During class this week we talked about gender roles in media, featuring “Game of Thrones” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” two television shows almost 20 years apart. Oddly enough, the portrayal of women in these TV shows break almost the same amount of gender stereotypes despite being decades apart. While both of these shows are considered progressive in their respective realms, I believe that the creators could have done an even more impressive job with them. Both Television shows defy a set of gender roles in their respective environments; however, the female characters in “Game of Thrones” have a stronger code to breakout of as opposed to the high school setting the Buffy is present in. In Joss Whedon’s defense I have seen a significant amount more of HBO’s crowning achievement than of Buffy herself so my opinion is more biased in that regard, but I still believe people like Circe, Daenerys, and Brianne represent a further break in gender roles than Buffy. With the three female characters of “Game of Thrones” one can see a much bigger development in their roles in society and how they do not conform to them, throughout the series. During the medieval period women were second class citizens always behind a man, or restricted in their job choices and these women are demonstrative …show more content…
The part that makes her stand out is not this fact though, but it is the other characteristics that she uses in conjunction with her strength. Buffy is a cheerleader, she is popular, and she does well in school which separates her from others and is what breaks her of her stereotypes. In high school you can’t be pretty and athletic or smart, she breaks the “dumb blonde” stereotype by being blonde, and well, smart and strong. Through his show, Joss crafts a girl who does not want to play by society’s rules and won’t proving she can be beautiful and still defeat the bad
History has been recorded throughout time in stories, books, poems and other literary works. These writings give historians and readers of the present day valuable insights into the lifestyles, beliefs, society, economics, politics and pagan religion of the time period they originate. Authors are greatly influenced by the beliefs and attitudes of their own society and time. The works they write provide a window to the past that allows us to peak through and see what life was like for the people of that particular history. Middle Age literary works show the reader of the present who the people were, what was important to them, and how they lived. In a culture
The history of the Middle Ages typically places women in one of two roles; they are either placed upon a pedestal of holiness or reviled as whores and allies of Satan. Historians, Marty Williams and Anne Echols, attempt to combat that idea with their text Between Pit and Pedestal: Women in the Middle Ages. Williams and Echols succeed in showing that the traditional female role did fall somewhere in between, but there was a lot of variety in what was in between. Women were wives, merchants, land owners, and doctors, but where does the "traditional" female fall in this picture? As scholars and historians, we are fortunate to have documents written by a woman in the Middle Ages: the letters of Heloise to her husband, renowned teacher and philosopher, Peter Abelard (referred to as Abelard).
Throughout Western thought to 1600, women are portrayed as second-class citizens, their roles in society were inferior to those of the dominant groups in society. Women during this time filled traditional roles of caretaking, birthing and manual labor. They were tools used in society in the form of property or as a source for bearing children, preferably boys. Women were compared to other luxurious items such as gold, and horses and often praised for their beauty. Although many texts portray women in these subordinate roles, some were referred by name but often times not. Overall women weren’t given access to many positions or resources in society due to the way they were perceived by those dominant in society.
As the poems of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight show, women have always had power, yet not as overt a power as wielded by their masculine counterparts. The only dynamic of women’s power that has changed in the later centuries is that the confines and conditions in which women have wielded their power has become more lax, thus yielding to women more freedom in the expression of their power. The structure, imagery, and theme in the excerpts from Beowulf (lines 744-71) and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 2309-30) support the concept of more power in the later centuries, by contrasting the restriction of Wealhtheow and the power she practices in Beowulf with the Lady’s more direct assertion of power in Sir Gawain
During the medieval times, women were not seen as they are today. Although in the world today there are still those who are full of misogyny, it was much more common and intense during this time period. Women during the middle ages had specific roles assigned to them in society. These roles depended on the type of women they were, whether it be a peasant, noble woman, or an evil temptress. These roles that women have served have shown up in numerous stories from the middle ages including: Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Wife’s Lament.
The men throughout the Old English era played a very prevailing role in society. Men were the persons in society that were portrayed as the central leaders; being in charge of their homes and representing wisdom and strength. Because the men’s role in the Old English era was so dominant, there is a vast amount of literature about them, thus allowing women to be outshined. In fact, restrictions were placed on the majority of women during this period. However, as time evolved, the roles of women also evolved. In the Old English texts, The Wife’s Lament and Beowulf, the roles of women are seen as peace weavers, motivators, cupbearers and memory keepers, compared to the women in the Middle English text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, who now play the roles of being protective, seductive and manipulative.
