Marriages In Frankenstein Jane Eyre English Literature Essay

Marriages In Frankenstein Jane Eyre English Literature Essay Though feminists have long questioned the institution  of marriage by claiming that it has been a fundamental site of womens oppression, it is not until the 19th century that organized feminist movements began to emerge and feminist voices grew louder and stronger. Meanwhile, in the 19th century British literature, both some women writers and men writers began to focus on the well-being of women, their social position, and women and men relationship in their literary works; one of the crucial issues they are concerned with is the issue of marriage. This paper is dedicated to the analysis of marriages in three 19th century British novels-Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and The Odd Women in order to offer a general idea of the feminist progress in the 19th century Women in the 19th Century First of all, a general picture is given to showcase womens status in the institution of marriage through the 19th century Briton. As a whole, feminists have long criticized that marriages cast women as inferior by degrading women or constraining their appropriate options and ambitions  [2]  . Marriages reinforce the gendered division of labor, positioning women as domestic and less independent than men. Women were largely described as mentally inferior, irrational, passionate and emotional. It was considered that only marriage justifies their existence, that is, to provide companionship for  men, a cure or moral outlet for lust, a renewal of species  [3]  . As the inferior in the family, women were confined in the domestic sphere to take care of babies and do chores in the house. Though later in the 19th century, some women began to work in factories or as governess, what they did was some low level jobs, and women were paid much less than men (even when they did the same job). In the eyes of the law, women were treated as the second class citizen in society. Women did not exist as legal beings in their own right; in a marriage, women did not possess any property (anything a woman earned or inherited became her mans property, and her earnings were paid directly to him), and even the children belonged only to the husband; husbands legally had rights to beat their wives, provided the stick was not thicker than his thumb; even under the husbands violence, a woman had no rights to sue for divorce  [4]  . Through the 19th century, womens virtue was to be the Angle in the House who was expected to be devoted and submissive to her husband  [5]  . This name seems to redefine a womans role in a marriage, giving her glory and dignity. However, the so-called angel is more a yoke than a crown, because the Angel must be passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all-pure  [6]  . Under the requirement of being pure, womens sexuality must be repressed. Even in a marriage, the woman was not permitted to enjoy sexual pleasure, or she would be considered by both her husband and others as a whore. Women in the 19th century did not share equal rights with men, and the truth was disclosed and the cure was explored by some 19th century writers. On one hand, many women writers like Marry Shelly and Bronte sisters began to emerge. On the other, some men as well began to speak for the better-off of women, for example, Gorge Gissing. In Mary Shellys Frankenstein, Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, and Gorge Gissings The Odd Women,  women and marriages were important and meaningful themes informing of the 19th century feminist awareness. In Frankenstein, Elizabeth was killed on her wedding night with Victor. Is her death inescapable? In Jane Eyre, why must Rochester be made imperfect to be together with Jane? In The Odd Women, does Rhodas refusal to Everard have other layers of meaning? The answers are related to what the woman character is like. Frankenstein: the Death of Obedient Women in a Patriarchal Institution The marriage between Victor and Elizabeth  is short and bloody. Their wedding room became a tomb for Elizabeth, for on the wedding night, the bride was killed by the monster, Victors own creation. Shelly seems to make the death of Elizabeth, to some degree, quite unreasonable.   How can victor fail to figure out the monsters intention to kill his lover after its numerous killings of his beloved ones- his bother, his sister, and his best friend? Isnt it obvious that the monster aims to make Victor suffer instead of kill him directly? Anyway, Shelly does not believe Elizabeth  can escape death. Elizabeth belongs to Victor since the day she was accepted in the family. She was a pretty present  [7]  that Victors mother gave him, and that, luckily, won Victors protection and love. As was said by Victor, since till death she was to be mine only  [8]  . However, Elizabeth brings hurt to Victor as well, for Victors most beloved mother died for nurturing the sick Elizabeth. Soon after his mothers death, Victor left for Ingolstadt. Though the death of Victors mother did not diminish his love for Elizabeth, it did lit dangerous fire in Victors heart-to make dead alive. The birth of Victors monster brings about the agony of Frankenstein family, including Elizabeth. During Victors struggle with the monster, Elizabeth became his sole soothe and comforts. Unfortunately, his final hope of happiness was destroyed due to Victors ignorance. Victor blamed the monster that had blinded him to his real intentions  [9]  . Anyway, it is Victor that had created the killer who finally d estroyed Elizabeth (does Victor unconsciously want Elizabeth dead?). The tragedy of Elizabeth and Victors marriage is doomed. Elizabeth is a perfect  lady of the day-pure, beautiful and willing to sacrifice for Victor. It is reasonable to believe that she would have been an Angel in the House if her  marriage with Victor had not been disturbed by the monster. Ironically, the monster is her mans creation.  