Analysis Of Marks By Linda Pastan

Throughout this course, we learned that women’s studies originated as a concern at the time that “women and men noticed the absence, misrepresentation, and trivialization of women [in addition to] the ways women were systematically excluded from many positions of power and authority” (Shaw, Lee 1). In the past, men had more privileges than women. Women have battled for centuries against certain patterns of inadequacy that all women experience. Every culture and customs has divergent female

Women are very thin parallelograms that resemble a needle. “For if a Soldier is a wedge, a Woman is a needle; being, so to speak, all point, at least at the two extremities” (Abbott 10). In Victorian era, women all wanted a small waist because men thought it was beautiful. A needle represents the woman because needles are thin. In Flatland, they were assigned similar color as Circles for the Universal Colour Bill. “For by assigning to the Women the same two colours as were assigned to the Priests . . . every Woman would appear like a Priest, and be treated with corresponding respect and deference - a prospect that could not fail to attract the female Sex in a mass” (Abbott 29). A. Square’s usage of words makes women seem selfish. The Circles are the highest class and are treated with respect. He says that women are painted the same as circles, which rounded up all the female’s attention because they want respect. Women are useless when it comes to education. “About three hundred years ago, it was decreed by the Chief Circle that, since women are deficient in Reason but abundant in Emotion, they ought no longer to be treated as rational, nor receive any mental education” (Abbott 39-40). The Chief Circle thinks women are useless in reasoning and education, yet very emotional. he believed women do not deserve to be able to learn so he took it as their consequences. Abbott shows that how the women acts reflects on

In early America, women were expected to take care of the household and of the children. However, writers such as Anne Bradstreet and Judith Sargent Murray wanted to emphasize the importance of education for women. The two texts by these authors that will be discussed are the poem, “The Prologue” by Anne Bradstreet and the essay, “Desultory Thoughts upon the Utility of Encouraging a Degree of Self-Contemplacency, especially in Female Bosoms,” By Judith Sargent Murray. A theme seen prominently throughout both texts is fairer treatment of women through education. Although both women do believe in opportunity for women in education, Bradstreet focuses more on the idea that women should have more acceptance in the intellectual world by men while Murray however, emphasizes the importance of women to be raised properly which resulted in them understanding their self-worth.

The two publications that best contextualize gender are the Lowell Offering and the Godey’s Lady Book periodicals as the articles found in both magazines depict traditional gender roles for males and females. For the Lowell Offering, this is best seen in the article entitled, “Woman’s Proper Sphere”, which focuses on the thoughts associated with oppression like, “Is it ambitious wish to shine as man’s equal, in the same scenes in which he mingles” or “Does she wish for a more extensive influence, than that which emanates from a woman’s home?” Yet these progressive questions are met with answers like “How necessary, then, that she should understand these pursuits (of men), that she may truly sympathize with and encourage those, with whom she may be associated. In this way…her influence must and

Patriarchal culture has dominated society throughout history. Males have control in many aspects of life and women have continued to fight for equal rights in society. There are many ways women have contributed to the fight for equality; some more physical and other less abrasive. Education and Literature gave the voice to a few women in a male-centered world. Poet Lady Mary Wroth captures the injustices experienced by women in the feminine narrative of Sonnet 9 from her collection of sonnets, songs, and lyrics entitled 'Pamphilia to Amphilantus. In this poem, Wroth explores the thoughts of elite women in the 1700s and uses aspects of her own cultural and historic circumstance to convey the theme of a religious patriarchal society.

The status of women in American society underwent some changes in the early days of American history. As time progressed, society’s views on women became more positive. Women were originally viewed as wretched individuals during the Puritan era, then becoming viewed as weak and sensitive individuals during the Revolutionary era, and finally becoming deemed capable of forming individual opinions by the early 19th century. American women were looked down upon the most during the Puritan era of American history because the were viewed as being tainted by Eve’s original sin, and this is sin made them inferior to their male counterparts. This Puritan view that women are inferior is seen in Anne Bradstreet’s poem, “Prolouge” where she acknowledges this inferiority.

