Gülsüm Dü?ünmez
Dr. Julia Sattler
Introduction American Literary and Cultural History
25.7.18
Women Representation in American Literature
The changing roles of women has been witnessed in literature for ages. There was a little reference to women in the first writings of 16th century America. However, they played an important role, and they gained leading roles as the heroines of stories. Besides, the portrayal of women changed. Women were portrayed as an ordinary member of society who served only as a wife. Later, this portrayal changed, and women insisted on equality with women character who gain power and embody success. The 19th century was a new frontier for women characters in American Literature as they became main characters in the stories. During the late 19th century the portrayal of women in American Literature showed the emergence of Realism. Before, women were portrayed as lovers, wives and mothers (frontierinamlit.wikispaces.com). In this essay it will be discussed the representation of women characters in texts of ”The Story of an Hour”, ”Sweat” and ”A Wife’s Story”, which were written in different periods.
Women are historically expected to marry, stay at home, care for children, and they ae not expected to take an education and pursue a career. These are the social norms that society have had to accept throughout the years. The authors like Chopin tried to change this social norm by giving women leading roles in literature. In her one of the most famous work ”The Story of an Hour” Chopin represented her female figure what women really wished to be. When taking a look at the main character Louise Mallard, she feels an unexpected joy when hearing that her husband died, which is against the social norm at that time. During the 19th century women were considered as an outcast. So, women desired to live independently without a family to care for. So, Kate Chopin creates a kind of rebellious character like Mrs. Mallard who serves as an inspiration for many women to live only for themselves (www.frontierinamlit.com).
The story shows that how difficult life can be for women in the past. During the 19th century women were generally mistreated, and they had lack of many opportunities that men had. Women were treated as ”the Angel in the House”, which was the image of the typical Victorian period, and she was expected to be devoted to her household. This made her an ideal wife. However, she went on being passive and powerless in real life. They were not given a chance to pursue their dreams (academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu). In American Literature, Kate Chopin portrays a woman lives in these times. ”The Story of an Hour” depicts this unspoken repression women faced in those days. In the story, it is apparent that the death of her husband means a lot of great things for her. She experiences an internal conflict how to feel. She is not sure if the death of husband is a gift or not (www.bartleby.com).
Mrs. Mallard is a really great example of the oppressed women in the 19th century. Kate Chopin criticizes the dominantly male society, and it can be noted that she demonstrates a dream of a woman and how woman takes the control in the story. During Mrs. Mallard’s time men dominated a woman’s existence from her birth. She dedicated her life to her father and brother during her childhood. When she marries, she began to dedicate her life to her husband and children. They were seen as slaves and objects to men. It can be inferred that the reason why they existed was to find a husband, give birth and do housework. These were some stereotypes that were placed upon them. Other stereotypes were their being dependent and passive. These were all accepted throughout America. So, it can be justifiable the reason why she feels a joy when she hears the death of husband. Women were oppressed almost at all levels of society. Marriage was a kind of chain for many women. There were women attending high school, but higher education was still closed to women.
Louise Mallard experiences an internal conflict and fights with her feelings throughout the story. Society degrades women in the story. Mrs. Mallard suffers from oppression because of Mr. Mallard. Chopin represents Louise Mallard as a prisoner of marriage. She shows the reader that freedom leads to self-discovery. Chopin tries to create a strong independent woman.
There were important changes in almost every aspects of lives of women, from domestic to the public during the 20th century. They demanded equal rights, and the century witnessed the rise of female artists and professionals around the world. The century marks a revolutionary change in both domestic and lives of women. The early decades of the 20th century were called the Progressive Era. The new image of women in society was witnessed. The period marked a great transformation from female stereotypes of the late Victorian period. Furthermore, women smoked and danced in public along with holding a job during the Progressive Era. They did most things that the 19th century women could not. But, this newly image was restricted to only white and middle class women. African-Americans had still more problems than white women as mothers, wives and professionals. However, the number of women who worked outside increased in general. They participated in more important occupations such as law, medicine and engineering (www.enotes.com).
Women were really active as artists and writers during the early 20th century. This century made a significant change in the form and content of women’s writing. The century saw a great increase in the portrayal of feminine images and themes in literature. Moreover, many writers reflected the issues pertaining to sexuality between men and women, which is certainly against the Victorian values. Some writers also discussed several diffuculties that women faced defining their identities in a changing world. Women completely redefined their roles in almost every segment of life (www.enotes.com). So, female image rapidly changed into the 20th century. Women characters were portrayed with a new freedom and responsibility. It can be noted that the characteristics that they gain may be attributed to the significant gains that many American women made in the 20th century during their struggle for equality. So, American literature reflects all these changes. Actually, the change begins at the end of the 19th century. For example, in ”The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallards feels a freedom when she hears the death of husband. However, the great opportunities for women were observed during the 20th century. As they gained equality and other rights, the heroine began to change. The characters began to embody a new American female identity and transform into a new figure that women always desired to be. Literature made them to aim to become the women they read (frontierinamlit.wikispaces.com).
