Patriarchial Oppression In The Awakening

Sheraliz Ortiz Mrs. Kehrmeyer AP Language, Per 1 14 November 2016 Womens Patriarchal Oppression Women have been denied social power and the right to various forms of self-expression during the 19th century. Feminism is the belief that women should be treated as equals to men and have the same opportunities. Feminist analysis discusses about topics such as women in society that's been through oppression, dehumanizing, and depression. Several brave female writers came forth during this period, to speak out against their oppression through the means of poetry, short stories, and the application of a typical female characters. Womens goal was to end patriarchial oppressions which was a way men oppressed women by limiting them. In the short story

Through this story, Gilman speaks of the imprisonment and psychological struggles placed on women by society. In her mind, gender roles must be removed from the social order for women to ever be free. Being under a society that is all about high class, the main character, Edna Pontellier, is under the oppression of her husband as well in the narrative The Awakening. Edna's wedding ring is a symbol of ownership that her husband has over her, "She silently reached out to him, and he, understanding, took the rings from his rest pocket and dropped them into her open palm" (Chopin, 2). Edna's ring is a symbol she belongs to her husband therefore she needs to wear it all the time to send the message to other men that she is his property. The ring is also a reminder that Edna is a married woman and should not act and speak in a certain way in would embarrass or bring shame to her husband, limiting the ability to express herself. While being controlled by her husband, Edna feels more like property. Edna lives in a society where everyone mostly cares about money "Feminists speak of women being relegated to the status of objects, pointing out that they have traditionally been valued for their beauty and usefulness to men" (Hall,

The roles and duties of the nineteenth century married women are precise and well reflected in the case of Mrs. Mallard. While it is true that patriarchal oppression has ended, it does not necessarily follow that it can change its name into something else. In The patriarchy disguises its strategies because it doesn't want to lose power written by Norma Benitez, a women contemplates “Patriarchy refuses to die; it reinvents itself, changes its name, modifies its strategies according to the context. Today, we have given them all different names--religious, political, economic fundamentalism, etc.--but they all correspond to the patriarchal structure that oppresses us” (Benitez, Article). Patriarchy is an all day thing with some male figures. Men like the power that they get to control a women because he thinks that they’re fragile and that they would need them. In the story, The Awakening Mr. Pontiellier contemplates “Yes, yes: she seems quite well,” said Mr. Pontelier, leaning forward and whirling his stick between his two hands; “but she doesn’t act well. She’s odd, she’s not like herself” (Chopin,