The Role Of Women In Matthew LewisThe Monk And The Italian

Colonial women in the mid-1600s were very limited in religious activities. They were expected to remain compliant and not allowed to speak out in church. (pg. 96). As time progressed, women were afford more rights in this regard. They eventually outnumbered men in the church. They used this platform to promote their beliefs and “influence morals (pg. 96).”

Throughout my selected text, Johnson focuses on the church along with the subsequent androcentric image of God, and how it impacts woman around the world. She explains that throughout history, with the help of the church’s patriarchal nature and society’s values as a whole, woman have been seen “as a ‘defective male’…that must live in obedience to her [male counterpart,]…[ and who are often also referred to as the] ‘second sex’” (Johnson 92). This

Holly Brubach’s article, “Immaculate Perception,” is, in fact, an exploration of the Virgin Mary cult. Only, not a cult in the inflammatory sense of which people are accustomed. Rather, a cult in terms of an abstracted, deep-seated idolatry. Being the “cornerstone of ideal womanhood,” men and women of Catholic faith sanctify the Virgin Mary (Brubach, 130). However, doing so, does not come without consequence. Women of Catholic faith expected to meet the impossible standards of the Virgin Mary. How can anyone top giving birth to Jesus Christ? Nonetheless, women are expected to be the perfect wife and mother, along with submissive and asexual. Essentially, maintain “gender roles, behaviors, attitudes, and experiences [that] are defined as normal

The women described in the Lais of Marie de France often commit traditionally sinful deeds, such as adultery, murder, and betrayal. However, with a few exceptions, the protagonists often end up living happily with their beloved for the rest of their lives. The Lais advocate for situational judgement rather than general condemnation of specific acts, which can be seen through Marie de France’s treatment of sinful heroines.

The church has ever opposed the progress of woman on the ground that her freedom would lead to immorality. We ask the church to have more confidence in women. We ask the opponents of this movement to reverse the methods of the church, which aims to keep women moral by keeping them in fear and in ignorance, and to inculcate into them a

Lastly, Sor Juana concludes with, “your arrogance is allied/ with the world, the flesh, and the devil!” (A Sor Juana Anthology 113). Ultimately, Sor Juana directly refers to men and the patriarchy as evil. This revelation coming from a nun is all the more significant as the church looks down on both evil and sin. Ultimately, her role allows her more influence and gives more significance to her writing as seen by Sor Juana’s uncovering of the patriarchy as evil and sinful.

“We’re never, ever, ever going to be able to fly as high, unless we’re both in support of each other” is what Emma Watson, actress, model and humanitarian, said during a speech as the U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador to introduce the launch of the “HeForShe” campaign, where the “solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all”. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert “arrogant” Congolese people into faithful Christians. Ironically enough, Nathan’s wife, Orleanna, and four daughters, Ruth May, Adah, Leah and Rachel, whom were formerly blind followers of him realize that their patriarch is actually the imprudent and arrogant one. In the end, one by one, they dynamically turn on Nathan and stand up for themselves. The Poisonwood Bible challenges the oppression of women by bringing light to female strength and capability, pointing out gender inequalities and strengthening the regard for female voice.

The concepts of “True Womanhood” can be defined by piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity. This novel reflects the concepts of the time, for example, when Winthrop comments to Fletcher, “passiveness next to godliness is a woman’s best virtue” (153). Winthrop reinforces the norm for women to be submissive, which is referred to in the novel as passive. True Womanhood could also be defined as selfless, referring to the concept of piety. We see selflessness reflected within the relationship between Hope and Magawisca, where Magawisca takes a huge risk in coming to tell Hope about her sister’s marriage and how Faith had changed, and in return, Hope risks everything to set Magawisca free

     In consequence of these bad treats, women try to find different ways that in their point of view were a way out to reveal their need and discontents with man. One way for women to express their dissatisfaction was become part to the Convent, it provided an especially opportunity to achieving self-expression and freedom from male domination and sexual exploitation for elite and middle-class women. In the convents women display their capacity for leadership in administration, management of resources, and a way to create a social life by receiving visitors. An example of these ways out to society is “Sor Juana,” according to Keen and Haynes’s book Sor Juana’s intellectual brilliance made it difficult for her to find a suitable marriage partner, in consequence she decide to become part of a Convent. This same experience was common for one or more daughters of an elite family in every day life