”Sweat” is a work written by Zora Neale Hurston during the 20th century. In the story the character Delia is a woman with a job, which makes her different from Louise Mallard who is a typical housewife. However, Delia suffers even with his work as she is still powerless to her husband. Delia is oppressed by her husband. She is a washwoman and house owner. On the other hand, she is represented as an abused wife. Although she has a profession and a house, and she can stand her own legs, her husband hold the power. Women are still stereoyped as naive housewives by the society. Furthermore, they still lack of freedom, and women like Delia are not able to get what they aspire. Because she is only a woman, Delia’s freedom is taken away from her by her husband’s overpowering force.
There is also another important point to be touched on. Common stereotype is that men are supposed to work, and women are supposed be stay at home particulary during the 19th century. But now, as mentioned before, women are becoming an important part of the society, and they are getting a job. In the story, Delia is a working woman whereas her husband is jobless. It can be commented that this makes her superior to him. Cheryl Wall, who is a critic, states ”Delia’s work is a economic necessity to her husband, but it is also a psychological threat to Sykes as well. In the story Sykes seems to never work at all, so he asserts his manhood mainly by intimidating and betraying his wife” (qtd. in Akins). What Wall argues is that these kind of abuses and restrictions made by men are because of the women who gains power by working in society. The attitudes of Sykes indicate that he has an inability to do someting or to work. He feels a kind of threat because he is not a breadwinner. So, he treats her brutally, which is the only thing that he can do. Actually, women are seen as non-dominant on account of the stereotype that men are the dominant figures in society. Women like Delia and Louise Mallard are stereotyped by their gender (www.bartleby.com).
It can be noted that Delia’s being breadwinner in the house makes her masculine. She is the provider for her family and works hard. Sykes is very agressive and violent towards his wife. Here, he takes on masculinity. In other words, he shows his form of masculinity which contrasts with the masculinity that Delia shows as a worker and provider for the family. Sykes does not fulfil his role as the breadwinner or provider in their marriage. Instead, he tries to take the control in his own way, and he uses only symbols to claim a power over his wife. By this way, he has a ownership and power over Delia. When he talks to his mistress, he says ”Everything b’longs tuh me an’ you sho kin hiv it.” By saying this, he claims an ownership of Delia’s earnings. So, the reader witnesses that he is reliant on his wife, and he is a dependent man. In spite of all these things, he does not seem to be upset. It can be inferred that they changed the roles. One can say that woman became ”man” and the ”owner” of land and property in the masculinisation of Delia. She does her own property by working hard. This gives her a protection and power. Sykes’s desire to control Delia by showing the stereotypical masculine characteristics of control and dominance is not fulfilled as he does not bring home the bread. His passivity and reliance suggest that he is portrayed as having the stereotypical characteristics of a woman (www.academia.edu).
In the story the drowned flowers symbolize their marriage. The flowers once were very beautiful, but now they are drowned in the salty water. The salt represents her tears and blood. It can be stated that the flowers represents what she brings to their marriage. On the other hand, he brings only brutal beatings. Sykes is the source of a great pain for Delia abused by both physically and mentally. Their marriage is totally disaster and abusive for Delia. She is justifiable for not helping her unemploeyed and insecure husband bitten by a snake. It can be commented that she takes her revenge by not attempting to save her husband’s life. She was also cheated by her husband who steals her money. In spite of all these unfortunate things, she does not abandon her husband, and she goes on supporting him financially. As it is seen, she puts up with Sykes for a long time. However, when she gets the chance, she just lets him die as if she is looking forward to getting rid of.
”A Wife’s Story” is a short story written by Bharati Mukherjee. Panna Bhatt is a middle-aged woman from India, and she comes to Manhattan to study on a scholarship for a doctorate in special education. There she meets with three other non-American characters. When she attends a performance of David Mamet, she feels that she is insulted as a woman. Furthermore, the play humiliates her culture. She discusses with Imre about her sensitivity to these issues. However, she gradually discovers the differences between her old and new cultures. For instance, she can hug Imre in the middle of the street whereas she cannot do in India. She even cannot call her husband by his first name.
Panna drifts apart from her husband as she goes through a cultural change. The gap between them expands. She also changes her dressing style. In India she dresses up traditional Indian costume, but she wears pants and shirts in America. When she goes to the airport to meet her husband, she changes her clothes and wears her Indian costume as her husband likes. She also states ”I know my husband’s preference too. He does not like me wearing long skirts and long-sleeved shirts because he thinks a woman looks old in that kind of attire. He also does not like me wearing high heels because I would be taller than him if I do so.” As is seen, there is still a male dominance. Although she takes a higher education, she is still under the pressure of her husband, and she lives her life according to the rules of her husband. She is scared of her husband, and her husband wants to feel that he is superior to Panna.
Their relationship is still very traditional and male-dominant. She does not call her husband by his first name, and her husband has never entered the kitchen in their house in India because there is still the stereotype that women are responsible for cooking and cleaning the house. Moreover, her husband envies her when other men talk to her. But, it can be said that he needs Panna because he even cannot buy the ticket of their sightseeing tour. In other words, he is dependent on his wife. Neverteless, he reprimands her as she attracts other men by wearing pants instead of sari. He says ”I told you not to wear not to wear pants. He thinks you are Puerto Rican. He thinks he can treat you with disrespect.” As is seen, he really feels uncomfortable with the attention Panna gets from men. So, he wants her to go back to India with him even if she has not completed her study yet. He says ”I have come to take you back. I have seen how men watch you.” He puts a great pressure on his wife. When Panna refuses, he gets angry and loses his control by picking up their food trays and throwing them into the garbage.
