Laurel Ulrich has written several books about women’s rights. Laurel made a statement in in of her books that became hugely popular in California. Well-behaved women seldom make history. This simple statement changed hundreds of lives and Laurel didn’t even realize it. A women in Oregon asked permission to use this statement to be printed on shirts. Laurel was shocked and only agreed to allow her to use this if she was sent a shirt. This accidental fame gave her a new perspective on American pop culture. This quote works because it plays into the long stereotypes about the invisibility and the innate decorum of women. A lot of people thing women are over shadowed in history…
This essay “Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History” by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, a professor of history at Harvard University and Pulitzer prize winner, She shows how her one small phrase changed women’s outlook on their social standings, Her now famous quote “well behaved women seldom make history” is from the intro of one of her journal articles called “Vertuous Women Found: New England Ministerial Literature, 1668-1735” and has now become a cultural phrase we see frequently, The Author Ulrich knows that history is created by “those who make-or break-laws” (Ulrich), they are remembered in stories, books, history, and gossip and will not be forgotten.…
As Source A describes a woman’s mission, source D describes what the nature of a woman should be ‘instinctively’, what her correct conduct should be, supporting Source A in so far as she must live by ‘self-renunciation’ and make her mission in life, the happiness of her husband. Source D goes even further to point out all that women should aspire to be ‘enduringly incorruptibly good’ making her almost a saint in the cause of her husband’s happiness and wellbeing. This view is strongly supported by the poem from Tennyson in Source B. This idea of goodness and purity is mirrored in Source B. The poem is called ‘The Princess’ giving the idea of the innate nature of women as innocent, pure and delicate creatures.…
Nora and Torvald are a married couple and been taking on many challenges in their relationship.Torvald basically takes care of and provides for Nova and their children. During their conversation in Act 3 it talks about how she was been transferred from her father’s hands to torvald hands. Nora feels like torvald is treating her like a poor women from hand to mouth. This means that he is treating her like she can’t do for herself. Torvald is taking over her life and when her father was alive he did the same that’s why her life consist of nothing. Torvald is very physically controlling, treats Nora like she’s a child and doesn't trust her with money. The expression Nora used as “ doll child” and “doll wife” is that her life was controlled by her husband and father. By expression her feelings she tells torvald how she feels. She says, “You and Papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life.”. She doesn’t have anything to fall back on besides what her husband gives her. She can’t do anything on her own without getting an approval from Torvald.…
Moreover, a very intriguing ironic parallel can be drawn between Nora and Torvald, when Torvald finds out about Nora’s forgery, he exclaims “Now you’ve wrecked all my happiness—ruined my whole future. Oh, it’s awful to think of. I’m in a cheap little grafter’s hands; he can do anything he wants with me, ask for anything, play with me like a puppet—and I can’t breathe a word. I’ll be swept down miserably into the depths on account of a featherbrained woman” (1292), which is a complete role-reversal of the literal control Torvald has over Nora, because all of those years she was his ‘puppet’. A supplementary illustration of dramatic irony is when Torvald says that he will willingly sacrifice his happiness and dignity if some danger were to threaten…
There appears to be yet another theme within this story line, and that is how women fit in in society. The entire story is focused around a certain women, who is not happy with her place in society, so therefore she decides to change her role in society. Within the story it is easy to see that women are automatically placed in a certain role in society, simply because of their gender. Women are not given the option, but rather forced to settle for the only role society feels women are capable of. So therefore when Nora decides that she does not want to be a part of this role that society has forced on her, she showed other women that they too could in fact go above and beyond what society expects from them. Which in the 18th century things…
The first illustration of sacrifice in this play is seen when Nora describes the sacrifices she has made in order to pay her debt: "Every time Torvald gave me money for new clothes and such, I never used more than half; always bought the simplest cheapest outfits." (Ibsen 977). This act of frugality shows how Nora will go to great lengths so that she can secretly pay the money she owes for Torvald's trip. While Cyrano sacrificed his life, which is a physical aspect, Nora chose to sacrifice something material such as clothing for her love of Torvald. Later, Mrs. Linde explains to Krogstad why she had to leave him: "Don't forget, I had a helpless mother and two small brothers. We couldn't wait for you, Nils " (1005). Mrs. Linde, who gave up the man she loves to provide for her family, proves that she will give up her own love so that others can be happy. This is similar to Cyrano, who also suppresses his love so that others could find happiness. Finally, when Torvald and Nora are in the middle of a heated argument, Torvald shows his unwillingness to give up his pride when he exclaims "No one gives up honor for love" (1017). With this simple statement, Torvald exhibits both his dispassionate attitude towards love and the importance of pride to a man of that time period. Unlike Cyrano, Torvald's refusal to sacrifice honor has negative…
