James Herne's Margaret Fleming is surprisingly bold and realistic in regard to the time period in which it was written. The subject of infidelity is dealt with candidly, and other aspects, such as the breast-feeding of an infant, are depicted in a true-to-life form. The content, then, seems quite modern for the play's 1890 date. Yet, Herne is the successor of a playwright like Henrik Ibsen rather than Bronson Howard or, even, Augustin Daly. As Watt and Richardson note, Margaret Fleming is "unequaled in realism by any other known American drama of its century" (236, emphasis mine).
The plot of the play centers on the marriage relationship of Margaret and her husband Phillip. He has been unfaithful with another woman, and a child has been born as a result of that adulterous affair. One can imagine that audiences may have been shocked by such a topic. Yet Margaret handles the situation which she is forced into openly, honestly, and courageously. Upon hearing the news of her husband's affair, she wishes to confront him immediately. The words in the note she dispatches demonstrate her urgency and forthrightness: "'Phillip: I am waiting for you, here. That girl is dead'" (258). In the last act, the doctor remarks on Margaret's character, saying, "'What a brave, cheery little woman you are.'" To which Margaret replies, "'What's the use in being anything else? I don't see any good in living in this world, unless you can live right'" (261). She has motivations for her actions, as all realistic characters should.
In comparison, the plot of Howard's Shenandoah seems unbelievable. That play centers on the relationships of Northerners and Southerners which survive the Civil War and its aftermath by ignoring the problem...
... middle of paper ...
...ce dependent, then independent. Each woman makes difficult decisions which she must live by, and each bear responsibilities which are to be accepted or discarded. Finally, each is aware that others, too, carry burdens and need to make their own choices. While other heroines and heroes are flat and are subject to fate and circumstance, Margaret, like Nora, exists in the consequences of human behavior.
While Under the Gaslight may end with Laura's hopeful, but nevertheless melodramatic, words, and Shenandoah with the unlikely marriage of the leads, A Dolls House ends in a whisper. And Margaret Fleming? This play ends with the gentle reminder of the responsibility to make choices, bravely and honestly. Margaret tells her husband that the children, both legitimate and illegitimate are waiting for his attentions; "'They are both out there. In the garden'" (264).
how quickly women succumb to their "roles", and how easily people can. be shaped to consider a different and all too meaningless set of morals. The sexy of the sexy. Edna is strategically alienated in the novella so as to be the
Throughout her life Nora had spent her time pleasing the men around her, first her father and then Torvald. As the reality erupted that her marriage to Torvald was loveless and not salvageable, she ignored Torvald's demand that she not leave him. He even made attempts to sway her decision by insinuating they could go on in the house as brother and sister. Her need to be a valued human in society had prevailed over the dependent, frail, creature that once belonged to Torvald. She set out to find her independence in spite of the limitations that society had placed on women. Her displeasure had burned a path beyond her little, secure world and the burden of being a plaything was lifted.
...hetypes of these primary characters, both of these novels make a parallel statement on feminism. The expectations of both themselves and society greatly determine the way that these women function in their families and in other relationships. Looking at the time periods in which these novels were written and take place, it is clear that these gender roles greatly influence whether a female character displays independence or dependence. From a contemporary viewpoint, readers can see how these women either fit or push the boundaries of these expected gender roles.
Women and their importance in society are common things of literary analysis. In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House and Susan Glaspell's Trifles, Nora and Minnie are two strong women in a male-dominated world, who decide unlike ways to cope with gender inequalities and rebel against gendered ideals and prospects. Nora and Minnie are alike in the gist that they regularly have to obey their husbands' mandates. The culture assumes them to be obedient and inferior. Though, neither desires to accept her lesser public status. Minnie and Nora select different means of coping with gender inequalities Nora leaves her house forever, and Minnie murders her husband. Both women ultimately prevail over their social adversities and put an end to gender inequalities altering their existences.
In the 1800’s, women were considered a prize to be won, an object to show off to society. They were raised to be respectable women whose purpose was to marry into a higher social class in order to provide for their family. These women were stuck in a social system which seemed impossible to escape. Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian playwright, saw these barriers and wrote one of the most controversial plays of his time, “A Dolls House”. In his play, Ibsen argues the importance of opposite sex equality in marriage by using his character, Nora Helmer, to bring to light how degrading the roles of women were in the 1800’s.