Literature definately guides one who is living in modern day to understand the ways in which things were in Medieval times. The depiction of inequality between male and female was unintentionally portrayed by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his book, “The Scarlet Letter. “In Heaven’s own time, a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Nathaniel Hawthorne's depicted the predicament of women who strived to reach enfranchisement through the character Hester Prynnes and how the Puritans societies opinion had a tole on her reputation. Nathaniel Hawthorne describes her actions in a positively and boldly way, for example she begins to have a, “radiant and tender smile
In the last three decades women’s roles in society have changed. We are now seen as more than just a pretty face that can cook, clean, and take care of our children. Throughout history, we have seen more and more of these “gender roles,” and also viewed differently in the past. Women played a major role in prehistory to 1500 CE. So, what roles did women play in society at that time? Were they treated or viewed differently or the same as men this this time? In this essay I will be trying to answer these
Throughout history, women have drastically changed ever since the Middle Ages to present-day. Women from the medieval times weren’t able to do what men are doing now: work because there are some women that look up to a man’s lifestyle. Before the time of having their own rights, they were often expected to do ‘womanly’ duties: clean, cook, pleasure their husband, etc. However, in the case of Queen Guenevere and ‘The Wife’, the two ladies were very loving and independent during their time.
The main character of the series is a young woman who is named Buffy Summers. Buffy's character is summarized rather neatly by Elana Levine in her essay, “Buffy and the 'New Girl Order”. Levine
Joss Whedon is a writer of many successful TV shows. One of the reasons that his shows have gained so much attention is because he likes to use them to present his views on controversial topics. Joss does this by switching gender roles and using powerful symbols. You can see this in both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse. You can see this in both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse. He does this in order to change societies views on woman in society. To prove this I will give a few powerful examples from each show that makes it perfectly clear how Joss feels on the matter. Also, I want to talk a little about some of the speeches Joss has made on television where he talks about his work and why he does it.
As stated earlier, women would’ve done anything to be their men’s backbone, be it peasant, nun, housewife, mother and etc. “On the level of practical life it was taken for granted that, when necessary, a woman could effectively fill any position of authority (except that of a priest).” (Tierney TB, p.174), as reading this statement, it was proved in both the early medieval life along with the excerpt of Song of Roland when, Queen Bramimonde was equally in charge of doing what she
Women from the medieval times had clear roles. The women had strict rules to follow by. When it came to marriage, the wives had to submit to their husbands and follow their lead. Women were supposed to be cleaning, stay at home with the kids, cook, make clothes, etc. The women who steered away from these “typical” roles, made very interesting characters. The majority of gender expectations came from the church and biblical history. Since Eve was the cause for the fall of man, there were a lot of anti-feminist feelings. Women were held accountable for the majority of man’s suffering, and were consequently inferior and to be dominated by men. Purity, holiness, and chastity, were all presumptions of women from outstanding role models like the Virgin Mary.
In the Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, there were four main groups of women: “ Queens, sorceresses, a freeman’s loyal daughter and an elfin woman and her daughters” (Anon, Introduction). As stated in the Introduction of the book, the “important events turn on decisions made by women.” Throughout the book, this quote came to represent the fact that almost all the wars/fights within the saga was caused by some action of a woman. Almost all these actions of the women in this saga was the root cause for all the wars/fights in this book. Because of this, the women are actually seen to be what is connecting all the saga’s different episodes/chapters, despite the fact the whole book revolves around King Hrolf (Anon, Introduction). So within the Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, the primary role of women is steer and further progress the saga as the connecting characters.
In the Middle Age literature, women are often presented or meant to come off as an unimportant character; which can also reflect on how the author wants the women character represent. Women are usually shunned, have no say or control in what they do; due to what men desire; like Ophelia and Gertrude did in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. But these female characters that I will discuss are women with power, control, and a voice. Majority of the female character’s appearances are made to represent wickedness, evil, or a seducer who challenges a man belief; and does not symbolize perfect women.