However these women, and the roles they posses can tell us a great deal about how women were regarded by society during these time periods. Looking at these three tales, and comparing the roles the women take on within these works presents us with a variety of contrasting roles. The women

The conflict of this poem is male authority and control versus the right of a

From the beginning, women have always been treated as less than men. Women have always had to fight for equality to men and earn the respect they deserve. In the poem, “Paper Matches,” Jiles argues, through the representation of women through matches, that women are used and seen as the slaves of the household to complete all the tasks from parenting the children to cleaning the house. Jiles’ uses the representation of women through the use of matches, as well as abstract diction to claim the unfair treatment of women in comparison to men, which is related in a sense of superiority.

Today, women are treated with a respect and love that past generations would have dreamed about. Simple privileges like being allowed to have a job and get an education are taken so for granted, because fortunately it is all this generation has known. Women have always been strong capable beings that are fit to do a job that is typically given to a man, and probably with more efficiency. Figuratively in the poem Parlement of Foules by Geoffrey Chaucer and quite literally in the Speech to the Troops at Tilbury by Queen Elizabeth, women hold a powerful role in the writing and/or execution of these works through leadership roles and also through sexuality. Women are wonderful creatures and are capable of incredible things, yet the fact that a

The society always queries about the role of women and for centuries, they have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. The treatment of women was remarkably negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfil the domestic duties. Literature of that time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society (Lecture on the Puritans). But, slowly and gradually, situation being changed: “During the first half of the 19th century, women 's roles in society evolved in the areas of occupational, moral, and social reform. Through efforts such as factory movements, social reform, and women 's rights, their aims were realized and foundations for further reform were established” (Lauter 1406). Feminist poets like Emily Dickinson and Anne Bradstreet talked substantially about feminism in different lights in the past two centuries. They were very vocal and assertive about their rights and the ‘rights for women’ in general. While they might have been successful at making a good attempt to obliterate gender biases but still there are lot of disparities between the two genders. Nevertheless, their poetry reflects a deep angst.

In this poem, Hemans showcases the social conditioning of women in the early 16th century (Properzia Rossi) as an allegory for the continued belittlement in the 19th century (Felicia Hemans). In 1799, Hannah More critiqued the education system by saying that its current curriculum provided a system which promoted a lack of confidence for women (166). Those who felt this lack of self-confidence also subsumed a position of reliance to men leading to frustration and, in the extreme, self-destruction due to their unrequited affectations.

Providing equal education to men and women can only be useful if the society they live in view them as equals. If societies perspective of women dehumanizes them, than they are the slaves of a community that tricked them into believing that they are contributing members of society. In the short story, “From a Vindication of the Rights of Women”, May Wollstonecraft explores how “much cannot be expected from education” if society isn’t constituted differently. Thus, society’s opinion of women proves that education gives women the appearance of weakness.

She pointed out how the literature teaches women to sacrifice themselves, many of the most famous poems wonders about loving women who are perishing under unbearable conditions. She did not deny that women might perish in love; it was idealization of women's sufferings, the romanticism of the unhappy loves she so sharply disclaimed. She showed how women suffer injustice in all areas of life, without being able even to fight. Society's view of women had created a self-loathing in women who prevented them from fighting for their rights. Mrs. Collett wrote “Women's role in history has been to be a driving force for social justice.” But they have not even got any benefit from it.

Over the past near one hundred years society has made leaps and bounds in how men and women are perceived in society. Even though women’s place in society has improved dramatically over the course of time, there is still the underlying factor that men are superior over women. It has been this way since the day the colonist of Jamestown landed in the New World. Men were supposed to do all of the hunting. Men were supposed to make all of the decisions. Men were in charge of the government. Women were supposed to tend to the home. Women were supposed to tend to the children. Women were supposed to be obedient servants that did whatever their husbands told them to do. Men and women were not equal on any levels. Virginia Woolf, in the except entitled “Two Cafeterias” uses something as simplistic as food served in a university dining hall to depict how society sees men and women in the year 1929 (Only 10 years after the 19th amendment was created).