In this sense, Elizabeths death embodies the womens sacrifice in a patriarchal marriage. As is known, Marry Shelly is the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft (author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman) who is considered to be one of the major figures of first wave feminism. Influenced by her mother, Shelly also highlights the inequalities between the sexes. In Frankenstein, as an embodiment of subservient women, Elizabeths death is inescapable. Jane Eyre: Pursuit of Gender Equality in a Marriage Jane and Rochester are from different classes. One is the master, while the other is a governess; one is rich,  while the other is poor. Rochester with his good blood and fortune is thought by the hierarchical system to deserve a beautiful and graceful lady like Ingram. Even though there is this huge gap between Jane and Rochester, Charlotte Bronte deliberately plotted a happy marriage between them which exhibits gender equality. To gain this gender equality, Jane must be subversive to social oppression on women, and meanwhile, Rochester has to reconcile himself to the demands of gender equality. Different from social and religious norms of women-to be obedient, Jane is a subversive woman. She is blessed by Charlotte Bronte with her wish of a woman, that is, to have minds and independence, and deserve a good man who cherishes a woman for her mind instead of outward beauty and material wealth and who regards her as an equal companion. All these blessings require Jane Eyre to be subversive against both class and gender inequalities in the contemporary society. Janes left from Rochester and her refusal to St John is her struggle to get away from being chained by gender inequalities. St John is a typical patriarchal man who also embodies the religious oppression on women. In his eyes, Janes virtue is to marry him and accompany him to fulfill his mission. He expects Jane to obey him, to satisfy him, and to please him, because he is in the name of Gods clergyman. However, this god refuses Jane to be like St John and to do the same things. What the god wants from Jane is to ask her to fulfill a wifes duty, and its church gives St John more power than Jane. Janes own identity is threatened in his realm. I felt daily more and more that I must disown half of my nature, stifle half my faculties, wrest my tastes from their original bent, force myself to the adoption of pursuit for which I had no natural vocation  [10]  . Janes refusal to St John is her struggle against outward oppression, while her left from Rochester is her struggle against her own weakness. Rochester and Jane see each other as soul mate. They determined to get married regardless of the gap between their statuses. However, Rochesters mad wife became an invincible obstacle that made their marriage impossible. Jane was confronted with two choices: to be Rochesters mistress, or to leave Rochester forever. Although Jane loves Rochester and would like to accompany him, she finally chose to leave Thornfield. Jane realized that there was still distance between Rochester and her. She is the paid subordinate who was less beautiful than Rochesters other mistresses. Moreover, she remembers Rochesters degradation of his other mistresses. Hiring a mistress is the next worse thing to buying a slave: both are often by nature, and always by position, inferior; to live familiarly with inferior is degrading  [11]  . Jane would prefer to earn thirty pounds a year as a governess than be hired as a mistress or brought as a slave. Jane rejected Rochester and left; this way , she could main mentally equal with Rochester. Charlotte believes Jane deserves to be together with Rochester, but their union can be possible only when Jane and Rochester are totally equal. To win this equality, the  stronger one shall be weakened, while the weaker one shall be made better. As it turned out, on their way to be together, Jane becomes stronger both in terms of her mind and economic power; while Rochester becomes less strong due to  the burn down of Thornfield and his loss of eyesight. The Odd Women: Willing to Be the Odd and New Women Rhoda in The Odd Women by Gorge Gissing is another subversive woman. Different from Jane, she finally refused marriage.  