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Women In The House Of The Spirits

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The constant emphasis on the power and ability of men in both Allende and Ibsen's novels parallel the societal expectation for men to control society during those times. Clara, one of the female protagonists, listens to fellow women from Tres Marias state about men, “Since when has a man not beaten his wife? If he doesn’t beat her, it’s either because he doesn’t love her or because he isn’t a real man. [...] Since when has a woman ever done the same things as a man?” (Allende 294-295). Despite being women themselves, these Tres Marias residents proclaim the horrible societal belief that a man owes some sort of obligation to his wife to beat them and that the superiority of men happens to have ingrained itself extremely within society.
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Alba, while speaking of her life growing up with Esteban as a grandfather, quotes Esteban when, “He said it was good for men to have a wife, but that women like Alba could only lose by marrying” (Allende 860). Alba throughout The House of the
Spirits proves herself to possess strong ideals, work ethic, and determination. However, marriage in that time would mean her relinquishing all of her own creativity to her husband, something that Esteban recognizes and comments on, representing just how much women back then had to succumb to their husband's control. Marriage would mean a release in her freedom, since during those times a married woman had to obey her husband, and Alba would no longer retain everything she could do before. Nora and Torvald, while discussing Nora's role in their family and in their society, have this conversation:
Nora. What do you consider my most sacred duties?
Helmer. [...] your duties to your husband and your children?
Nora. I have other duties just as sacred [...] Duties to myself (Ibsen

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The most common idea is that women are weak, and men are strong. But through Allende 's work, women can not be described through the typical female stereotype; such as how they 're delicate, effete, and "meant for the kitchen". And that women can be described by how men are described; such as hardworking and capable of doing many things. - In this work, women are now able to become part of the monarchy, just like how Dulce Rosa became Carnival Queen.

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Power is depicted in multiple forms, the novel The House of the Spirits, is an exemplary example of that. The main question presented for power is what is the most lasting form? Isabel Allende presents two different perspectives to demonstrate the storytelling and passing on from generation to generation. Even as the narrator's flip around, the main character Clara develops from her birth to her death. Her loving nature evolves from a magical little girl to a wiser spirit, in comparison, the opposite occurs for our second character, Esteban Trueba.

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For example, Esperanza states that “I am the one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up the plate” ( Cisneros # 89 ). This reveals that Esperanza is not going to fall in the category of all other women who has to follow all the rules and clean up after the men. This also shows that the girls are always expected to do certain things and which is becoming a maid for a men. The women are just supposed to do all the cleaning, pushing, and the men are like the guests who needs special care. The women has no freedom when they are always looking after the men and cleaning all the men’s

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Furthermore, Feminist Criticism provides a better view of literature because it shows that women can be powerful. When Emilia finds out that her husband has been plotting an evil plan she says,” Tis proper I obey him, but not now”(Othello V.2.195). Emilia refuses to help her husband after she finds the cruel intentions he has despite the expectation of women always being submissive to their husbands. Women also have a voice and feelings, they are capable of defying their husbands commands when they know what he expects is simply wrong. In a literary article,The Role of Women in Othello: A Feminist Reading states that,” Society weighs heavily on the shoulders of women; they feel that they must support the men and defer to them, even if the actions of the men are questionable” (Literary Articles).

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