Analysis of Mrs Hayward from the Novel 'Spies' by Michael Frayn

By investigating the gender roles of the Victorian Era in Jane Eyre and looking at the more modern presentation of gender roles in The Eyre Affair, a clear understanding of these author’s intentions to expose the gender issues can be seen. Jane Eyre is a classic novel in which orphan Jane opposes societal expectations by becoming an intelligent,

1. Throughout the story suspense is aroused and maintained excellently. This is achieved by the character the author creates. Mr. Martin is characterized as a neat and cautious man, who never took a smoke or a drink in his life. Our suspense is aroused when the author states that it has been “a week to the day since Mr. Martin had decided to rub out Mrs. Ulgine Barrows”. This arouses our suspense because we are told Mr. Martin is planning to murder this woman. The suspense is maintained with Mr. Martin’s thoughts. We as an audience are given his thoughts through the use of the 3rd person omniscient point of view. His thoughts are mostly on the issue on his dislike of Mrs. Barrows. Because of this, he

Larson utilizes imagery to exemplify Holmes’ character and actions to the audience. He describes Holmes’ reaction to a friend’s sister’s death to give the reader an idea of the cold inhumanity he possesed. Even though “Holmes told Ned how sorry he was” about her passing, yet “in his eyes there was only a flat blue calm” like that of a “lake on a still August morning” (123). Larson presents this imagery to give the reader a clear view of Holmes’ point of view on death. When he reacts with such a “flat blue calm,” the reader can clearly see that he did not posses even the slightest bit of sincerity. This serves to help the reader see the surface, and allude to what lies beneath. Larson further proves his inhumanity with the portrayal of Holmes’ murder of his pregnant fiancée, Julia. Holmes promised he would marry her, but with the condition that she had to allow him to execute an abortion. He then “held the cloth” coated in chloroform “over her nose and mouth” and within seconds “her eyes fluttered and rolled upwards” followed by “the inevitable, reflexive disturbance of muscles, like a dream of running” (148). Larson uses words like “flutter” and “rolled” to show the reader that her consciousness fled from her with no objection from her being noted. This is to

The narrator’s varying stately yet fervent tone illustrates her obligatory feelings as well as her true emotions regarding her husband and lifestyle through her descriptions of the “nursery” where she is confined (Gilman, 648). John, since he is both her husband and doctor, “hardly lets [her] stir without special direction,” characteristic of patriarchs of the family; he also “laughs at [her], of course, but one one expects that in marriage.” (Gilman, 648 and 647). Since the narrator feels

The author uses descriptive language to provide the reader with an insight into Martins journey. For example, Martin is aware that his Mother and Old Ted have a difficult relationship, she says “he is an impossible man, as mad as an axe” (pg 4). Another

To begin, the opening scene shows Jane in a desperate flight from Thornfield Hall, dashing frantically across the stormy landscape. For the viewers who have not read Jane Eyre, the cinematic dark tone of the opening scene raises many questions: Why is Jane running? Why is she crying? What happened to her? As she continues to run, the scenery of 19th century-England emerges on the screen, showcased by the precise selections from the film’s cinematographer. The film presents Jane’s world as dark,

The effect and influence that Brontë’s Jane Eyre has on its audience is profound, and this is emulated in Thursday. It is evident early in the text that Thursday’s childhood experiences and exposure with the characters and universe of Jane Eyre has caused her to, somewhat subconsciously, embody the character of Jane that she discovered within the pages of the novel. Thursday’s self-identity is molded and formed so much by the novel that the character of Thursday herself, can be almost directly transposed with Jane. Through the author’s use of intertextuality, Fforde is able to depict what would be perceived as a modern day, contemporary Jane Eyre, through the character of Thursday Next. Within the first exposure that Thursday directly has to the story of Jane Eyre, the effect of Brontë’s protagonist on the nine-year-old Thursday is unmistakable. Immediately, Thursday sees herself in the character and her beliefs surrounding her own self-image are visible, saying she “had realised not long ago that [she]. . . was no beauty. . . and had seen how the more attractive children gained favour more easily.” (Fforde 66), however, she finds somewhat of a role model within Jane Eyre, expressing that “in that young woman I could see how those principles could be inverted. I felt myself stand more upright and clench my jaw in subconscious mimicry of her pose.” (Fforde 66). This mimicry of Jane Eyre, even through the subtlety of the apery of her pose,

In the society of the 1920s when the play was written, the confinement of women was at an all-time high, however the breakout of women’s rights was just starting. The tone of this play helps show just this view, by promoting a character such as Mrs. Peters, who is stuck on whose side be on in the mystery of the murder. As they uncover the motive of Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Peters character begins to understand her, although the deceased husband was murdered in such a gruesome way, and know there should be a punishment for the crime for the crime because of her background with her husband as sheriff, who said she is “married to the law”, she comprehends the “stillness” that Mrs. Wright must have felt, with the house being as gloomy as it was on a bright character such as she before she was married. Such as