Quote to get an audience pumped up in five syllables as suggested by John Oliver:
A growing trend in the United States is the use of an electronic cigarette as an alternative to regular cigarettes. An electronic cigarette burns a liquid solution containing a controlled percentage of nicotine with no carcinogens, and this provides the user with smoke that is actually vapor. According to Allen Mask M.D. (2014), “Sales of electronic cigarettes have boomed from $500 million in 2012 to $1.5 billion in 2013” (Mask, 2014). The growth of sales in electronic cigarettes over the years is because it is being marketed as a healthier alternative, and more stores are opening to help assist others on selling as well as fixing their devices. The reason why electronic cigarettes are a healthier alternative than regular cigarettes is that cigarettes are the leading causes of preventable death in America, because electronic cigarettes produce vapor not smoke, and it has helped people quit.
On December 15, 1791, Congress adopted the freedom of speech as a constitutional right under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as a law to protect all American citizens. The law clearly states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” (www.law.cornell.edu). Although this law is in effect, there are exceptions to policy and many other categories that are excluded from the freedom, in which the government may enact within a reasonable amount of time, place or manner restrictions on speech. According to the famous speech written by Raphael Cohen-Almagor, it states that freedom of speech is a guiding rule, one of the foundations of democracy, but at the same time, freedom does not imply anarchy, and the right to exercise free expression does not include the right to do unjustified harm to others.
SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on A Doll’s House”. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. SparkNotes.com. 20 Mar 2011. http://Sparknotes.com/lit/dollhouse/themes.html.
Petrarch had a very different style of writing. “The rhetorical texture of Petrarch’s writing, in short, complicates
...ome from different worlds, yet they still share the same type of sadness and pain in their everyday lives. What Nora does is considered courageous in that time in history, where women were not treated as equals and were always looked down on and ignored. Women speaking out and taking matters into their own hands was unheard of and often risky. They want to be independent so they do what they believe is necessary to accomplish and reach their goals, so that they can once again be happy for eternity.
...shielded from all responsibilities throughout her life. “[…] Poor Nora, who cannot understand why a daughter has no right to spare her dying father anxiety or why a wife has no right to save her husband’s life.” (Goldman2) Nora’s quest for justice and finding her rightful place in society ends in triumph when she comes to realize that the love she had for Torvald was never really love and that the life she thought was perfect was not in the least bit perfect. “She was never happy under his roof, “only merry.” And now when she looks back, it seems to her as if she had lived like a poor person” from hand to mouth.” She had been impoverished.” (Salome230) Nora’s find act in achieving true happiness, finding herself in society and completing quest for Justice ends with the “slam of a door” to a life of mistreatment and weakness and “opens a door” to a new life of independence and true identity. “The woman’s eyes are opened; and instantly her doll’s dress is thrown off and her husband left staring at her helpless, bound thenceforth either to do without her or else treat her as a human being like himself fully recognizing that he is not a creature of one superior species, man.”(Shaw143)
Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House is an astonishing, yet accurate portrayal of how women were treated in the 1800s. It is essentially a force runner to women's rights and sets a path for many more feminist works to come. The novel fiercely challenges the modern idea that all women, by virtue of being women, are inclined towards feminist political interests. The roles of women have been a big part of literature and are usually a representation of how the roles of women in real life have evolved and continue to evolve. A Doll's House is an essential part of IBO specifically for the fact that it shows historical realism in the Victorian Era, and continues to challenge the unrealistic expectations of women in marriage.
Margaret is one of the trio self seekers in A New Dominion. In comparison to Lee she is both, more definite in her deliberations and absolutely serious in searching spiritual solace in India. In the beginning of the novel one sees her in the form of compulsive visitor, always sure and never losing the sight of her purpose. Like Lee, before finding a life guru, she spends a lot of time in trains and buses to know the country and the people of India. The essence of her deliberate wandering is“....but she wants to find herself deepest essence where she is not only Margaret but what there is beyond and including Margaret”(AND P 27).
Police safety is a subject that can be touched on more than once, and every time have a dozen different arguments and many different types of ways to look at it. Many police officers all over the country, is feared for their life because they feel like they’re under attack. In the news, every day it seems like another officer is being ambushed and killed. One officer said “I just want to go home to my wife and kid’s” reported by the New York Post. Assassinations at one time wasn’t very common. , but now seems to be a rising due to the lack of respect people are having for the