Gender Stereotypes in Literature - 1570 Words

Throughout history women have been victims of many stereotypes. The stereotypes that will be analyzed in this essay are the ideas that women are somehow inferior to men, the weaker sex, both mentally and physically; they are self-sacrificing mothers and wives and that they are dependent on men. This is seen in the play Medea, set in Greece during a time that was dominated by men. Women could only, under exceptional conditions, obtain a divorce yet any Greek man could rid himself of a wife simply by publicly renouncing his marriage. The ideal woman was spoken of as little as possible among men, whether for good or for ill[1]. Hedda Gabler is set in Norway during a period of many changes. In 1854 women were given the right to inherit†¦show more content†¦A clear example of this is her playing with the pistols and yelling Im going to shoot you, sir![3] to Brack. The importance of Hedda’s past, because of her lifetime of going against social convention, can be seen in th e conversation Mrs. Tesman has with Berte: â€Å"Think what she was accustomed to in the Generals day. Do you remember her riding along the road with her father?† (p. 265). This is an action not taken up by many women, but shows how allowances were made for Hedda based on her father’s social position. Furthermore, her strength can be seen though her interactions with other characters, for example convincing Lovborg to commit suicide or the way in which she manages to keep Brack at a distance yet allowing him to feel in control, as she is aware of the power he has over her. Another stereotype for women is that of a self-sacrificing wife and mother. However, Hedda proves to be everything but this. For one, she does not seem to really care about Tesman and married him because she had â€Å"simply danced [her] self out†(p. 299). She makes fun of him on different occasions, especially when in company of Brack. These encounters with the judge wouldn’t normally be appropriate for married women yet Hedda again breaks this stereotype. Again contrast can be seen here with Aunt Julle, a woman that devotes herself to others and doesn’t know another way of life. This can be seen in the way she speaks of her ill sister; â€Å"IShow MoreRelatedGender Stereotypes Throughout Literature And Literature968 Words   |  4 PagesGender stereotypes exist in modern civilization and are heavily influenced in film and literature as well. The deeply ingrained values in our culture of standardized gender roles in terms of women are seen heavily in both Tarzan of the Apes and in Knocked Up. Alternatively, these stories released almost a hundred years apart portray masculinity very differently. To understand what constitutes an ideal male, both genders need to be considered and their differences exemplified. Tarzan is a stereotypicalRead MoreGender Stereotypes And Expectations In Literature1724 Words   |  7 Pagessuch means as literature, popular cul ture, and tradition, has perpetuated these gender stereotypes and expectations for much of history. Unconscious and conscious assumptions about gender shape how readers perceive sex in literature; men are typically considered lustful, whereas women are considered loving. 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Therefore, the gender roles and the number of female andRead MoreGender Inequality in Womens Rugby1181 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction As the nation’s gender inequality continues to diminish, things like sports stereotypes, and labour force conflict cannot be understood without understanding the term of identity. Identity work is explained by Schwalbe and Mason-Schrock in 1996 as â€Å"anything people do, individually or collectively, to give meaning to themselves or others† (as cited in Ezzell, 2009, p. 1). I propose to examine inequality based on gender identity and in depth the process of stereotype issues, - how people constructRead MoreIdentity in the Workplace Creates Gender Inequality801 Words   |  3 PagesAs the nation’s gender inequality continues to diminish, things like sports stereotypes, and labour force conflict cannot be understood without understanding the term of identity. 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