Moll Flanders Life

At the beginning of the short drama, “Trifles,” Mrs. Peters, the sheriff’s wife, is painted as timid and submissive wife. She willingly submits herself to the responsibilities she has as a wife. As the play unfolds, Mrs. Peter’s submissiveness begins to diminish. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale work together to uncover the murder of Minnie Wright’s husband. When the women find the evidence, they refuse to share it with the men. Mrs. Peter’s character transforms into a more confident individual over the course of the play.

“You’re Convinced there was nothing important here…Nothing that would—point to any motive?” (Glaspell, pg. 5, 1908). In 1916, Glaspell worked for Des Moines daily news as a reporter where she later met her husband George Cook who was a play director. Together they wrote and produced plays, two of which are Trifles and Jury of Her Peers which are based off a crime scene she encountered while being a reporter. Glaspell’s plays are on the feminist side focusing on the roles women are forced to play in society and their relationships with men. Motive is the overall theme found in both versions of Glaspell’s story and is evidenced through the Wright’s relationship, the anger portrayed in various ways, and finally, regret found in Mrs. Wright.

Marriages tended to be for strategic purposes rather than love, so family life in the Elizabethan Era was different than family life today ("Elizabethan Family Life” 1).

Scene 1: Opens again with Trapdoor bragging that he has Moll. Sir Alexander tries to set Moll up by planting expensive items for her to steal. (Gold Chain, money). They exit and Moll, Mary (both dressed as men) enter with Sebastian. They are talking, Moll tells that she has never initiated (or had) sex? Then Moll sings and later sees the gold chain and diamond. Sebastian then plans to give 40 pound to Moll (maybe to pay for her help?) Sir Alexander knows who Moll is, but pretends not to know

The word “fool” has two paradoxical definitions: as a noun, “a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person”, and as a verb, to “trick or deceive (someone); dupe”. This essay examines the multifaceted nature of the beautiful fool in three case studies: Lily in The House of Mirth (HM), Carrie in Sister Carrie (SC), and Daisy in The Great Gatsby (GG). All three women are referred to as “foolish” in terms of superficiality and error of judgment, but as they also display resourcefulness in fooling men for social advancement through romance.

Early modern European society relied heavily on relatively strict gender roles. Although work that men and women performed regarding early modern European economy was relatively the same, these two genders were affected by different factors. While men were usually only affected by factors such as age, class, and skill, women were affected by several more such as marriage, widowhood, and motherhood (Wiesner-Hanks, 2008). Marriage during these times were usually for business and status, as opposed to a true human connection. When a young person is vowed to another for marriage, they are also set up with a dowry, or credit to help support their married-life, and occupation. Marrying another individual could even be considered a strategic economic approach to accumulating status and privilege. While both men and women are set up with a dowry, it is almost always the bride that must move from her own household to that of the groom’s or groom’s parents. Gluckel herself was vowed by her parents at the age of twelve, and married off nearly two years later. Because of such an early commitment, Gluckel had a very short, practically nonexistent childhood. She doesn’t write much about her own personal experiences during childhood, but more about her immediate, and extended family members’ escapades. Come to think of it, it is possible that

This is contrasted by Moll's internal narrative in which she scoffs at the innocent bystanders who she deems stupid enough to warrant her theft, and whilst this can be viewed as merely a coping mechanism for Moll to rationalise her illegal behaviour, when it is coupled with the declaration in the Preface, Defoe's intended purpose for Moll Flanders seems far more layered than the bold and uncompromising declaration of his 'editor' narrator. Whilst Moll is punished for her crimes, there are no permanent repercussions. Even the scenes in which Moll is arrested and brought to Newgate, the place of her birth, only offer a temporary consequence for her actions that is quickly relieved upon her release - but the psychological impact of Newgate and its use as a motif in contemporary literature are both important when considering how Defoe approaches the concept of redemption and penance in his female

In Flanders FieldsIn Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved, and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.     

Glaspell develops the theme of gender roles by what Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters fret about at the crime scene. For instance, the first concern that Mrs. Peters voices revolves around Mrs. Wright’s fruit preserves and implies that the women are housekeepers. Both the Sheriff and Mr. Hale remark about how the women are “worryin’ about her preserves” and “worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 3). Later, when the men go upstairs to look for evidence, the women decide to bring Mrs. Wright’s apron, fruit, shawl, and quilt for her in prison. To further establish Mrs. Wright as a domesticated housewife, Mrs. Peters suggests that Mrs. Wright wants her apron “to make her feel more natural” (Glaspell 5). Because of what Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discuss at the crime scene, Glaspell verifies that the women play the role of housekeeper and cook.

