauty and the idea of outer beauty. She draws a parallel between outer plainness and inner complexity, and extraordinary looks and shallow personalities. For instance, although women like Blanche Ingram appear beautiful, they turn out to be shallow, and money-driven. Blanche Ingram is perceived as showing spiteful vengeance and full of callous feelings.

These comparisons give one a vivid description of his mistress' lacking beauty, and sets one up for the couplet at the end of... ... middle of paper ... ...manner, making them focus primarily on the lacking, yet lustful, physical attributes of his mistress. When he writes "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she, belied with false compare." (lines 13-14) in the final couplet, one responds with an enlightened appreciation, making them understand Shakespeare's message that true love consists of something deeper than physical beauty. Shakespeare expresses his ideas in a wonderful fashion. Not only does he express himself through direct interpretation of his sonnet, but also through the levels at which he styled and produced it.

When the narrator describes Charlotte as “... ... middle of paper ... ...n really being imperfect. However flawed, Lydia (and not to mention Charlotte) end up married and secure in their own right. Through indirect characterization that expresses the central paradox of Lydia, she gets married-achieving the epitome of success for a 19th century woman, even through her flaws. Austen observes through the female characters of Pride and Prejudice that the perfect woman, by 19th century standards, doesn’t seem to exist, and when she does there is some degree of misfortune in her path. She explores this notion chiefly through satire and irony, as the type of woman the female characters strive for is not always the most desirable.

Nevertheless, a governess must face many challenges and hardships. Through Jane Eyre's experiences as a governess, readers are able to gain a sense of what it is like to be a governess. Even though it seems that Jane has it easy in some ways there are many realistic things that happen to her that makes her experience similar to experiences of traditional governesses. In many aspects Jane Eyre is the embodiment of a Victorian governess. However, her strong-willed, independent, and assertive qualities seem to make her an exception to the ordinary governess as well, which clearly undermines what most governesses had to endure.

In order to be beautiful, women have to be a “certain way” or else they are nothing in society 's narrow views. “Perhaps the most striking outcome of self-objectification is the difficulty women have in imagining identities and sexualities truly our own” (Heldman 67). As sad as it is, women are told that they have to fit a standard in order to be considered beautiful. Therefore, as long as there is such a limited definition of beauty, women will attempt to fit into that definition, objectifying and altering themselves until there is nothing left to