A Double Standard for Men and Women in Tom Jones

Women are primarily objects of sexual pleasure for the male protagonists. Their characters are always filtered through the men's perspective, with the exception of the maid Bertha, Charlie’s maid, who at times makes fun at either of the brothers. (Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard, Year Unknown).

Tom’s infidelity in his marriage clearly expresses his views about his wife, Daisy. In seeking an affair, he conveys that Daisy is deficient and not worthy of devotion. Daisy knows of his affairs, but because of the time period and their social class, she is helpless to do anything. As a woman in the 20th century, it would destroy Daisy to divorce Tom, even though the entirety of New York knows about Tom’s affair.

For a long time, men and women have been dealing with the controversy of gender roles. In modern day, the battle for gender equality has been more known. In the story “Guys Suffer from Oppressive Gender Roles Too”, the author Julie Zeilinger explains how males are held to a more macho standard, but do have prevalent emotions. If we were to let go of these rigid rules about what is manly, there would be no standard for any gender. If that was reality, men shouldn’t have to feel humiliated about staying home, and if their companion makes more money than they do. Zeilinger talks about how males detach themselves from some emotions, and live a “life nub to a true range of human emotion” so they can meet this masculinity standard. However if males

In the 2005 film The Wedding Crashers directed David Dobkin show many normal gender stereotypes and gender inequalities that are still present in today’s society. The film mainly focuses on two divorce mediators Jeremy and John who enjoy sneaking into wedding parties in order to get drunk off free booze and seduce bridesmaids. Certainly, the film exposes the bromance relationship that Jeremy and John have, which opposes the hegemonic masculinity that society renders on. Their attendance to Secretary Williams’s party exhibits the patriarchy of a white, rich, and powerful man. And lastly the way the guys view women as part of objectification and women displaying sexual agency towards these two gentlemen has been able to change overtime in society where both concepts have become a norm.

Does deviating from one’s gender norms inevitably doom one down a spiral of moral corruption? Tim O'Brien, author of “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” and Ernest Hemingway, author of “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”, certainly seem to hold this view, as evident by the fates of the major female characters in their respective works. The deviance of the major female characters in both works appears to corrupt not only themselves, but also pollute their partners, causing them to suffer injury or harm as a result. The degree of injury ranges from negligible, like Fossie’s demotion and broken heart, to fatal, like the bullet that rips through Macomber’s skull. It begs the question, are these stories meant to serve as cautionary tales for their female readers, or possibly for their husbands, so they may recognize gender deviance and stop it in its tracks before their wives transform into Margot Macomber or Mary Anne Bell? This essay will analyze what such characters say about pervading views of women, both in society and in literature.

Kimmel discusses about the assumed principles of masculinity that American culture establishes on younger men. These principles are said to be the norm to what any man would believe, such as the phrases “Boys Don’t cry”, “Don’t Get Mad – Get Even”, and “never show your

In today’s society, and throughout modern history, masculinity has often taken the role of defining how men should act, and be seen amongst everyday living. Throughout Michael Kimmel’s excerpt from his critically acclaimed nonfiction Guyland excerpt published 2008, he addresses, and researches these social queues and aims to put perspective on why, and how the rules of masculinity define manhood. He does this through his vast use of credible resources, and stories of effected individuals which further support his claims and credibility. Not only does he provide several examples of well-known psychologists whose own ideals support those that he writes about, he also uses a variety of other professions ranging from psychologist, anthropologist, poets, and even well noted playwrights to show that his views and ideals of masculinity can be observed across all aspects of careers, and

In Dave Barry’s article “We’ve Got the Dirt on Guy Brains” and the Deborah Tannen’s “Sex, Lies, and Conversation” , the authors discussed the difference between men and women in terms of specific issues. However, their opinions of what reasons have led to certain differences diverged. This essay aimed at providing a detailed examination of both articles by comparing some of the points. First of all, I will discuss the shared point of both articles regarding the differences of men and women. Then the I will move on taking about the major different opinions the two authors held. Once these have been done, a brief examination of the the evidence in both articles.