Susan Glaspell’s play and short story, while they correspond with each other, display different characteristics because of the differences in perspective and point-of-view. However, with this, we get a bigger and clearer outline of the overall events within the story. As we get multiple ways of being able to see the event happening, we now can get a deeper understanding of what is happening within the texts. In Trifles, the stage directions state that “[Mrs. Peters sit down. The two women sit there not looking at one another, but as if peering into something and at the same time holding back]” (720). From this text, we can infer that the two women are looking at something, which may have corresponded with a memory or familiar setting from their pasts. We find this from context clues within the texts, rather than being told. We get even more clarification and confirmation of these events in “Jury” where it says, “Mrs. Hale, still leaning against the boar, had that sinking feeling of the mother whose child is about to speak a piece” (2). From here, we now know what types of feelings are associated with the memories Mrs. Hale is looking back at in the prior text. By using the two texts, we are not only able to see the outline of the story, but how the story is played out. All of these events help to contribute to

The theme that I would like to focus on is recollection, memory. Throughout this novel Steven always refers to an event that previously happened. He explains these incidents in great detail, it seems as if he holds on to the past. Mr. Stevens seems to reminisce on the past when he is alone and begins to think. This particular event of his father’s decline at Darlington Hall was introduced smoothly by Steven originally thinking about Miss Kenton’s letter. He is not direct about bringing the topic up it flows well with talking about Miss Kenton that moves towards his father’s last days at Darlington hall. Stevens and Miss Kenton both have a decent memory and recalls things from over thirty years ago. Furthermore, an incident occurred where Miss

“Jane Eyre” is a book centred around female duality. In a time when females were still expected to fulfill their “womanly duties,” Charlotte Bronte wrote a novel dealing with a woman’s view on morality & sexuality, passion & sensibility, and conformity & insanity, among other themes. This motif of duality plays a strong part in the dynamism that makes up the book, and is not limited to the themes, but is also used to relate many of the characters to the titular Jane. In “The Mystery at Thornfield,” Valerie Beattie makes claims that the character Bertha Mason’s insanity is a representation of rebellion toward the limitations of Victorian women. Not only is

Woolf portrays the character of Mrs. Ramsay as a self sacrificing woman and mother as defined through her interactions with men: Charles Tansley, Mr. Carmichael, Paul, Mr. Bankes, Mr. Ramsay, and James. During Mrs. Ramsay's lifetime she is admired by most of these men, and is continually striving to be esteemed by all of them, at any sacrifice to herself. Although there is goodness in Mrs. Ramsay, not unselfishly given, there are also rising questions of this representation of mother by Woolf, primarily put forth through the characters of Lily and Mrs. Ramsay's daughters.

Jane Eyre is a novel written by Charlotte Brontë. It is distinctly a female Bildungsroman, as it follows the progress and growth of Jane’s character on her quest for selfhood and independence in a society that tries its best to impress upon her the roles and expectations of women in the Victorian era (which is neatly packaged in the figure of the ‘Angel-in-the-house’.) This is something with which this essay seeks to engage by looking at female figures which feature prominently in Jane’s life, how those who embrace the figure of ‘Angel-in-the-house’ are treated and viewed, versus those who do not. Furthermore, important male figures will also be looked at in order to understand Jane’s own feelings to the ‘Angel-in-the-house’ figure and how she approaches it, as well as how the Byronic hero might relate – if it even does.

In 1966, Jean Rhys published her novel ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’. The story depicts the life of Antoinette Cosway, her marriage to a mysterious Englishman, and her eventual descent into madness. The story is a prequel to ‘Jane Ayre’ by Charlotte Brontë, and gives the woman in the attic a voice. This essay looks at the use of narrative in ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’, and evaluates how this informs the interpreted meaning of the text.

In Jane Eyre, Bertha Mason is a symbol of female oppression, and the confining roles of women in marriages. Bronte depicts Jane as a young woman in attempt to set an example for others by dodging conformity, and expose false stereotypes, marriage and submission to Rochester are counterintuitive to her goals and morals. Bertha serves as a warning to Jane by displaying the effects of marriage. As a woman who had been oppressed and dominated because of her marriage, Bertha symbolizes the damaging effects marriage in a male dominated society on a woman’s individuality and sanity. Bertha is presented as the “madwoman in the attic” by Bronte, her insanity is a dramatization of the ramifications of marriage by personifying the thoughts of women in the victorian era. In Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette is tricked into a loveless marriage for monital purposes because of society’s views on femininity which is females are meant to be passive (Anderson, 1982). This common perception on women is what leads Antoinette and many other women to drift into unhappy marriages, and the greater consequence being they lose themselves due to their forced