Rhodas refusal to marriage embodies a huge step that women take in protecting their rights. As was in the 19th century Briton, the unmarried women were considered odd which means abnormal, strange and eccentric  [12]  . Being odd is marked with radical and agony by the patriarchal society. In The Odd Women, Rhoda does not believe Everard (or any other man) can give her an independent and free life after marriage. Her determination to refuse marriage is made gradually. At first, Rhoda thought she had chosen the single life for a life time with conviction. She scorns marriage as well as those weak women who regard marriage and men as indispensable. However, Rhoda, in some part of her heart, still is weak. After she and Everard fell in love, she forced Everard to propose to her. Rhodas decision to refuse marriage is eventually consolidated after her witness of M onicas experience. Monica, afraid of being odd and poor, married Widdowson. Soon after their marriage, Widdowson was overwhelmed with jealousy and possessiveness which symbol the stifling patriarchal values, and Monica fell in love with another man which embodies womens failed flee. Their marriage ended in Monicas death for childbirth. After Monicas death, Rhoda eventually made her determination to refuse Everard. Rhoda, after her refusal of Everard, with Miss Barfoot belongs to the new women who are willing to be odd. They ignore the spell of being odd, and work to alleviate the social plight in which women find themselves by training them to be fit for positions  [13]  . Gorge Gissing, like Charlotte Bronte, also gives the feminism blessings. The end of marriages (Monica and Widdowson, Rhoda and Everard), the new born girl in Rhodas arm, and the flourishing of Miss Barfoots work (like a green bay-tree) promise the bright future of the new women like Rhoda and Miss Barfoot. To sum up the above mentioned marriages in the novels, through the death of Elizabeth in her marriage with Victor, Shelly highlights the sacrifice of the obedient women in the patriarchal institution of marriage; Jane Eyres marriage with Rochester shows her pursuit of gender equality; Rhoda Nunns refusal to marry Everard marks the emergence of the new women. Charlotte Bronte and Gorge Gissing conveyed their support of feminist awakening by describing subversive characters in their novels. Overall, the 19th century British literature exhibits the contemporary feminist voices, that is, women are awaking and asking for greater freedoms, more social opportunities, and equal status with men. Citations: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, Ltd. 1937. David, Deirdre. Ideologies of Patriarchy, Feminism, and Fiction in The Odd Women'. Feminist Studies, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Spring, 1984), p 117. Lesser, Wendy. Even-Handed Oddness: George Gissings The Odd Women . The Hudson Review. Vol. 37, No. 2 (Summer, 1984), pp. 211. Nadelhaft, Jerome. The English Womans Sexual Civil War: Feminisn Attitudes Towards Men, Women, and Marriage 1650-1740. Journal of the History of Ideas. Vol. 43, No 4 (Oct. Dec., 1982). Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein. London: Penguin Books. 1978.

Rousseau and Duty to the State Essay -- Philosophy

It is generally agreed that the great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the artist Jacques-Louis David had played a great role in serving and supporting the French Revolution, in addition to, showing their devotion to their state and explore the notion of duty to the state each one by his own special way. The great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau had inspired the revolution by his argument and ideas that was based on Reason. He played a great role in exploring the notion of duty to the state by providing the public with his argument in the social contract,which was frequently quoted and referred to during the early stages of the Revolution. The social contract was concerned to establish whether or not the authority of the state is legitimate. His fundamental problem is to find a way in which we can live in a state and yet remain as free as before. He explained that, this only could be achieved if the general will of the individual always coincide with the will of the state. Therefore, he had recourse to the concept of the general will, which is defined as "the general will of a group taken as a whole rather than as a collection of individuals." He tried to convince us of this by describing the difference between the state of nature and the civil state, and in effect, asking which we think is better. To be in the state of nature, would be to act on appetite and so be slavish and bad. To be in the civil state, is to act according to reason and so be noble and good. We ought constantly to bless the moment that we moved in to the civil state because this gives us the chance to be noble and good .So,says Rousseau it is in each of our interests to choose the general will .Therefore, if we think according t... ... and dimmed color of Brutus giving a broad tonal range,this tends to sharpen the impact of dramatic contrast. It seems that the formal elements of this painting are conspiring to focus our attention toward the grieved women,and to show us how brave is Brutus' decision,that he even neglect his family's sorrow and even turn his back away from his sons' bodies .He commit his decision unhesitatingly,raising the voice of duty to the state over everything else even his own flesh and blood . Finally, we can conclude and detect a lots of similarities between the ways in which Rousseau and David did explore the notion of duty to the state .Both of them believed in the great role of philosophy and art in educating the public, therefore,they used their profession successfully to express their devotion to state and serve their country,each one by his own way .

