From the beginning of time, sexism has greatly impacted and hindered women from all walks of life. This was particularly true in America’s history. In the 1930’s, females were treated as though they were strictly sex objects. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, this case is evident when Curley's wife was objectified and disrespected on multiple occasions. Although Curley’s wife is considered an antagonist of the story, she is actually a victim of sexism based on how the men on the ranch acted toward her and took away her basic…
Men and women do not always see things the same way, and often time’s, men consider themselves as superior to women because of their way of thinking. In “Jury of Her Peers”, the men, Mr. Peters, Mr. Hale, and Dr. Lloyd, are trying to solve the murder case and leave the women to their “trifles” in the kitchen while they work on the case. The men in the story seem to think that they are the only ones who are smart enough to solve the case or to know what evidence is, and in the end it is this misconception that allows the women to hide the evidence they find from the men. Susan Glaspell uses these gender…
In describing all of the current issues the modern day world has pertaining to women, it shows that for every step forward comes right back. Women still suffer wage difference, put up with racism, and above all encounter sexism far worse than men ever have. The efforts of society to, as Aude Lorde would say, control and…
In the play Trifles gender plays a huge part. When the detectives were looking for evidence or "motives" of why Mrs. Wright killed her husband they often times belittled the women. As the women searched for the small things that contributed to Mr. Wright's death the men were looking at the bigger picture. In the end because the men brushed the women off, not taking into consideration their advice, the women ended up finding the real motive while the detectives totally missed it. In the play Fences gender roles also evident because of the way Rose is treated by her husband. Troy cheats on her with a women named Alberta and seems to ignore the fact that she is loyal to him and takes care of home. After Alberta dies giving birth to their child…
Feminism. Arguably one of the most misunderstood terms to date. In order to move forward and grow as a society, feminism is vital. Of course, sexism still exists and I doubt, there will ever be a time in history where it does not; much like racism- but generally, we have come a long way. The road for equal rights has been a long and sometimes, dangerous one as can be observed through texts such as Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Robert Browning's My Last Duchess Sarah Gavron’s Suffragette and Charlotte Perkins-Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. This idea of gender inequality can be readily observed through the aforementioned texts and in fact, many others, regardless of the era in which they were first written. Women being treated as possessions,…
Many people assume that in this modern society America as a whole has shifted away from sexism, believing that sexism today is only a small issue, but the bona fide reality is that with all the advancements and quality education prevalent, sexism and gender roles are prominent now more than ever. Both short stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, highlight two female protagonists, the narrator and Delia, who are married to two very different types of men, who are arguably equally as bad in their own ways. The juxtaposition between these two stories specifically underlines the subordination of women in relationships, revealing how in diverse situations women face similar challenges of being…
Susan Glaspel’s drama, Trifles, critically portrays gender roles and relations in early 20th Century rural America. Its female characters, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and the unseen Mrs. Wright all exemplify this gender portrayal through their experiences and actions. Glaspel’s portrayal is one of women being confined by society, but also rebelling against and breaking out of this confinement. Mrs. Wright was confined by her lonesome house and hard husband, as well as the expectations that society had for a wife. Mrs. Hale said how the house “weren’t cheerful ... I dunno what it is but it’s a lonesome place and always was.” (1054). She also said that Mr Wright wouldn’t have been easy to live with. (“I don’t think a place’d be any more cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it.” (1051) and “But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to pass the time of day with him—(Shivers.) Like a raw wind that gets to the bone.”) She speculated that societal expectations confined Mrs. Wright: “Wright was close. I think maybe that’s why she kept so much to herself. She didn’t even belong to the Ladies’ Aid.…
It is evident throughout history that women are seen as a lesser power in comparison to their male counterparts. The texts Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich, 2000), The Help (The Help , 2011), and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Kesey, 1962), discuss this power imbalance and convey the way in which women adapt to their societal context and measurement, making use of unconventional power. Institutional power which operates through gender commonly impacts society in a negative manner, resulting in retaliation through unconventional power by oppressed groups. Male characters within these texts have power which related to wealth, employment and politics; where as women have the power of their bodies, sexuality and the power over their home as the homemaker.…
Throughout the past centuries between 1800 all the way through 2017, the gender roles between men and women have drastically changed. In the 1800’s it was very common for men to go to school, acquire an education, and use their education to earn a job that lead to a future success. The men provided a house, the food, and often, the materials needed for day to day life. As the man worked, the roles of the woman were to care and nurture the man, keep the home clean and tidy, and if any, watch after the children as they grow older. Interestingly enough, as time progressed this very different and separated list of common roles for each gender has changed. In the novel A Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle, women’s gender roles are tested by the men in the surrounding society whereas the only woman of value is Miss Irene Adler.…
In the play, “Trifles,” Susan Glaspell demonstrates the inequality that occurs between men and women during the 20th century. From the opening scene, the two women are not given much attention unlike the men, until they are separated from them and become the main characters. Although the women are seen as inferior to men, they prove that they are much more capable as they are the ones who solve the case by thinking outside the box. They find the real motive behind Mrs. Wright’s action and are able to understand her doing because of the way women were treated back then. Even though both women decide to defend Mrs. Wright by hiding the evidence, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters sympathize with her, but for different reasons.…
Although America is an ever-changing country some things never change. Within many years women have fought through countess barriers yet haven't gotten too far from the original stereotypes of them. The conventional gender identities shape women in present society, while creating a war within the women whether to be ideal feminine and motherly, or sophisticated corporate and selfish.…
Throughout history, women were, and oftentimes still are, limited in their freedoms and treated in a biased and discriminatory way. Women had to endure years of life without simple human rights, being controlled by a patriarchal culture and government. They lacked basic privileges to their own bodies, property, and ideas, subjected to living what can be seen as an aimless existence. As women fought for their rights as citizens, they gained voting rights, employment and education opportunities, and control over their own bodies and choices, completely transforming society. Women’s literature often focuses on the struggles that women were faced with throughout history, and puts the conflicts women underwent into relatable, universal ideas and…
Women have been faced with oppression almost all their lives. Society, spouses and families play a huge role in oppressing women, making them society’s puppets. Authors of the 20th century like Charlotte Gilman and Joyce Oats, were able to break the silence, and voice their opinions and concerns in short stories like “The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Gilman, and “Where are you now, where are you going” by Joyce oats.…
In contrast, the short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid suggests that women are sentenced to patriarchy as a result of socially constructed gender stereotypes. She criticizes the idealized patriarchal norms and pressures which overshadow the lives of women. Starting early on in their childhood, little girls are explicitly exposed to the pressures and expectations of how they should live. As a result of gender stereotypes, young girls are brainwashed to believe that their role as a woman is a domestic homemaker and that they should always be kempt and maintain a feminine outer appearance. Kincaid ultimately criticizes how women and girls are trapped under a system of patriarchy that can not be erased.…
Throughout history it is shown that women have been looked down upon by men. They have been considered inferior to the opposite sex and even as a form of property. Although today we are not burdened with this struggle, being physically and emotionally abused by men, women in the early 1900’s struggled to break free from this mold formed by society. This can be seen by the women in the play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell. However women in plays far from being decorative, frequently show greater strength than the surrounding men. In relation to “Trifles” how is this proved true? Some may argue that the women do not show greater strength. This is not true and is shown throughout the play. Three reasons the women show greater strength are they hide the evidence, pay attention to details which leads them to uncover clues and…