Theme Of Misogyny In George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four

Orwell is characterized through the eyes of Winston when he realises her as ‘beautiful’. It shows his distaste for the Promiscuousness of Julia and strengthens the misogynistic scrutiny of the female sex.

Throughout history, men consistently consider women inferior forming the stereotype that women are the weaker sex. Society taught itself that the icon of masculinity is directly related to the weakness of females (Csaszar 40). This idea, however, enraged a countless number of men and women alike forcing them to advocate a new way of thinking. George Orwell managed to reverse the idea of male dominance by introducing the world to Winston Smith, the weak, male, main character whose only  purpose in life is to serve his society. In his futuristic science fiction novel, 1984, Orwell uses the stereotypical female characters as the compelling forces which drive man to act. Despite their portrayed lack of power, the women in the novel are the only characters with any influence over Winston, making them the crucial aspect to the book’s anti-totalitarian purpose. Taking place in the future totalitarian society of Oceania, Orwell begins and ends the novel with fear and control over man. Winston Smith, the main character, is depicted as weak, and passive- aggressive (Orwell). This goes against the usual description of the main character of a novel who would  be strong and the hero of a story. In a typical society that praised masculinity, Orwell was able to  present Winston’s absence of the trait in order to expose it later in the book in a more realistic way according to the novel’s setting. Although he is the main character, Winston is seen as more pitiable instead of admirable. He

Julia is first shown as a sexless figure since she is a member of the Anti-Sex League. When Winston first sees Julia, he does not know her name. He only knows that she works in the Fiction Department. Winston “disliked nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones. It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers-out of unorthodoxy” (10). This demonstrates that at the beginning of the novel, he does not like Julia. He thinks that she is dangerous, and wants to get him in trouble. He thinks that she is a member of the thought police and that she will turn him in. This proves the assumptions of men and how Winston just assumes that Julia is dangerous. According to Meia, a writer for Medium, “Winston started out hating Julia simply because he wanted to have sex with her. In knowing, or assuming, that that would never happen, Winston finds himself cheated out of something that he feels he ought to have” (Meia). Winston does not like Julia because he feels like she will get him in trouble, but he has an attraction toward her. With her Anti-sex League sash, he thinks that she will follow the rules of the Party. He feels like if he would have sex with the young and beautiful Julia without getting caught, then that would be the ultimate rebel and they will defeat Big Brother. Winston thinks that all women in Oceania are all complete followers of the Party and will not disobey the laws. However, Julia's appearance deceives Winston, and he finds out that she is unorthodox and has the same intention as he

1984 is a classic piece of British literature that serves as the most prominent example of the dystopia genre. In this nover George Orwell tells the precautionary tale of what might happen if the society goes totalitarian. In this essay I would like to talk about the role of women in the novel.

George Orwell focuses his belief of the “[disbelief] in the existence of the objective truth because all the facts have to fit in with the words and prophecies of some infallible fuhrer”. He envisions the decay of future society and implements his ideas through his creation of “Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Indications of a psychological fear are examined initially through the progression and change of the human mind, which is built upon the oppression of the Party. Through the construction of a world with no freedom and individuality, the human mind adapts the change of truth and pay utter submission from the Party, to escape the presence of their ultimate weakness. With those who are rebellious of the rules of the Party gradually brings out the ugly nature of humanity. Through the fragility of the human mind, it reinforces Orwell’s idea of a corrupted society, as there no longer remains a variety of human emotions for the next generation to pass onwards. Thus conclusively portraying the defeat of human mind unable to withstand the physical and mental tortures from the Party.

In a letter to Brenda Salkeld in 1933 Orwell considered a “fearful tribe” of feminists to be one of the threats to civilisation. He reflected on two directions toward which the world could move: a complete overthrow of the present order by means of a revolution or the continuing and consummate hegemony of business accompanied by the feminists’ coming into power (Csaszar).” Orwell had inflated his fear so much to where he believed that feminism will take over the world as if it was a dictatorship. Hegemony is the process of a woman coming into power at a business and that fact scared Orwell so much to where he felt that if they were given power in 1984 a revolution would start. “Winston finds himself cheated out of something that he feels he ought to have. Possibly even cheated out of a sense of masculinity that might come with having sex with a young woman like Julia (Meia).” Orwell wrote Winston as a man who would pursue younger women in hopes of seeming more masculine. In society a man is congratulated if he has sex with lots of girls, yet women are shamed for the same actions as men. When 1984 was written gender roles were very different from today’s time era and when we see women being written like this we are very astonished and want to know

Described as “young”, “free-spirited”, and “practical”, Julia differs from Winston in many ways. She is open about her sexuality, and sleeps with several party members before she meets Winston. Although these acts are frowned upon in the eyes of The Party, Julia doesn’t intend them that way, and tells Winston that it is only to satisfy her own desires. Julia only “..questioned the teachings of the party when they in some way touched upon her life”(153). She was too young to remember a life that contradicted The Party’s teachings, and because she believed all Party propaganda to be lies, Julia had no interest in what those teachings were anyway.

