The Importance Of The Independence Of Women

Throughout the history of American Literature there has been a common theme of male oppression. Especially towards the end of the 19th century, before the first wave of feminism, women were faced with an unshakeable social prison. Husband, home and children were the only life they knew, many encouraged not to work. That being said, many female writers at the time, including Emily Dickinson and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, were determined to examine the mind behind the American woman, through the lens of mental illness and personal experience.

In the late nineteenth century, the New Woman time period emerged after World War I. Women began to cast away the domestic stereotypes and they became “independent [women] who [sought] achievement and self-fulfillment beyond the realm of marriage and family” (Miller 1). Straying away from the typical image of women staying and maintaining the home, women started attending universities, receiving professional jobs, and becoming involved in politics (1). The transition of women from the domestic sphere to the public sphere is a notion Zora Neale Hurston uses in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston’s use of dominant characters in society reveals her theme that experiences and relationships are the roots of finding independence and identity despite the obscurity caused by sexism.

The United States is a notoriously patriarchal society in which men view women as objects and their own possessions. Through history, men consistently constrained the rights women have to equality and self-expression because they deemed women as inferior. As a result, feminist movements erupted and propelled the importance of self-identity in victims of oppression, not just in females. One element of these movements was the use of literature as social protest. Zora Neale Hurston is an author who predominantly wrote through the Great Depression to advocate for equality, specifically for African American women. In her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston employs the symbolization of hair and the motif of speech to substantiate that one must be confident in making decisions to have individual power.

The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 in gave reasons why the United States believed its relationship with Britain could no longer work. The Declaration’s language appealed to enlightenment ideals and liberty rhetoric: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence). Unfortunately, these rights were not given to women, the modern interpretation of this passage gives these rights to both men and women. Once Elizabeth Cady Stanton published her writings, Declaration of Sentiments, it received backlash from men. James Gordon Bennett wrote an article in New York’s Herald criticizing it. “The sentiments and doctrines

Approximately 80 years ago, women were often objectified and not treated correctly. Today in society, there are many new standards that we commonly try to live up to. We would like to have equality with many things, rather it be race, gender, etc. But, early in the 1900s, many women were not treated equally. Their Eyes Were Watching God, written by Zora Neale Hurston, is about a woman, named Janie, growing up attempting to find true love. She wants a man who will treat her unlike most women, for she doesn’t want to feel like she is a person of ownership. Women were often seen as owned property. Hurston shows us how women are often viewed as objects of ownership.

Two-hundred years is a sizeable gap of time that allows plenty of room for change. American society had been rapidly changing from the early seventeenth century to the late nineteenth century, but despite this, the roles and rights of women have remained locked in place. There were many factors to consider as to why women were not allowed to flourish in their time and exceed these boundaries, and while some accepted it, there were many that opposed and faced these difficulties head on. Two female authors, one from colonial times, and one from nineteenth century America, have written about the obstacles and misogyny they’ve overcome in a male dominated literary career. Despite the two-hundred-year gap between the lives of Margaret Fuller and Anne Bradstreet, they both face issues regarding the static stereotype that women are literarily inferior and subservient handmaids to men.

During the 1900s, men were more dominant than the women and in Zora Neale Hurston's book: Their Eyes Were Watching God she shows the role of men being dominate over the role of women. During this time period the men were in control and had more freedom of rights than the women did. This book expresses through the main character Jaine by showing her struggles in life. This book talks about how she was viewed as less for being a women. Today, we still see problems with gender dominance but it’s not anywhere near as bad as it was during the 1900’s.

Due to the time period, one is raised in there are certain things that are considered to be the norm. In the late 1900’s women had no voice to speak out or give any of their opinions regarding any matters. In those types of society’s, the women are oppressed because the males were dominant. Edna Pontellier from The Awakening by Kate Chopin and Janie Crawford from Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston are two women who are oppressed in the society they are brought up in.

