The Role Of Women In The Great Gatsby

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In this the year, which marks, the centenary in which, women won the right to vote; this essay will be to ‘Discuss the presentation of the women in ‘The great Gatsby’. One cannot understand the writing of ‘The great Gatsby’ without considering the era in which it took place. The role of women first started to change after the First World War in United States of America. Before this war, women did not enjoy universal suffrage. However, that was to change. In the decade of the 1920s, there was enormous social and economic change. In this change, great numbers of women went to work and earned their own income. With income comes taxation and in United States of America as James Otis U.S. politician once said, “Taxation without representation is tyranny” (Ratcliffe, 2014). Therefore, what followed was the right of women to vote; with this, the voice of women where now represented in public office changing forever the political life of the nation. This new independence marked a big step to social equality.

The new-found freedom changed women’s attitudes to themselves, to men, marriage and to the family. The result of the change was liberating fashion in clothing and hairstyles. Before this, dress and hair were longer and modest. Now, bobbed hair was the rage ‘Hair was first bobbed, then shingled, and then Eton cropped in 1926-7. (Thomas, 2001-2014). The dress of this new age was a ‘shapeless shirt dress shorter than the average dress’ (Thomas, 2001-2014). With the hem of skirt