Orwell uses Winston and Julia’s relationship to show the power of the human emotion of love. Winston is a pessimistic man that has nothing to live for except for life itself, until he meets a love interest; Julia. Orwell narrates “At the

Julia is the epitome of everything that Winston loathes; pretty young women, for it makes him think of his own wife and emphasizes his jealousy. However we eventually find out that she shares Winston’s ideals about the hatred of Big Brother, and she is described as a “sexual rebel”, and had sex with various Party members, but saves herself from being caught by the Thought Police by wearing the red sash of the Anti-Sex League. Julia deceives almost everyone in this dystopian society, by posing as an innocent young woman, but secretly rebelling and hating the Party. Julia’s deceiving nature is indicated through her “ripping off the scarlet sash of the Junior Anti-Sex League, and flinging it onto a nearby bough.” The choice of diction used by Orwell emphasizes both Julia’s reckless nature and her dislike for the party; “flinging” the sash indicates to the audience that she does not actually believe in the Junior Anti-Sex League; that is was indeed a cover to protect herself from being caught, and the word “scarlet” to describe the color of the sash is perhaps even a warning or a foreshadowing that something bad will happen in the future with Winston and Julia regarding the validity of Julia’s membership in this chastity pledge. Through her actions, Julia has been deceiving the Party for a long time, as well as deceiving Big Brother for she has not been caught for 12 years, until her and Winston’s affair becomes known to the Thought Police.

The main character in George Orwell’s book 1984 is a thirty-nine year old man with the name of Winston Smith. Winston Smith creates thought crimes, he also has anti-Party views. The story “1984” tells about all of Winston Smith’s struggles. In an effort to avoid being monitored, Winston physically conforms to society, however mentally he does just the opposite. Winston is a thin, frail and intellectual thirty-nine year old. Winston hates totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristics of his government. Winston hates being watched by Big Brother. He always has revolutionary dreams, he feels like he would be protected. Julia is Winston’s lover, a beautiful dark- haired girl working in the

Winston a grey and rough skinned, emaciated, fearful, thirty nine year old man with a varicose ulcer on his leg, who hated a woman named Julia. Winston described her as not handsome, attractive, natural looks, and he liked her hips. Winston has many thoughts about mortally wounding her. (Winston) Julia a twenty six year old woman, known as a rebel from the waist down and she’s a product of the Party. Julia wanted to experience love with someone, in this case Winston. Why did Julia like Winston? One reason Julia liked Winston happened to occur because he wanted to revolt against the party. (How) Winston’s rebellion takes place on a more "intellectual" level than does Julia 's. (How is) Winston hated

The characterization in this novel creates the reality of such an absurd world. Orwell characterizes two main characters, Winston and Julia, in ways that make them completely believable.

Gender roles are a social contract when we attempt to sign strengths and weaknesses to either gender; we literally cut our potential as the human race in half. In 1984, the society, men are supposed to be strong-willed and not easily controlled. In the novel, Winston seems to be under the control of Julia. Typically, the role of "damsel in distress" is played by females, however Winston in this case takes on this helpless role. Winston's character was not the typical "male" gender role.

A prime example of this would be Julia because she is seen as a female who sneaks around into relationships with men for the sole purpose of her own pleasure. When it comes to thinking about something else important such as the potential rebellion, she seems to not be bothered or interested. George Orwell portrays females in a stereotypical manner that has them seem like they aren’t interested in anything but sex or luscious activity. From the other women in the book we can see glimpses of the same stereotypical mindset because the women are at work doing domestic

An indication stated by Winston “You’re only a rebel from the waist down” (Orwell 163). This observation shows that instead of thinking her body was pure and should stay virgin till marriage. She thought her body was more of a tool used to rebel against big brother ridiculous restrictions. A second indication is “He worries there might be microphones hidden in bushes, but feels reassured by the dark haired girl’s evident experience. She tells him that her name is Julia, tears off her Junior Anti sex League sash. Winston becomes aroused when they move into woods and make love (Spark Notes). That claim proves that Julia is not looking for anything serious as she is greatly quick to undress herself and bed herself with Winston. This claim also proves that she had been in that type of predicament with other guys witch shows that Julia is the relationship type. The third indication is “Julia replies in a typically shallow fashion she is only interested in herself and Winston in the present” (Enotes 2). This shows the Julia is not looking for anything long term in Winston, but like the pleasuring feeling that he gives her currently. This confirms that the relationship Winston wanted is not what Julia was looking for and reminds the readers that she is only looking out for