Compare How Male Female Relationships in Two of the Following Emma, Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations-- Reflect the Mores and Values of Victorian Society

They also received little education because, at the time, it was believed that learning could harm women’s reproductive health (Hughes). Investigating women in the Victorian era, Sykes notes that women were thought to be unequal to men by nature (Sykes 1). This belief is greatly challenged by the protagonists in Jane Eyre and The Eyre Affair. Both Jane Eyre and Thursday Next contradict these ideas. These two intelligent women continually reveal just how educated they are.

In modern society, men and women share more equality, however sexual discrimination played a larger part in the perceived role of women in the Victorian Era as seen in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë , and through Jane’s devout passion and defying the normalities and expectations for women of this era, the concept of feminism is portrayed through Jane caused by the manipulation of the patriarchy through the significant men seen in this book. The concept of gender roles isn’t a genuine truth, but is a product of the dominant patriarchy and social practice that is so alluded to throughout the novel. Now, as the active role of women is increasingly recognized by society, the actual controversy lies in the idea that an uncontrollable factor such as gender can determine the portrayal of a person in that society, and that women aren’t accepted as mutual equals, but victimized to be subservient to men. The bestowed role of women is apparent in all societies, but is especially evident concerning the direct placement of women and constant suppression of character and desires, such as Jane endured throughout her lifetime. As Jane’s restless spirit becomes agitated with her stagnant place, she often seeks solitude in the solemn attic to dwell in silence. There she paces, allowing her ever-expanding thoughts to wander, and now she considers the achievability of satisfaction, and the unattainability of tranquility and contentment. Jane demonstrates her frustration, and how the

Mr. Darcy, handsome gentleman’s son from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin, can be seen as a different role model when compared to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Both novels have a similar background but with a different twist. Austin’s description of writing is seen to be related to a more realistic and satire approach, whereas Bronte’s style seems to be a bit gothic. Furthermore, both novels have a romantic presentation of two very unique genders that fall deeply in love with one another.

Due to primary socialisation, the children in the family would then be socialised into their gender roles so then when their time comes to marry and have children, this family structure will continue: the male has the instrumental role and the woman has the expressive role. To contradict with this view from Parsons’, the feminist theory would challenge this view when considering the inequality which comes of this. One argument made by feminists is to do with the oppression which women have dealt with for many years due to their somewhat, ascribed role of being inferior to men, up until around the 1960’s.

Gender roles have existed since the inchoate of time. “A gender role is a theoretical construct in the social sciences and humanities that refers to a set of social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex” (Princeton). Gender roles, gemerally, differ from culture to culture and from time period to time period.

Most men had always worked on farms or in small businesses in the home; after the Civil War they started to work at jobs within capitalist businesses in which they had less control of their work (Kimmel, 1987). During that same time gender roles started to change and a backlash developed against the changes in women’s roles. Men wanted to preserve existing social roles; medical and biological arguments were developed to maintain traditional gender roles (Smith-Rosenberg and Rosenberg, 1973). The medical field stated that women were frailer, their skulls were smaller, their nervous systems were prone to overstimulation and they were more emotional, and their bodies and minds were dominated by their reproductive systems. There was concern that education would overtax women’s intellectual abilities and be detrimental to their ability to reproduce (Smith-Rosenberg et al,

According to Judith Lorber, an author and professor, gender is socially constructed because “everyone is guilty of doing gender everyday (pg. 65).” Since the beginning of time women were considered subordinate to men and only believed to be successful at womanly task. Women were expected to clean the house, cook the food and take care of the children. Men were expected to be the providers, get jobs and get an education. However, there were many women who saw the value in achieving the goal of an education for themselves. In the early 1800’s society did not share the same opinion with advocates for women’s education. Many believed that if a women pursued an education it would take away her “piety, modesty, frugality, and fertility (Solomon pg. 11).” For many women there was a struggle to maintain her female characteristics and prove she can be equally educated as men. There were many obstacles women had to jump over before coeducation of schools came

Higher education was the necessary foundation women needed in order to be recognized as valuable members of society. However, females often received inadequate schooling. A traditional education was aimed

There was educational differentiation between girls and boys education, with primarily boys being taught to work in the real world. An example of this is military education. “At many Southern academies, discipline was maintained among the boys through a military-type training which well prepared them for military service” While the girls got taught skills they could

However, despite changes, the literary world remained predominantly male, and women writers not encouraged, or taken seriously. Consequently, to counteract this Emily Bronte published her novel Wuthering Heights, under the male pseudonym of Ellis Bell. Wuthering Heights is the story of domesticity, obsession, and elemental divided passion between the intertwined homes of the Earnshaw’s residing at the rural farmhouse Wuthering Heights, and the Linton family of the more genteel Thrushcross Grange. This essay will discuss how the language and narrative voices established a structural pattern of the novel, and how these differing voices had a dramatic effect on the interpretation of the overall story.

Education was not equal between the sexes and neither between the classes. Gentlemen were educated at home until they were old enough to attend well-known or lesser schools. A lady’s schooling was

This essay aims to completely describe the Victorian era, the reason why I choose this era specifically is because one of the greatest novels that I have read were written in that era, therefore I would like to analyze this era in order to know what happened in that era and what influenced the authors to write such great novels.

In Jane Austen’s day, there was no state-organised education system. There were church-run day schools in the best of cases for the lower class, but the genteel children of Austen’s novels were given lessons at home by their parents or by tutors, or they were boarders or in local schools to which girls were not admitted. Parents had the choice for their children’s education and upbringing, but the choice depended mainly on their financial resources. Women were not allowed to attend public schools and since they did not usually make a career (the exception being if they were obliged because of their financial situation to become a governess), parents (and society) saw no need for them to receive higher education. “Female education” referred to women receiving a practical (and religious) training for their future domestic roles. Domestic training would be sewing or needlework,

The novel ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1847) by Emily Brontë and the film adaptation ‘Wuthering Heights’ (2011) by Andrea Arnold each convey respective values and perspectives reflective of the contrasting contexts and forms of each text. The novel, set in the Romantic period, is centred around two families living on the isolated, Yorkshire moors, and the explosive interactions between them. The concept of confinement contrasts against the freedom of nature throughout the novel. Nature is another key theme and a fundamental aspect of the Romantic period, used to present ideas such as rebellion and freedom. Finally, passion within human relationships is thoroughly explored through Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship within the novel. However, as the film adaptation is a product of a contemporary post-feminist, post-colonial time period, these themes can now be explored through lenses such as racial discrimination, feminism, and human connection.

This essay will analyse how gender roles are represented in Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Height’s by looking at the characters of Cathy and Heathcliff. By analysing these two characters it will be clear that the protagonists challenge social conformity during the Victorian period in England. To fully realise this it is important to first understand what the prescribed roles were that they were challenging. This will be achieved through close readings of the text and references made to secondary sources to provide evidence that this opinion has been fully investigated. It will be clear by the end to see that the characters challenge the roles expected of their sex during this time and together they challenge social norms. This essay will answer ‘yes’