Through a comparison of Bridget Jones’ Diary and Pride and prejudice, both of which represent their perspectives to an extreme within their era. It gradually shows the differences and similarities of 19th century and 20th century’s standpoints regarding gender issues. Jane Austen’s Pride and prejudice represents the mainstream viewpoints of British Society in the 19th century, as England was the empire on which the sun never sets; while Bridget Jones’ Diary symbolizes the opinions in the modern advanced-technology society during the 20th century. Pride and prejudice, “proved one of the most enduringly popular novels in the English language” , depicts specifically about a higher-class society where gender issues have been depicted cleverly by Jane Austen. In the 19th century England her imaginary land, she expanded her opinions of society through a subtle description of the plot, using a third-person perspective to explain her subjective viewpoint of genders and society. Helen Fielding, following the same footsteps of Jane Austen, express her opinion of the society using a strong, female character Bridget Jones in a similar way to Austen’s. Fielding’s point of view, however, explains the situation of genders issues in the 20th century, when awareness of pursuing equality between males and females are raised. Following the inspiration of Jane Austen,

Over the course of many years, women have struggled to expand their roles and rights in society, hoping to one day achieve complete equality with their male counterparts. Two women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Judy (Syfers) Brady, both recognized the patriarchal society in which women had to endure. They despised the way it heaped inequality and servitude upon women, and decided to assert their opinion on the issue in order to change the perceptions and imposed limitations on women. In Stanton’s speech, “Declaration of Sentiments”, and in Brady’s article, “I Want a Wife”, both women attempt to convince their audiences that females deserve complete equality with men by stating the submissive situations and obligations women find themselves immersed in. This is done to get their female audiences to reevaluate how they have been treated and give them a second chance at attaining equality. Both women employ various rhetorical techniques in their arguments to strengthen, as well as compel other women to oppose the ‘domesticated’ image of women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Judy (Syfers) Brady expressed their views in pursuance of forging a path to a revamped lifestyle for women.

Do you believe in perfect families? The world has an ideal about how a perfect family should look like. What is your stereotype of a perfect family? Things are not always the way they appear. Most of the time people show just the good side of their life, relationship, friends, work, and family.

This brings light to what author Santrock discusses in the book as gender roles, which is “a set of expectations that prescribes how females and males should think, act, and feel” (p.163).

Tom stood out to me because he is opposite to Daisy. Tom is an athletic man who is very self-absorbed. Tom as we find out in the first chapter is having an affair with a woman in New York. Next is the quote that was chosen for Tom. “Why-”she said hesitantly, “Tom’s got some woman in New York.”

James Burnham sternly commented on the theme of un-romanticized sex in the novel. Dewey Dell and Addie are seen as guilty of this charge; their rejection of maternity as a consequence of sex deems them unnatural, contributing to the theme of “moral nihilism”4 that pervades the novel. Thus, early criticism, still largely dominated by conservatively patriarchal

Although it was typically unusual, due to social acceptability, women like Mrs. Joe who beat and dominated their husbands were subjected to public humiliation as an informal form of popular justice (Clark 188). Although spousal abuse was acceptable as a means of obtaining control, murder was completely unacceptable. Going back to the idea that female crimes were a betrayal of nature, there was an extra twist to murder when the murderer was a woman (Hughes 86). Female murder criminals were stereotyped as Mr. Jaggers' housekeeper: oversexed, insane, hormonally unbalanced or suffering from some biological defect (Hughes 68). As Pip is told to look at Jaggers housekeeper--"you'll see a wild beast tamed"--one notices the suggestion of a biological defect, or hormonal unbalance (195; ch. 24). Pip is also instructed to "keep your eye on it," as if this woman belongs to neither sex nor is she portrayed as human (195; ch. 24).