Negro Art

The year 1919 witnessed the start of a very important movement in the creativity in arts by the black Americans. This movement is known as the Harlem Renaissance – the flourishing of African American cultural and intellectual life. It featured the creativity of the â€Å"Negroes† in the field of arts, catering to their every need, like literature, drama, music, visual art, and dance. It encouraged the artist in every black American to stand up and be recognized. New York City’s Harlem would be the center stage for painters, sculptors, musicians, and writers to produce works of art. During this time art was given a huge responsibility; it would become the main medium through which the African American race would strive for equality.Black Writers and the â€Å"Negro† ArtMany black writers, such as Alain Locke, W.E.B. DuBois, and Langston Hughes wrote specifically about the importance of art and its ability to promote equality. Although many black writers agr eed with this idea, other more conservative writers did not; such is the case with George S. Schuyler. In his work â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum† Schuyler states that race and art are separate, and there is no â€Å"Negro Art† but only American art. While his integrated and collective view of art may have a positive outlook in our time, it was less than encouraging for those living during the Harlem Renaissance. Looking at both sides would mean exploring the depths of how these writers understood â€Å"Negro Art† and â€Å"American Art†.Alain Locke and â€Å"The New Negro†The importance of art was first exposed by Alain Locke in his famous essay â€Å"The New Negro†. This essay is often seen as the catalyst for the emergence of a new movement within the African American society. Written in 1925, Locke aims to tell the nation that African Americans are changing and adapting under the social prejudices that have previously been forced upon them. T he mind of the ‘New Negro’ is moving away from social discourse, and it is â€Å"shaking off the psychology of imitation and implied inferiority† (Locke pg).  A new group of people are being formed; he calls them the ‘New Negro’. Locke calls for artistic contributions by the black race. He believes that with art, the race will gain cultural recognition; he looks at the role of art as â€Å"a bridge between individuals and cultures† (Gates 984). This is a transformation of some sort; something which doesn’t rely on how things are usually done: something that embraces a new psychology and possesses a new spirit.Alain Locke’s â€Å"The New Negro† aims to define the new black American; lifting him from the images of slave trades and plantation workers. He explains how the old concept of â€Å"Negro† is more of a mythical figure, something which the society has dictated it to be. This is usually a view of the oppressed poor, being stepped on while some people are holding them back. These characteristics however, were more of a â€Å"conceived† trait rather than a â€Å"perceived† trait.The society thinks that up until that time, the Negroes were low lives who are incapable of artistic appreciation and production. They have their eyes closed about the Negro’s achievements, including literature, music and visual arts. Alain Locke’s â€Å"The New Negro† is not necessarily introducing a new breed of black Americans. It is more of an eye-opener of what these people have created and what they’re capable of doing in the context of art.W. E. B. Du Bois and his â€Å"Criteria of Negro Art†The following year W. E. B. Du Bois contributed similar views of art and race with his speech â€Å"Criteria of Negro Art†, in which he specifically defines art as the key to equality among the races. He states that art is propaganda and that it should always be pro paganda. DuBois feels that art is a way of proving ones humanity. â€Å"Just as soon as the black artist appears, someone touches the race on the shoulder and says. ‘He did that because he was an American, not because he was a Negro; he was born here; he was trained here; he is not a Negro—what is a Negro anyhow?He is just human; it is the kind of thing you ought to expect† (Du Bois pg). This portrait of racial equality through art is an inspiring call for the emergence of black artists. According to Du Bois, black American art should utilize truth as a tool. Since art is propaganda, it should aim to seek the truth and show the truth. Artists will fully understand art if they are truthful with what they create, with what they write; artists should be truthful with the way they handle their art.