Grotesque View of the British Society in Howard’s End and Women in Love
Eleanor Roosevelt once said that “a little simplification would be the first step toward rational living.” (Heartquotes.net) After reading Howard’s End and Women in Love, by E.M. Forster and D.H. Lawrence respectively, it has become quite clear that a little simplification could do the characters of both novels a great deal of good. In these “condition of England” novels, the ideas of love and marriage, how industrialization has affected British life and the revolution of women’s rights are all presented, analyzed, and even criticized by both authors. However, if one digs deeper, there are less obvious themes which make up the background of each story.
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The paralyzing effect of such intellectualism is at work even in Helen as she believes that helping people is “no good…unless you really mean to know people.” (Forster, 95)
While there are several characters in Howards End who are crippled by the excruciating analysis of taking action, Women in Love offers one blaring character who falls victim to the venom of indefinite thinking. As the narrator unlocks the door to Mrs. Crich’s mind, it becomes clear that her philosophy is a result of her greed. “Sometimes, it seemed to Mrs. Crich as if her husband were some subtle funeral bird, feeding on the miseries of the people.” (Lawrence, 180) Instead of admitting her own selfishness, Mrs. Crich rationalizes her feelings by refusing to acknowledge that her husband’s intentions are the product of a good heart, and not of a man who enjoys other peoples’ hardship.
Certainly the elevated way of thinking that the upper class has adopted makes it difficult, if not nearly impossible, for them to take action in society. Not only do they spend more time jawing about the
Fay Weldon’s ‘Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen’ (1984) through the form of an epistolic novel, serves to enrich a heightened understanding of the contemporary issues of Jane Austen’s cultural context. In doing so, the responder is inspired to adopt a more holistic appreciation of the roles of women inherent in Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1813). Due to the examination of the shift of attitudes and values between the Regency era and the 1980s, the reader comes to better understanding of the conventions of marriage for a women and the role education had in increasing one’s marriage prospects. Weldon’s critical discussion of these issues transforms a modern responder’s understanding of the role of a woman during the 19th century.
Harwood throws the readers the suggestions to acknowledge the most unlikeable elements of marriage and love. The truth that a woman’s self in Harwood’s time would be completely lost with her wedding vows. This becomes equally relevant to date because of questionable equality between the sexes. Harwood is therefore condoning the practices that endorse
Daisy puts up with her husband’s infidelity because of the benefits he provides, his background, his “old money”, and his reputation. When I talk to Daisy she’s always quite cheerful and peppy, but there are moments when I see how sad and lonely she is, “'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool… you see I think everything’s terrible anyhow… I’ve been everywhere and seen everything.” (17) In a society corrupted by greed and scandal, the best thing that one can hope for is to be too stupid to realize what’s actually going on and therefore not get hurt.
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.
For the upper class to remain in power, the classes below them must be content with what they have and not have thoughts of revolting against the upper class because, even though they rarely realize it, they make up the majority of the population and the only differences between them and the upper class are their social class and
To begin with, social class has always been of great importance in society, more money means more power and more respect.
After the latest Presidential Election, the limelight has been shed on the upper class. Political leaders such as Senator Bernie Sanders have convinced the lower classes that the wealthy class has been working against them. Figures for instance, President Donald Trump have been vilified by the media to the extent that they’ve been labeled has greedy and selfish because of his wealth and successful businesses. Reality television shows such as “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and “Real Housewives” have given an unrealistic representation of the wealthy in America, yet the lower classes worship these “reality TV” stars. The media has also failed to acknowledge the contributions to job growth and opportunity in America. Without their wealth and creation
Social class can result in discrimination and can lead to hatred and violence in American society. Lower socio-economic classes have begun a public outcry in the nation after seeing movements like Occupy Wall Street. Individuals in lower and higher socio-economic classes are regarded as providing negative effects in a social class battle. Upper classes who are born into wealth and power use their privilege as an important part of their identity. This identity affects differences such as their behavior and attitude in American society. Upper classes look down on the poor's behavior and attitude, and they feel that the poor are working relentlessly to take away their power. The poor feel like the rich do nothing but enjoy their money and use
Examine Austen’s presentation of what is called in the novel, ‘women’s usual occupations of eye, and hand, and mind’. In Jane Austen’s society, the role of women was controlled by what was expected of them. In most cases, marriage was not for love, and was considered as a business arrangement, in which both partners could gain status and financial reassurance. Though Austen opposed the idea of none affectionate marriage, many
Rather than being the wife who cares and sacrifices for her husband, the author characterizes women as egocentric murderers who can cross any limits to achieve their own happiness (Apuleius
How do members of the upper class in modern Western society influence the general population?
England has always had a rich history of interesting cultural traditions but arguably none as prevalent as marriage. Marriage, the union of two people with emotional ideals and expectations, are brought on by many different factors that include: for love, for money, for climbing social status, escapism, survival, etc. In Jane Austen’s novels, she focuses on the importance of marriage in her world because she wanted to emphasize how marriage is the most important life event of a woman as this would determine her place in society. Persuasion shows readers good and bad examples of marriage: the amiable Crofts and other couples such as Sir Walter & Lady Elliot and the Smiths. Jane Austen uses the Crofts to support the importance of marriage
Pride and Prejudice, a Jane Austen novel, is one of the most classical pieces of literature in history. It has been evaluated and critiqued a countless number of times, and has been adapted into several films. It can be argued that there is a lot to be retained by readers from this literary work, an important message that can be passed down from generation to generation. During Jane Austen’s time, in the early 1800’s, women were around to be married off, bear children, and cater to their man. Men were meant to work and instruct their women, and the more money you had, the more respected you were. A woman’s goal in life was to marry
This develops the idea that her future with this man as a married woman provided a stable lifestyle where she would not have to live by the rigid patterns of society, reinforcing a modern day feminist reader’s view of the expectations and restrictions placed on unmarried women during the Victorian era.
The Regency Period in England was an extravagant era often associated with prominent social, political, economic, and artistic advancements. It took place in the early 1800’s and was a time of much elegance and aristocracy. Movies and books set in this time period all seem to highlight the elegance and romance that was prevalent at the time. Famous Regency Era literary works, such as Pride and Prejudice, portray young English women getting their happily-ever-after endings with their true loves. Unfortunately, such endings did not actually happen to real women of the era because they lived very austere and vapid lives. They hardly had a choice in many of their lives’ decisions and had little to no career options. These women were raised