Presenting literature to the public that is meant to be a commentary on social or political issues, masked under the guise of entertaining and fictional, is a tool implemented by authors and activists for centuries. While not all satire is as overt as Jonathan Swift’s suggestion that we eat the babies, it does not diminish the eyebrow raising suggestions that are conveyed once the meaning has been discovered. In Aphra Behn’s The History of the Nun and Eliza Haywood’s Fantomina, the established expectations of the female role within society are brought into question then directly rejected. These expectations establish that women should be deferential to men, morally unblemished, and virtuous at all times. Men, however, are not held to these expectations in the same way. The masculine roles assumed by Isabella and Fantomina demonstrate a private rebellion against the established patriarchal society as it warns against the under-estimation of women and proves that women exist independently.

Independence is an empowering state where one feels no need to rely on another. In the short story “A New England Nun,” Mary E. Wilkins Freeman demonstrates the internal struggle of a woman accustomed to being solitary that she feels confined by her upcoming marriage. The author presents the characterizations effectively through Louisa’s internal independence, the comfort she has with her household, the relationship she built with her fiancé and the connection she has with her late brother’s dog.

Religion is powerful in that it controls followers’ behaviours and beliefs throughout their entire lives; it is a form of social control. Catholicism is one of the most widely known religions influencing more than 2 billion people around the world (Ross). Within Catholicism not everyone are seen as equals; men have greater privilege than women. The bible and church are from a male’s point of view (Christ 86) and passages within the bible are used to enforce a sexual hierarchy. In fact, the oppression of women begins with the first story in Genesis about creation, which portrays females as being inferior to men and even of an evil nature. This one passage is the main source of justification of oppression of woman in the church (Daly 13).

Thus, we see that in a sense, Catholicism acted as a catalyst in the development of female education. Paradoxically enough though, at the same time, it limited the possible level of knowledge they could attain. The thought of the supposedly foolish, sinful female sex breaking the bonds of ignorance made many people fear the possibility of women reading “forbidden” books. Dante’s “La vita nuova”, the Petrarchan sonnets and the “Decameron” are a few examples of books that were considered lasciviously dangerous and kept off-limits (Grendler, 1989). Indeed, women could be educated, yet within a certain framework. Their level of knowledge only went up to a point, in order to make sure they grew up to be exemplary, pious, Christian housewives.

Although the Prioress does not outcast her opinion towards feminism as much as the wife, it is still important to discuss her outlook on a patriarchal society and how she behaved throughout it. The way the nun presents herself with the clothes she wears and her table manners indicate that she is from an aristocracy ranking. It was not acceptable for women in the medieval time that were so devoted to God to give much attention to their attire. However, the author states, “women of rank continued to display their status in fine clothing and adornment” (Nelson 35-36) and that is just what the Prioress continued to do even after devoting herself to God. It is said that when she sees a mouse stuck in a trap that she weeps, and she even has dogs

Pride is one of the most common sins committed in The Monk. There are very few characters in the novel that escape this particular blemish to their personality. Early in the novel, Lewis describes the inhabitants of the church, saying, “the Women came to show themselves, the Men to see the Women,” (7). Thus, although the natives of Madrid have come to mass, they came for the wrong reason; their pride drives most of their actions. Antonia’s aunt, Leonella, is particularly prey to her prideful nature, despite her age. As she returns from mass with Antonia, she tells the girl, “the very moment I produced myself in Madrid, I knew that I should be surrounded by Admirers.” This example of Leonella’s vanity, humorous to the reader because of the woman 's appearance in comparison to that of her beautiful niece, is very quickly criticized. Upon the woman’s encounter with the gypsy as she returned from mass, Leonella was nearly “choaked with passion” as she listened to the stranger’s mocking advice to “lay aside/ your paint and patches.” Even the nuns in the Convent of St. Clare are not immune to pride. When Theodore, disguised as a beggar, attempts to gain access into the Convent, Lewis states, “his feigned timidity flattered the vanity of the Nuns,” (284); he gains a place in their