â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum† vs. â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain†In 1926, the June issue of The Nation featured â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum† by George S. Schuyler as well as Hughes’s response piece â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain†. The magazine had angered Schuyler by appointing Hughes as a critic before the article had even appeared (Kuenz 174). Ultimately, the pairing of these two essays lends many to play favorites among the two rather than assess each piece as its own subject. As one would expect, Schuyler often receives negative opinions.George S. Schuyler viewed art as something that should not be divided by any race; instead, it should just be recognized through a certain nationality, and in the case of the â€Å"Negro† art, it should just be classified as an American art. Schuyler may have a point, but he was not able to properly explain and defend it. It could mean that he was more concerned in further marginalizing the situation of the black Americans, that’s why he opted for a more general classification which is considering Negro art as American art.â€Å"Aside fro m his color, which ranges from very dark brown to pink, your American Negro is just plain American†¦ Negroes and whites from the same localities in this country talk, think, and act about the same† (Schuyler). He made a mistake however, when he somewhat talked down on the black Americans because it seems that he has no regard for the black culture, saying that it is just a matter of color. He may have generalized on the artistic aspect of black Americans, but they also posses a culture which has essentially contributed in the formation of the country.Schuyler didn’t recognize the existence of the black American culture: â€Å"This, of course, is easily understood if one stops to realize that the Aframerican is merely a lampblacked Anglo-Saxon† (Schuyler). This statement made by Schuyler somewhat looks down on the African American culture, assuming that they have just black counterparts of the white residents of the country.Black Americans have a rich culture , including a wide influence in art. This doesn’t give any person the right to assume that they are just colored counterparts of the majority.One argument that Schuyler raised was that black Americans are living the same lives as white Americans, that’s why there shouldn’t be any difference even in their perception and appreciation of art.â€Å"When the jangling of his Connecticut alarm clock gets him out of hisGrand Rapids bed to a breakfast similar to that eaten by his white brother across the street; when he toils at the same or similar work in mills, mines, factories, and commerce alongside the descendants of Spartacus, Robin Hood, and Eric the Red; when he wears similar clothing and speaks the same language with the same degree of perfection; when he reads the same Bible and belongs to the Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, or Catholic church.When his fraternal affiliations also include the Elks, Masons, and Knights of Pythias; when he gets the same or similar schooling, lives in the same kind of houses, owns the same makes of cars (or rides in them), and nightly sees the same Hollywood version of life on the screen; when he smokes the same brands of tobacco, and avidly peruses the same puerile periodicals; in short, when he responds to the same political, social, moral, and economic stimuli in precisely the same manner as his white neighbor, it is sheer nonsense to talk about â€Å"racial differences† as between the American black man and the American white man† (Schuyler). This lengthy but meaningful passage by Schuyler could be considered as his basis for the argument that whites and blacks are just superficial concepts.However, he didn’t consider one thing: culture goes beyond what you eat, what you do for a living; it is deeply rooted in the people’s emotions, a basis for their character formation. Once it is imprinted in their personality, these black Americans would surely recognize what is black and wha t is white when it comes to art.â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum† can be seen in a number of different ways and can easily be misconstrued. It has caused some to view Schuyler as a traitor to his race (Gates 1220).Hughes attacks this presumption in â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain†. He argues that African Americans should be proud of their heritage and culture.Langston Hughes’ â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,† he points out that despite living in a country filled with white people, African Americans should never look away from where they truly came from. They should stand up for their heritage and culture, which could be manifested in different forms of art. According to Hughes, the Negro artist is full of potential, because he has a very rich culture backing him up. â€Å"Without going outside his race, and even among the better classes with their â€Å"white† culture and conscious American manners, but still Negro enough to be different, there is sufficient material to furnish a black artist with a lifetime of creative work† (Hughes).This statement means that the Negro could truly afford to be different because they are characterized with a rich culture, as well as great talents that would supply a lifetime of creative works in the form of literature, visual arts, and more. People possessing these skills and talents should not be ashamed of his roots. Instead of succumbing to the white