America witnessed the birth of the Women’s Rights Movement over 150 years ago with the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Since this historic event, American women have not ceased fighting for equality and free will in every aspect of their lives. While first-wave feminism involved suffrage and political equality, second-wave feminism combatted social and cultural inequalities. Despite limitations to their personal freedom, women have overcome adversity to advocate for and acquire a more equal position in society. Among these progressive women stands Zora Neale Hurston, whose works are viewed as essential to the continuum of American feminist literature. One of the first great American black female writers, Hurston refused to concede to

“Women wrote 12 of the 27 best selling novels published between 1850 and 1860. Their stories about heroines who overcame hardships no doubt helped their female readers imagine all kinds of new possibilities.” Their life’s battles they wrote about helped new generation women realize they can overcome anything and new possibilities in life. “Other women found work as launderers, domestic servants, or cooks.”They are doing everything they was told not to do and more. They are taking advantage of their time being. “Others reluctantly found change thrust upon them. Either way, women’s traditional roles and responsibilities were forever changed as many of them adjusted to life during war.” Some just bettered themselves, some

Zora Neale Hurston was one of many authors who left an impact on society, particularly black America. During the 1920’s, women were looked at as submissive and did not have many rights. She gave women a voice. Zora Neale Hurston is a remarkable author who reflects her life in most of her writing. She was a writer during the Harlem Renaissance Era. After much success, she was acknowledged as “Queen of the Harlem Renaissance.” Her literary work was not given proper recognition in the beginning because she chose to write things in a different perspective than the normal political mindset dealing with race. Hurston explored women empowerment and feminism in her writing. Hurston developed very strong, resilient women, but were placed in a

“We remembered all of the young men her father had driven away” (Faulkner 316). We note that Miss Emily never married and was a recluse from the townspeople until the day she died. She was isolated from her town, abandoned by her father, and judgment fell upon her from every watchful eye of that small town.

Literature changes as current events change and as the structure of society begins to shift. American feminist literature started to become prevalent during the Victorian era, or around the latter part of the 19th century. This is the time when the first wave of feminism in the United States hit. The Seneca Falls Convention - the first women’s rights convention - and the emergence of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony’s American Equal Rights Association in the middle of the 19th century are among some of the noteable events that sparked this movement in literature. Women across America were inspired by the changing of the times, and that is reflected in many American female authors’ writings.

Faulkner cannot be criticized for the creation of a bad vision of women in the case of Emily Grierson. The character was a victim of circumstances, where the gender issue was only one of several factors. But it played its role in tragic events. From the lens of feminist theory, the major problem of the story was the fact people believed women cannot deal with their problems (even personal) by themselves. As Faulkner focused on Miss Emily, it is hard to claim, if this attitude was limited by female representatives of noble families. But it is possible to suggest women of all social classes were closely watched by moral crusaders. Forcing women to follow customs, like marrying before thirty, they simultaneously disrupted their attempts by additional requirements. It could be the social status, like in the case of Miss Emily, or any other feature. But the result was the same: the community felt sorry for woman, who could not satisfy its requirements, despite the fact the society made it impossible or too difficult by itself. Miss Emily’s actions were extreme, but they reflected a strong pressure a woman could feel in such

The role of women in the society is always questioned and for centuries, they have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. The treatment of women was extremely negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfill domestic duties. Literature of that time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society (Lecture on the Puritans). But, slowly and gradually, situation being changed: “During the first half of the 19th century, women 's roles in society evolved in the areas of occupational, moral, and social reform. Through efforts such as factory movements, social reform, and women 's rights, their aims were realized and foundations for further reform were established” (Lauter 1406). Feminist poets like Emily Dickinson and Anne Bradstreet talked substantially about feminism in different lights in the past two centuries. They were very vocal and assertive about their rights and the ‘rights for women’ in general. While they might have been successful at making a good attempt to obliterate gender biases but still there are lot of disparities between the two genders. Nevertheless, their poetry reflects a deep angst.