The Battle of the Sexes Continue in The Revolt Of Mother
"Unsolicited opportunities are the guide-posts of the Lord to the new roads of life." This quote from Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's "The Revolt Of 'Mother"' exemplifies the independent and rebellious spirit of the main character, Sarah Penn. Because Sarah Penn's behavior is unorthodox for a woman of the nineteenth century, the author constantly compared her to similar historical figures.
When Mrs. Penn is baking her husband's favorite mince pies, we become aware of the first historical relationship. The author described her face as "full of meek vigor which might have characterized one of the New Testament saints." The author continues to express that "however deep a resentment she might be forced to hold against her husband, she would never fail in sedulous attention to his wants." These statements show that Sarah is as loyal, passive, and loving as a pious saint. The comparison also points out her forgiving nature which allows her to be loving and cooperative with her husband despite any differences they may have.
The second reference to a historical figure comes when Sarah calls to Adoniram, her husband, to stop his work and speak with her. When he repeatedly refuses to talk with her, she exclaims, "Father, you come here," in a voice which booms with authority. Even her stance is as regal as her inflections, for she stands in the doorway holding her head as if she were wearing a crown. Despite her original intentions, this dignified behavior doesn't last long. As she is expressing her feelings about her husband's new barn, her stance turns to that of a humble woman from Scripture. This sudden change in behavior represents her volatil...
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...the man's world, she continues to do her feminine, domestic chores and tries her best to make Adoniram happy. This proves that she has fought the battle and was now ready to make peace. However, the peace making has to be on Adoniram's part. After Adoniram finds out about his wife's defiance, he goes out into the twilight and looks out over the fields. By observing nature, Adoniram is acknowledging the power and beauty of women, which enables him to decide to put up the partitions to make a more suitable house for Sarah. By respecting the feelings and opinions of his wife, he unites the woman's home and man's technology, and in a sense makes peace between man and woman in the battle of the sexes.
Work Cited
Freeman, Mary E. Wilkins. "The Revolt of 'Mother.'" Responding to Literature. Ed. Judith A. Stanford. Mountain View: Mayfield, 1996. 555-567.
But what does Virginia’s mother have to do with Virginia’s writing? I chose to look at the problem of inheritance by starting with Julia’s first influences on Virginia, particularly her stories for children. I then move on to portraits of mothers in Virginia's novels. This essay is not only about Virginia’s task of overcoming "the Angel in the House" but moving past a confrontational and convoluted memory of a mother, into an orderly, whole picture of females working together.
In conclusion, most of the female character are often isolated, victimized and ultimately killed by the male characters. Furthermore, it is rather ironic how Mary Shelly, the daughter Mary Wollestonecraft who wrote the Vindication of the Right of Women chooses to portray women. In this novel, the female characters are the exact opposite of the male characters; they are passive, weak and extremely limited. Mary Shelly repeatedly shows women in a victimized position exhibiting to the audience how things should not be. In conclusion, Mary Shelly’s novel is a reflection of how women were treated in the 1800’s.
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Dorris, Michael. "Mothers and Daughters." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 59. Ed. Roger Matuz. Detroit: Gale, 1990.
...xed. Additionally, to protect the breed's ‘gentle image' owners need to securely contain their dog when at home and be cautious when in public. In spite of being friendly and docile it is mandatory that every canine undergo obedience training to avoid accidents.
Creighton, Joanne V. Contemporary Literary Criticism Volume 19. Pgs. 348-51. Gale Research Company. Detroit, Michigan. 1981.
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is most commonly a house pet, like the cat. But a dog has more of an ability to
Investigating the Effect the Thickness of a Wire has on Its Resistance. Equipment:.. Nickel Wire cut into 10 pieces of 30cm length (Ruler, Pliers). Two crocodile clips Five Pieces of Wire Power Source Variable Resistor Ammeter Volt Meter Method: The.. =
of the atoms, so if there are more or larger atoms then there must be
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A woman of Renaissance-ian nature was stereotypically linked to the male dominant in her life. In contrast, the women that were powerful – and there were plenty – were subject to the idea that the female body was not strong enough to live up to a male counterpart. Rarely is the support of feminism and feminine sexuality seen in a time ruled and respected by powerful males. John Webster, however, presents a character of social prowess and sexual determination in his play The Duchess of Malfi, juxtaposing the social views of a woman with his characterization of the Duchess. The Duchess exudes autonomy in all of her many forms: as a ruler, widow, wife, and sister. Even in her death she