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Introduction on gender roles
Research paper on gender role
Introduction on gender roles
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Lynn Nottage's Poof! and Susan Glaspell's Trifles share themes of spousal abuse and gender roles. The plays are strikingly similar when it comes to their themes and the way they are conveyed yet they are set nearly 100 years apart. Poof! is set in the present and relies on the conversation of two women. Trifles is set in the early 20th century and involves two women and two men investigating a murder.
In the early ninety-hundreds women were treated with little or no respect, and were expected to stay at home, clean, cook and look after their children. In the one act play Trifles by Susan Glaspell, and the film Thelma and Louise. Even though both films share the same message, there are a few similarities and differences found in both, Even though both females were portrayed in different times Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters share a few similarities with Thelma and Louise. One example that best represents both in the text and film is annoyance and hatred of “men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing”. In the film, Thelma’s husband Daryl walks right into the kitchen disrespecting and treating her like a servant.
Throughout the Trifles play, dominance of men is obvious. While women were recognized with modest voices compared to louder men. An instance that illustrates the dominance of men is when Mr. Henderson interacts with Mrs. Hale. He asked for the details of Mrs. Hale’s relationship with the Wrights. While Mrs. Hale meekly answered him and gave details, Mr. Henderson immediately cut her speaking and demands a brief answer.
The time period in which women were considered inferior to males. This explains the minimalistic role of female characters in the novel. Throughout the novel we become aware of the role of reflecting on the male characters. This is because of the imposed ideology and perception that women need a man’s help. This can be seen throughout the novel were female characters are very poor and cannot not being able to speak directly.
The power of gender in “An Inspector Calls” is evident throughout the play, and shows how women were often mistreated and marginalised. In 1912, women still had few rights, and were expected to be obedient and subservient to men. The play shows how women like Eva Smith were vulnerable to exploitation and abuse due to their lack of legal and social power. It also highlights the limited opportunities available to women, particularly those from lower social classes, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The male characters, especially Mr. Birling and Gerald Croft, use their power and privileges to control and dominate the female characters.
In Trifles there is a blatant mistreatment of women and a constant shaming of Mrs. Wright. From the beginning the women are afraid to venture to close to the County Attorney. When they first enter the men head straight to the fire and invite the women over, but they decline. The previous evenings below zero weather combined with the wiry frame of the Sheriff’s wife, she must have been freezing, but still stays near Mrs. Hale by the door.
Both plays show a group of men scamming women. John summarizes the main principle of the scam by saying it is about giving the victim a mechanism that allows them to trust the scammer. These men logic and trail of thought is supported by what Bourdieu calls the Paradox of Doxa. The plays confront women and women , when the woman is in the weakest position which expresses the popular notion of a patriarchal society that a woman is more gullible than a man and can be easily manipulated. John emphasizes the gender prevalent doxa regarding women’s psychology by assuming that what bothers her is a trauma she underwent,
Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles, has various forms of symbolism that apply to the play’s overall theme. Throughout Glaspell’s play, she creates a theme of women and femininity and the symbolism reinforces these ideas. Within the play Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, Mrs. Wright, and probably every woman in the time period were oppressed by male dominance (Trifles Themes). Susan Glaspell makes this very clear by using dialogue to show the inferiority of women.
The one-act play, “Trifles,” by Susan Glaspell, has several themes that are incorporated within it. There are several dominant ideas such as female identity, patriarchal dominance, isolation, and justice are themes that are all reflected in different ways throughout the play; however, gender is the main theme of “Trifles.” There is a considerable difference between the roles of the men and the women in this play. The men are expected to act in a more controlling, dominant way, while the women are expected to act in the typical ‘housekeeper’ fashion. The theme of gender is brought out through the play in many dramatic elements such as character, tone, and dramatic irony.
Trifles The one scene play Trifles by Susan Glaspell beginning on page 851, reveals how women view objects and infer potential facts differently than men. The play is set in an early 1900’s, farmhouse, primarily in the kitchen. The attitudes about the roles men and women played, in real life during that time, displayed with subtle comments made by the men throughout the play. Hiding of the evidence after the women had drawn the conclusion of Mrs. Wrights guilt show that the genders view things using different techniques.
“And though she be but little, she is fierce” -William Shakespeare. In today’s day and age, one of the greatest topics of debate is gender roles. It is evident everywhere, from cyberspace to the streets of home, from online petitions to marches across the country such as the Women’s March. Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan Era of England, where Queen Elizabeth I, the virgin queen ruled.
Throughout “Trifles” the men mistreat
Gender is a complicated topic because some people think there are more than two and some people think there are only two. In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night there is an underlying tone of gender identity and sexual orientation. Viola disguised as Cesario could show that Viola is strong enough for the sexist time to act like a man. From his tone and theme of Twelfth Night Shakespeare is saying that both genders are equal because each one has their flaws and strengths and it is society that is flawed because they act like women are weaker. Shakespeare uses Orsino to represent a sexist society while being a feminist himself.
As showcased by Amanda’s regimented beliefs, The Glass Menagerie demonstrates how society’s gender roles objectify women. The mother and widow of the play, Mrs. Wingfield is no pushover, yet her parenting is a product of gender roles preset by society . The first scene of the play features her at the dinner table nagging the narrator, Tom, to not “push with his fingers... And chew — chew!... A well cooked meal has lots of delicate flavors
Trifles, while a short play in practice, was a glaring beacon of truth in what the role of a woman meant in the early 1900, and, arguably viewed as today. While women have been a strong cornerstone of society, their presence has often been taken for granted or lessened by their fellow man. Trifles is a perfect example to analyze the minimalized role women held in society and how man can and have driven her to the brink of madness. Through supporting documentation I will explain how the problematic relationship between man and woman created a realm for literature rife with not just the challenges faced by women but the growing psychological pressures brought on by abuse, isolation and strenuous work. Susan Glaspell, famed playwright and novelist, brought feminist empowerment through her stories which featured a variety of struggling female leads.