â€Å"Americanization† of these artistic skills, African Americans should focus on how they would be able to make their culture stand out. They should love their own, especially their artists who posses the talent that could match and even surpass any artist from other races.The African American people should learn to appreciate their own creations, and address these as the output of a black American, and not of a commoner. Many blacks wanted to be assimilated by the whites and their culture, but to Hughes, he suggested that it is better to accept what you really are: â€Å"Why should I want to be white? I am a Negro–and beautiful! (Hughes)†The racial mountain is the obstacle which the black Americans should be able to conquer. They may be living in a country full of white people telling them what to do, what to think, and what to follow. The black Americans have to overcome this push-shove treatment being given to them, and that could be realized by strengthening their own culture. They have a lot of potential, added the fact that they posses talented young minds. All they have to do is to stand up to the challenge and prove that they can truly be considered a unique, independent culture.Look at: Race in art†¦ Locke says it’s important, Dubois says it’s important, Hughes says it’s important. Schuyler says there is no race in art- only art. He has a good point- but it seems that he was overlooking the importance it can have for a culture. He see ms to overlook the fact that equality had not yet been achieved and that his fellow artists wanted to gain that equality through art. Its interesting that Schuyler was denying that very vehicle that would hopefully gain the equality he presumed to be already in effect.Schuyler seems ahead of his times. He writes â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum† in 1926 and argues that there is no Negro-Art; there is simply American Art, and no distinction between the two. Although he makes an understandable argument it seems that he denies the main problem. We can see how one may agree with Schuyler in that both African Americans and white Americans have had an affect on one another. But when we look at what Hughes says about racial pride, it’s hard to agree with Schuyler.Works Cited:DuBois, W.E.B. â€Å"Criteria of Negro Art†.   1926.   The Crisis. November 7 2007. .Gates, Henry Louis, and Gene Andrew Jarrett. â€Å"Introduction to the New Negro.†Ã‚   The New Negro: Readin gs on Race, Representation, and African American Culture, 1892-1938. Ed. Alain Locke. New York: Atheneum, 1968. 3-16.Hughes, Langston. â€Å"The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain†.   1926.   The Nation. November 7 2007. .Locke, Alain. â€Å"Introduction to the New Negro.† New York: Atheneum, 1968. 3-16.Schuyler, George S. â€Å"The Negro-Art Hokum.† Nation 122 (1926).

The Theory Of The Social Work Profession - 1102 Words

retical Perspective The theory that most closely explains and addresses this phenomenon is the ecological theory. In this theory it states that many factors contribute to one main problem. In this case the main issue is poverty. Poverty, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the lowest possible level that a person can be. In order to move out of this level one must first acquire food, water, shelter and a sense of safety. Programs and policies aimed at solving poverty is that sense of safety. With safety a person may feel comfort in that they know that they can receive their basic needs. Still, factors such as stress, worrying about the termination of these services, and stigma remain which can lead to weight gain, poor mental and†¦show more content†¦Women, minorities and children have been in the forefront of poverty for decades. Although we have made slight changes in how we perceive poverty, race and obesity as a whole, we still have a long way to go in ord er to de-stigmatize these factors for good. Factors Contributing To Obesity and Poverty Limited Resources Limited resources such as transportation, education, and opportunities contribute to obesity and poverty in a big way. Those who lack reliable transportation or money for reliable transportation are limited in where they can go (Lee, 2012), this in turn can result in a sedentary lifestyle in which can lead to obesity. Those who do not have a mode of reliable transportation are not only limited to the amount of places that they can go, but also limited to the amount of groceries, toiletries, and other essentials that they can buy (Lee, 2012). When limited, people often buy cheap, long lasting and if walking or using the bus, lighter weighted foods (Lee, 2012).Lee also states that these individuals may only have access to convenience stores in which lack an array of nutritional food options. A lack of education causes one to greatly limit the amount of jobs in which they can obtain and less chances of receiving a raise. Those who live in impoverished areas also lack o pportunities such as attending college, joining activities, and moving up in social class. Lack of Access to Affordable Healthy Food Options It seems