Society has created a set of norms and standards which imply that you are supposed to behave, dress, and do things based on your gender. However, Queer theorist, Judith Butler, does not agree with society. Instead, Butler believes that gender roles are not biologically constructed. Butler’s 1990 novel Gender Trouble, examines the extent to which gender and sexuality are performative. Butler’s concept of performative gender is depicted in Michael Chabon’s novel Summerland. The fantasy novel revolves around the protagonist, Ethan, and his friends, who all play baseball and must stop the Coyote from ending the world. In order to stop the trickster god Coyote, Ethan travels through Summerland with a small troupe of friends, playing baseball in…
Her life was ruled and controlled by her husband Torvald. Her husband especially did not respect or treat Nora with equality. Nora spent eight years of her life with Torvald, and that is where she had made a huge mistake. Nora found out her husband’s true colours when it was too late, if she had found out who her husband really was and how the love he was showing to Nora was nothing but false she could have left her husband before the eight years and lived her life with freedom. Nora can find someone that actually treats her with respects, equality, and with…
Disney undermines the gender norms of the lyrics of the songs by visually representing people of all shape and sizes. For the more realistic features of women, the scenes of “Bring Honor to Us All,” present women with different facial features, beauty, shape, and fashion choices. In Mulan’s bath cleaning scene, the woman giving the cleaning is exceptionally short--she is up to Mulan’s hip--, she is not as slender, has sagging arm skin, and wrinkles around her eyes. For the women doing Mulan’s hair, one has more of a round body type and face and the other woman is taller and slenderer but has body parts and features that seem abnormally emphasized. The only women that show most of the ideals are Mulan and the other girls getting ready to meet…
Black Womanhood of the South Not only did slave woman in the plantations of the South have the affliction of racism, but they also encountered sexism as well.…
The reading The Five Sexes, Revisited was about the misrepresentation of today’s two-sex system in society. The central issue Anne Fausto-Sterling addresses is that there are people born outside of dimorphism and most people do not understand this (pg. 122). The most important point or central argument is that the two-sexes, male and female should no longer be accepted. Instead, five-sexes should be accepted: male, female, “herms”, “merms”, and ferms” (pg. 121). An important fact the author makes is, “…we calculated that for every 1,000 children born, seventeen are intersexual in some form” (pg. 122). This bit of information proves that there are infants born between the sexes male and female. It is important for people to realize that mixed babies are in existence. Anne Fausto-Sterling also shares a story of a born intersexual. “Consider for instance, the life of Max Beck: Born intersexual, Max was surgically assigned as a female and consistently raised as such. Had her medical team followed her into her early twenties, they would have deemed her assignment a success because she was married to a man. Within a few years, however, Beck had come out as a butch lesbian” (pg. 124). It all comes down to society and this story proves it. If the world were more open to these sex issues, then we would not have these issues in the first place. In Max’s case, being born intersexual would not have been an issue in Max’s life. Instead, the doctors chose Max’s sexuality without any consent from Max. Another interesting fact that Anne Fausto-Sterling uses to back up her argument is “The logical structure of the commonly used terms “true hermaphrodite,” “male pseudohermaphrodite” and “female pseudohermaphrodite” indicates that only the so-called true hermaphrodite is a genuine mix of male and female…Because true hermaphrodites are rare – possibly only one in 100,000 – such…
High school itself is a jungle of hormones and rage and at many points within a year things can subsequently boil over. Female discrepancies though far exceed the brutality of any male disagreement. Although I have learned the much needed talent of biting my tongue in any heated incidences, but in turn I have been acquainted with those who don’t have that ability. There always has to be the peace keeper in a large group of friends and many times that role falls upon me due to my ability to stay level headed when others are not able to do so. Though this does come in handy a number of times, it does not mean that I do not get passionate over the things that I care deeply about. Such as friends and family, as well as anything that might get in…
Most ladies would say that is was Colton’s deadly blue eyes that made Melissa fall madly in love with him. On the other hand the reason could be something much more powerful and unresisting. And that reason is how Fuller portrayed him as being a pure gentlemen who is the most respectful with out even being aware of it. What helped shape and mold Colton into the man he was was the land he grew up to love and respect. Everything from hunting with his brother to breaking his first mustang played an important role in the shape of Fullers story and also in how Colton lived his own actual life.…
Honor can also be seen in Don Rodrigo’s character in the play. His main purpose in the play is to get his daughter, Doña Leonor, married to the man she ran away with. He does not want her to ruin his honor in the society, “As you [Don Pedro] know, honour is such a precious gem that all noble and worthy men must protect it at all costs. Honour is a crystal so finely polished that though a blow to its perfection might not break it, breath alone will sully it”( Inés 101). The diamond is a symbol for men’s honor. He is saying that even something as small as a “breath” can tarnish a man’s honor. This is why he does not care who Doña Leonor marries, as long as she marries before people find out that she ran away with a man. A daughter’s sexuality can tarnish the whole family’s reputation and honor in a society.…