To explain, Glaspell depicts how Mr. Henderson dismisses the items the women picked to take to Mrs. Wright and “moves a few things about, disturbing the quilt pieces which cover the box” (Glaspell 1269; stage directions in line 144). Glaspell creates suspense through her stage directions because the audience is uncertain if Mr. Henderson will find the incriminating evidence the women have hidden. Additionally, Glaspell creates suspense through her stage directions by the way the men interact with the women. For example, as the investigation of the farmhouse is concluding, Mr. Henderson mockingly states that although the men did not find any evidence the women at least discovered the type of quilt Mrs. Wright was making (Glaspell 1270; line 149). This creates suspense for the audience as they know what the women are hiding and are awaiting the women’s response to the offensive behavior of the men. By having the men on the brink of finding the incriminating evidence, Glaspell is able to force the audience to the peak of suspense in her

These two ladies are collecting items for another character Mrs. Wright, who is in jail for murdering her husband. Throughout the entire play Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are verbally harassed by the county attorney, George Henderson, and the town sheriff, Henry Peters, also known as the antagonists. The main conflicts in Glaspell’s play are conveyed through the men and women’s dialogue and the characterization of both types of characters. In the text, Glaspell allows the men to describe their affections about women through their conversations with one another and towards the ladies.

Later, when Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen enter, two more ideas of marriage are brought to the forefront. Lady Bracknell portrays the aristocratic Victorian view of marriage but to a more extreme extent. According to Ziegenfuss, marriage in the Victorian era was not romanticized or fairytale-like. Love actually played a very minor role in the majority of matrimonies that took place. Engagement was entered into as one would approach a business deal, with rules and guidelines (Ziegenfuss). This is blatantly obvious when Lady Bracknell interviews Jack to see if he’s fit to marry Gwendolen. She attacks Jack with questions about family, fortune, and even place of residency and his answers need be appropriate for a union between the two families. (Kupske, Souza, 122). Even when Algernon wants to marry Cecily, Lady Bracknell voices, “I think some preliminary inquiry on my part would not be out place.” (Wilde, 46). Gwendolen, however, has the same view of marriage as Jack but, still has strong ideals about social protocol. This is seen when Jack tries to propose, she replies, “Of course I will darling…I am afraid you have had very little experience in how to propose!” (Wilde, 11)

Mr. Holland has changed many lives throughout his adult life. In the movie Mr. Holland's Opus, his most successful role is being a teacher. Mr. Holland has inspired many students; those students took advice from Mr. Holland and they use it to benefit their own lives. Mr. Holland cared for his students; he stayed and help those who needed help he most. Mr. Holland also cared about his passion for music when the school decided to cut off the music program.

It is often said that marriage is the extension of a family. Through marriage, one family is linked to another. In this regard, we have a third kind of women who are victims of the institution of marriage. In The Boarding House, Mrs. Mooney’s daughter Polly is the victim of the ingrained institution of marriage. After she learns of the affair between her daughter Polly and Mr. Doran, Mrs. Mooney forces him to marry her daughter in a rather tactful and cunning way:

Moll Flanders and Mary Musgrove recognize marriage is a way for economic profit; however, their rationale drawing to them to this conclusion is different. After Moll’s nurse dies, Moll is forced to be independent for the first time. She says, “now was I a poor gentlewoman indeed...I had not… a bit of bread to eat” (MF 54). Moll realizes she cannot make a living being a gentlewoman. This incident causes Moll to look for economic security. She is taken in by a wealthy family in Colchester. The elder brother in the family seduces Moll with compliments and begins to see her privately. He promises to marry Moll when he “[comes] to his estate”(MF 67; therefore, their marriage would yield a profit as the marriage would not got through until the elder brother inherited his piece of property. While they are in their relationship, the elder brother gives Moll “a handful of gold”(MF 63) and “five guineas”(MF 62), thus satisfying Moll’s economic necessity. When Mary is talking about a future marriage between Henrietta and Captain Wentworth, she comments that Henrietta would become “‘Lady Wentworth…[which is] a noble thing” (P 73). This demonstrates how Mary only sees marriage as a way for Henrietta to move up in status, and Mary deems that this marriage would be noble because of how economically profitable it is. Even though Moll and Mary are from the lower and upper class, respectively, their views on marriage are similar as it provides financial security.